The Laken Riley Act, legislation designed to prevent crimes committed by illegal aliens, cleared a critical hurdle in the Senate with an 84-9 vote on its first procedural test of the new legislative year.
The legislation, introduced by Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama and Congressman Mike Collins of Georgia, has suddenly gained significant Democrat support, with 33 Senate Democrats joining all present Republicans to move it forward. The Senate is now controlled by Republicans, who are moving their legislation, some of it for a second time. Only nine Democrats voted against advancing the legislation.
Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, a co-sponsor of the bill, expressed his gratitude for the quick progress on the bill, which he described as a vital step toward restoring accountability in immigration enforcement. Sen. Lisa Murkowski did not vote on the bill.
A similar bill had passed in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, with the support of Alaska Congressman Nick Begich III.
Named in honor of 22-year-old Laken Riley, who was killed by a criminal illegal immigrant last year, the legislation mandates that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detain undocumented immigrants accused of theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting. The bill stipulates that these individuals remain in detention until they are deported to prevent them from reoffending.
Additionally, the act grants states the authority to pursue civil actions against federal officials who fail to enforce immigration laws or violate statutory obligations.
Sen. Sullivan attributed the rise in crime and drug trafficking, including fentanyl distribution, to what he called a “complete dereliction of duty” by the Biden Administration. He stated that the border policies implemented over the last four years have exacerbated national security, health, and humanitarian crises.
“The consequences of the largest invasion of illegal aliens in American history – which began four years ago – are a tragedy and represent a complete dereliction of duty by President Biden,” Sullivan said. “The Biden administration’s border policies, which included deliberate orders to ignore federal law, have created a national security, health, humanitarian, and crime crisis of epic proportions. Laken Riley should still be alive today. So should thousands more Americans who have lost their lives as a result of these reckless and dangerous policies. Alaskans have certainly felt the impacts of the record amounts of drugs, particularly fentanyl, and cartel members coming across the border and reaching our state thousands of miles away. The Laken Riley Act is an attempt to make America safer and restore accountability to the people in charge of carrying out America’s immigration laws.”
The bill’s progress marks a shift from the previous Congress, where similar legislation passed the House but was blocked in the Senate. With Republicans now holding the Senate majority, the bill has gained momentum, reflecting a growing bipartisan consensus on immigration enforcement now that Sen. Chuck Schumer is not in control and Biden is just 10 days away from being a former president.
