Laken Riley Act passed by Senate as Trump vows to prioritise border security

This is a move that would pave the way for officials in the United States to detain illegal migrants who engage in theft-related offenses.

Published on: Jan 21, 2025, 08:14:58 IST

By Sumanti Sen

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The Laken Riley Act was passed by the Senate hours after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. This is a move that would pave the way for officials in the United States to detain illegal migrants who engage in theft-related offenses.

Laken Riley Act passed by Senate as Trump vows to prioritise border security (Augusta University via AP) (AP)

The measure is named after Laken Riley, 22, a Georgia nursing student who was brutally murdered by 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra, an illegal immigrant.

Senators voted 64 to 35 to green-light the measure, with 12 Democrats joining their GOP counterparts in backing the bill. The Senate bill will be sent back to the House of Representatives, which has to vote on it again as it was slightly revised in the upper chamber. The tweaked bill is expected to be passed by the House.

The Laken Riley Act

According to Congress.gov, “This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain certain non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. The bill also authorizes states to sue the federal government for decisions or alleged failures related to immigration enforcement.”

“Under this bill, DHS must detain an individual who (1) is unlawfully present in the United States or did not possess the necessary documents when applying for admission; and (2) has been charged with, arrested for, convicted for, or admits to having committed acts that constitute the essential elements of burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting,” the website adds.

President Trump has vowed to make border security one of his top priorities. He said during his inaugural speech, "First, I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. All illegal entry will immediately be holding and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came. We will reinstate my 'Remain in Mexico' policy. I will end the practice of catch and release and I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.