The first legislation of the new Congress was named after a Georgia woman murdered by an undocumented immigrant—and it passed the House with bipartisan support. The Laken Riley Act was approved in a 264 to 159 vote Tuesday, with 48 Democrats voting with Republicans to pass the bill, CBS News reports. The bill requires federal authorities to detain undocumented immigrants charged with crimes including theft, burglary, and shoplifting for possible deportation, the New York Times reports. Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student, was murdered by Venezuelan citizen Jose Ibarra. Months before the killing, he was arrested for shoplifting but was later released, the Texas Tribune reports.
Critics say the bill could lead to people being detained without due process, the Hill reports. "Under this bill, a person who has lived in the United States for decades, say for most of her life, paid taxes and bought a home, but who is mistakenly arrested for shoplifting would not be free to resume her life, but rather would be detained and deported, even if the charges are dropped," said Rep. Jamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. Some 37 House Democrats voted with Republicans to approve the bill last year, but it stalled in the Senate.
The Senate, which now has a Republican majority, will take up the measure again on Friday, CNN reports. Republicans have 53 seats in the chamber but with incoming Republican Sen. Jim Justice not expected to take his seat until next week, the measure will need at least eight Democratic votes. Two new Democratic senators, Sens. Ruben Gallego and Elissa Slotkin, voted for the bill when they were House members. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman also supports the legislation. "Laken Riley's story is a tragic reminder of what's at stake when our systems fail to protect people," he said in a statement to CNN. (More Laken Riley stories.)
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