Merkley: Laken Riley Act Fails to Keep Our Communities Safe, Fix Broken Immigration System

Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today issued the following statement on Senate passage of the Laken Riley Act:

"Laken Riley should be with us today. Her murder is a tragedy, and the perpetrator should be held fully accountable. The Laken Riley Act, however, has some egregious provisions that will have dramatic consequences beyond its stated goal of locking up undocumented individuals like the man who murdered Laken Riley. Specifically, it requires mandatory imprisonment for undocumented children who have never been charged with or convicted of a crime. This is twisted.

"We've seen time and again the damage the federal government can cause our children with dangerous immigration policies like this. It is time to turn the page on what does not work and focus on common-sense solutions that keep our communities and borders safe.

"People who commit serious crimes must be held fully accountable. While my Democratic colleagues and I made every effort to consider policies that protect public safety and due process, Republicans engaged in hyper-partisanship by rejecting regular order and denying the Senate an opportunity to debate serious amendments.

"I will continue to champion proposals that keep all of us safe, fix America's broken immigration system, and strengthen our border security. Our families and communities demand nothing less."

###