Kennedy helps champion Laken Riley Act in new Congress

WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and colleagues in reintroducing the Laken Riley Act to require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain illegal immigrants who commit theft, burglary, larceny or shoplifting offenses.

"Laken Riley's murderer shouldn't have been in our country committing crimes in the first place. The Laken Riley Act would give ICE the authority it needs to remove illegal criminals and protect Americans. The Senate ought to pass this common-sense bill immediately," said Kennedy.

The Laken Riley Act is named after a 22-year-old nursing student whom an illegal immigrant murdered. Prior to Riley's murder, the murderer had been arrested for shoplifting, but ICE did not detain him.

The legislation would require ICE to detain illegal immigrants who commit theft or similar offenses until they are removed from the country. In Nov. 2024, Riley's murderer was found guilty of all charges and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The Laken Riley Act would also ensure that states have standing to bring civil actions against federal officials who do not enforce immigration law or who violate the law.

"Last year, Laken Riley was stolen from this earth-from her family and friends and from achieving her dreams-by a brutal, heartless killer. Make no mistake-he never should have been in the United States, much less allowed to freely roam American streets after being charged with multiple crimes. Laken's murder was the direct consequence of willful open border policies," said Britt.

Background:

• In March 2024, Kennedy and colleagues introduced the Laken Riley Act, but Senate Democrats refused to let Senators vote on the Laken Riley Act as a stand-alone bill.

• In Feb. 2024, Kennedy demanded answers from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about why Riley's suspected murderer was paroled into the U.S.

• In Nov. 2023, Kennedy helped introduce the Southern Border Transparency Act, which would require the DHS to disclose catch-and-release data, including the number of migrants that the Biden administration has paroled into the country.

The entire Senate Republican Conference has cosponsored the Laken Riley Act for the 119th Congress, including Sens. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), John Boozman (R-Mont.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Curtis (R-Utah), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has also sponsored the bill.