Increasing Support for the Laken Riley Act Among Senate Democrats
Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego has announced he will co-sponsor the legislation.
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) has aligned with several other Democrats in endorsing a bill aimed at penalizing illegal immigrants who engage in criminal activities within the United States.
“Residents of Arizona are acutely aware of the genuine repercussions stemming from the current border crisis. It is crucial that we empower law enforcement to act and thwart tragedies similar to that which befell Laken Riley.”
The Laken Riley Act is named in memory of a 22-year-old nursing student who tragically lost her life while jogging on the University of Georgia campus last February. Illegal immigrant Jose Ibarra, 26, was found guilty of her murder and sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole in November.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is also a co-sponsor of this legislation, while Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) have indicated their intention to vote in favor of advancing the bill.
This act would mandate that the Department of Homeland Security detain illegal immigrants if they are apprehended for crimes such as theft, burglary, or shoplifting. Additionally, it would empower states to initiate lawsuits against the federal government regarding certain immigration policies, particularly in relation to incomplete background checks for prospective immigrants.
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The bill successfully passed in the House on Jan. 7, with a final vote of 264–159. It garnered support from every Republican and 48 Democrats. This legislation marks the first bill enacted by the 119th Congress.
During a press briefing on Jan. 7, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) stated that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is prioritizing the bill and plans to present it on the Senate floor by week’s end.
The GOP holds a 53–47 majority in the Senate, providing them with sufficient votes to progress the bill. However, a total of 60 votes will be needed to bypass a filibuster and allow the bill to proceed to the Senate floor.
Statements from Democratic lawmakers indicate a potential consolidation of support for the bill among Democrats ahead of a prospective vote on Jan. 10.
This act also passed the House last year with backing from over 30 Democrats, but then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) opted not to advance it to the floor for a vote.
Before his election to the Senate, Gallego was a member of the House and previously supported the bill during the prior year’s voting.
Opposition to the legislation exists.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) criticized the act as “an empty and opportunistic measure,” suggesting that it might penalize otherwise law-abiding individuals who are undocumented.
“This bill could lead to the detainment and deportation of a person who has lived in the U.S. for decades, paid taxes, saved for their future, and owned a home, simply due to a mistaken arrest for shoplifting, even if no charges are pursued or the police acknowledge the arrest was erroneous,” Raskin explained.
He also objected to the second provision of the bill, referencing the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Texas, which established that states cannot sue the federal government regarding immigration policy without a legislative change.
Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) rebutted this by asserting that the act aims to achieve exactly that.
