The bill, which would increase the detentions of foreign national criminals, passed both houses of Congress with bipartisan support.
The U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 22 passed the Laken Riley Act, a bill that would increase the detention of illegal immigrants in the United States
This is the first bill going to President Donald Trump for his signature into law. Trump has spoken favorably of the Laken Riley Act and is expected to sign it.
The act is named for the late Laken Hope Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University in Georgia who was murdered by José Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan national, on the University of Georgia campus on Feb. 22, 2024.
Ibarra, who illegally entered the United States in September 2022, was convicted of felony murder and seven other criminal counts after a bench trial in the Athens-Clarke County Superior Court on Nov. 20, 2024.
Riley’s murder was highlighted during the 2024 presidential election by Trump and other Republican candidates. They pledged to enact border security measures in contrast with the Biden administration.
Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) introduced the bill to require the detention of illegal immigrants such as Ibarra. Republicans say they believe such a law would have prevented Riley’s murder.
“The Laken Riley Act is a bipartisan bill that solves a bipartisan problem. It’s common sense that we remove criminals who have come into our country and commit crimes. No elected official who cares about the safety of their citizens should be opposed,” Collins told The Epoch Times.
In the 118th Congress, the House passed a version of the Laken Riley Act with bipartisan support, though the Democratic-led Senate did not consider it. Once the 119th Congress was seated, Collins reintroduced the bill, which passed the House by a vote of 264 to 159 on Jan. 7.
The Senate, however, passed a separate version of the bill on Jan. 20 with amendments, which the House approved on Jan. 22, thereby presenting it to Trump to be signed into law.
By Arjun Sing
