House passes Laken Riley Act in first bill of new Congress

The US House of Representatives passed its first bill of the newly formed Congress, which addresses illegal immigration.

The male individual, Jose Ibarra, faces charges including murder and more in connection with Riley's death in November.

"Today, we're moving forward with prioritizing border security, as we previously committed to," stated House Speaker Mike Johnson before Tuesday's vote, emphasizing the need to address various issues and stating that the Laken Riley Act is a key part of that effort.

The House voted 264 to 159 in favor of the measure, with all Republican representatives and 48 Democratic representatives supporting its passage.

The bill also contains a provision allowing state attorneys general to sue the Department of Homeland Security if they claim their state or its residents have been adversely affected by immigration policies.

The House okayed the legislation back in March, with 37 House Democrats teaming up with Republicans to pass it. However, the bill got held up in the then-Democrat-controlled Senate.

Johnson urged more Democrats to side with Republicans this time around, suggesting the election would be a significant indicator.

"Detaining and deporting individuals who are here illegally and have committed serious crimes like robbery, theft, and violent offenses only seems logical to me," Johnson said.

Riley's story became a rallying point for the Republican Party in the run-up to the 2024 election, with some Democrats accusing Republicans of exploiting her death for political gain.

Representative Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland, stated in advance of the vote on Tuesday that the murder of Laken Riley was an unbearable and deeply shocking crime, but said the proposed bill was a hollow and self-serving attempt. Raskin argued that the legislation fails to tackle the core problems at hand, and criticized Republicans for abandoning a bipartisan border security deal last year, which had been torpedoed by President-elect Donald Trump's strong opposition.

The Maryland Democrat claimed that this bill would profoundly alter decades-long approaches to policy by mandating that an undocumented immigrant be detained, even if they've never been accused or convicted of a crime, describing this move as a "radical departure" from existing law.

Although this time around, the bill is gaining support from both sides of the aisle, with Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania becoming the first Senate Democrat to co-sponsor the legislation in the Republican-dominated upper chamber, a vote is scheduled for this Friday.

"Laken Riley's tragic story serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of systems failing to safeguard vulnerable individuals," said Fetterman, pointing out that although he believes immigration strengthens America, he supports providing authorities with the necessary resources to discourage tragedies like this one, while also working towards long-term improvements to the faulty system.

As they anticipate taking control of the government, Republicans have vowed to make strengthening border security a top issue when President Trump resumes the presidency at the White House later this month.

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