Washington The first law of the new Congress, a strict border measure named for a 22-year-old Georgia nursing school student whose murder by an illegal immigrant last year became a hot topic in the 2024 presidential race, was enacted by the Republican-led House on Tuesday.
When Republicans, who now control the upper chamber, bring the Laken Riley Act to the floor for a first vote on Friday, which would have been Riley’s 23rd birthday, Senate Democrats are under pressure to support the legislation after the 264-159 vote to adopt it.
The bill is co-sponsored by Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman and all 52 Senate Republicans. In order to get 60 votes and end a filibuster, Republicans will therefore need seven additional Senate Democrats.
Any Democrat who wishes to assist us in resolving these issues is warmly welcomed, as the American people deserve and demand it. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters prior to the vote that it was past due.
A 26-year-old Venezuelan national named Jose Ibarra was convicted in November of kidnapping, beating, and killing Riley while she was jogging close to the University of Georgia campus in Athens. Ibarra was in the country illegally. Ibarra received a life sentence without the possibility of release.
Trump took advantage of the situation when he and Riley’s family members appeared on the Georgia campaign trail and accused President Joe Biden of killing Riley because of his immigration policy. Ibarra was cited for shoplifting by a local Georgia police department, but Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, did not issue a detainer for him and he was not brought into custody, according to Trump’s congressional friends.
Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., is the bill’s author. It would amend federal law to mandate that ICE, which is part of the Homeland Security Department, issue detainers and take custody of individuals who are in the country unlawfully and commit theft-related offenses, such as shoplifting.
“It’s unbelievable that anyone would object to us detaining and deporting illegal aliens who commit violent and vicious crimes like shoplifting, larceny, theft, and burglary,” Johnson added.
37 Democrats, the majority of whom were representing swing districts or vying for statewide office, joined all Republicans in voting in favor of the Laken Riley Act when it was passed by the House last March by a vote of 251 to 170. Then-Reps. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Ruben Gallego of Arizona, who were elected to the Senate in November, were among the Democrats who supported the bill. The Senate did not consider the bill in the previous Congress, which was then dominated by Democrats.
Democrats in his chamber, including the two Georgia moderates, will face tremendous pressure to back the plan, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., stated Tuesday.
Individuals will need to make a choice. Now that Fetterman has signed on, the bill is bipartisan, according to Barrasso, who also noted that Gallego and Slotkin have already shown support for it.
We will also observe the actions of the senators from Georgia. Georgia is where this occurred,” he stated. Additionally, Laken Riley’s birthday is on Friday, the day of the Senate vote.
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