Sen. Scott Statement on Passage of Laken Riley Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, issued the below statement following Senate passage of the Laken Riley Act:

"Laken Riley's murder is the result of an absolute failure by the Biden administration. Their open border, soft-on-crime policies gave get-out-of-jail-free cards to repeat offenders. President Biden's refusal to protect the homeland and secure our southern border cost Laken Riley and other Americans their lives. The solution is simple: secure our border, stop rewarding illegal immigration, and quit letting in criminals and murderers. I want to thank Senators Britt and Budd for their leadership on this issue and extend my deepest gratitude to Laken's parents, who have championed this bill, through their grief, to help make sure other innocent Americans won't be subjected to the cruel fate their daughter suffered."

The Laken Riley Act would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest illegal aliens who commit theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting offenses and would mandate that they are detained until they are removed from the United States to prevent further crimes and offenses. This legislation would also ensure states have standing to bring civil actions against federal officials who refuse to enforce immigration law or who violate the law.