Laken Riley Act passed by House as GOP seeks to rebuke Biden for handling of border – By Rachel Schilke (Washington Examiner) / March 7, 2024
The House passed on Thursday the Laken Riley Act, which would require immigration officials to detain immigrants charged with crimes following the death of a nursing student on the University of Georgia campus — the latest win for Republicans as they continue to rebuke the Biden administration’s border policies.
House Republicans overwhelmingly voted in favor of the bill, passing 251 to 170. Thirty-seven Democrats supported the legislation. The bill is one of several efforts from House GOP members to address the influx of illegal immigrants and an uptick in crime in several cities, such as New York.
The bill is named in honor of Laken Riley, 22. She was allegedly killed by a Venezuelan immigrant who had been arrested in 2022 for illegally crossing the border.
Riley and other victims of immigrant-related crimes are a major focus for Republicans, particularly ahead of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address. Immigration and border security are at the top of GOP members’ minds as they prepare for Biden’s speech, especially because the president blamed perceived inaction at the southern border on Republican infighting and inability to work across the aisle.
