WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, voted to begin debate on the Laken Riley Act. This bill, which Senator Capito cosponsored, was introduced by Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), alongside Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and the entire Senate Republican Conference.

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 these aliens are detained until they are removed from the United States so they cannot reoffend and commit further crimes. 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.

"Last year, Laken Riley's senseless murder appalled our country," Senator Capito said. "Americans deserve to feel safe in their communities, but the leadership in the outgoing Biden-Harris administration refused to meaningfully address the crisis at the southern border and it resulted in acts of violence against U.S. citizens by illegal immigrants. I look forward to working with President Trump and new Republican majorities in Congress to get the Laken Riley Act signed into law so that we can crack down on illegal immigrants that choose to wreak havoc across the country, secure our border, and prevent another tragedy like Laken Riley's from ever occurring again."

BACKGROUND:

This legislation was originally introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Mike Collins (R-Ga.) and passed the House of Representatives this week by a bipartisan vote of 264 to 159, with 48 Democrats voting in favor.

Senator Capito was a cosponsor of the Laken Riley Act in the 118th Congress, which passed the House in bipartisan fashion, but was denied a vote by then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). Today's vote marks the Senate's first piece of legislation considered in the 119th Congress.

Tomorrow, January 10th, would have been Laken Riley's 23rd birthday.

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