Jodey Arrington

01/22/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/22/2025 17:36

Laken Riley Act Heads to President’s Desk

Washington, D.C. - Today, the United States House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act (S.5), officially sending the legislation to President Trump's desk to be signed into law.

"The Laken Riley Act is officially heading to President Trump's desk to become the law of the land," said House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington (TX-19). "This is the kind of decisive, common-sense leadership you can expect from unified Republicans as we move into this new Golden Age of America. The days of putting our communities last and criminals first are over. This legislation gives law enforcement the tools they need to keep dangerous illegals off the streets and empowers state governments to protect their people."

Background:

  • The House version of this legislation, H.R.29, was passed out of the House on January 7, 2025, before being amended and sent back to the House for final passage.
  • S.5 included amendments that add two additional classes of crimes that require the issuance of an ICE detainer:
  • Crimes resulting in death; or
  • Crimes resulting in serious bodily injury to another individual and assault of a law enforcement officer.
  • The legislation is named for Laken Riley, the 22-year-old nursing student who was murdered by an illegal alien on the University of Georgia's campus on February 22, 2024.
  • The Laken Riley Act does two things:
  • Amends federal law to require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to issue detainers and take custody of illegal aliens who commit theft-related crimes, such as shoplifting, as defined by state and local law.
  • Allows state attorneys general to sue the Secretary of Homeland Security for injunctive relief if immigration actions such as parole, violation of detention requirements, or other policy failures harm that state or its citizens.
  • The bill directly addresses one of the federal policy failures related to Laken Riley's murder. Her murderer, Jose Ibarra, is an illegal alien who had been previously cited for shoplifting by the Athens Police Department. If local law enforcement had called ICE, and ICE issued a detainer and picked him up, Laken would be alive. Ibarra was found guilty in November 2024 and has been sentenced to life without parole.
  • In March of 2024, the House passed this legislation with every Republican and 37 Democrats voting in favor.
  • It was not brought to a vote in the Democrat-majority Senate.

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