On Tuesday, Jan. 7, the House, with an overwhelming majority, voted to pass a bill requiring the deportation of undocumented immigrants charged with minor crimes. It gathered support from all Republicans, as well as 48 Democrats.

The bill then moved to the Senate on Thursday, Jan. 9, where everyone except for eight Democrats and one Independent voted to pass it.

These recent votes mark a major shift in the Democratic party after their losses in November against Republicans who campaigned on promises to crack down on illegal immigration and border crossings.

This bill instructs federal officials to detain and deport unauthorized immigrants arrested or charged with burglary, theft, shoplifting, or larceny, expanding the list that would cause migrants to be deported.

The measure is named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student in Georgia who was killed in February of 2024 by a migrant who illegally crossed into the United States from Venezuela. The migrant had previously been arrested for shoplifting, but wasn’t detained.

“Today, on the eve of what should have been Laken Riley’s 23rd Birthday, let’s honor her legacy and advance a bipartisan bill that will help save American lives,” Sen. Katie Britt, R- Ala., said in a speech during the vote.

Enthusiasm for the bill was expressed by many members of Congress, hoping for a reform of the immigration system.

“Not only am I voting yes on the Laken Riley Act, I’m cosponsoring the bill,” Senator Ruben Gallego, Democrat of Arizona, said on social media, adding: “We must give law enforcement the means to take action to prevent tragedies like what occurred to Laken Riley.”

Many people still believe that the measure needs to be further reviewed and edited before being enacted.

“Democrats want to have a robust debate where we can offer amendments and improve the bill,” Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the minority leader said on the floor Thursday as he announced he would support the bill. “This is an important issue; we should have a debate and amendments.”

Others believe that the bill should be passed as quickly as possible, to prevent crimes similar to the murder of Laken Riley.

“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,” House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana said in a statement. “If local law enforcement had called ICE, and ICE issued a detainer and picked him up, Laken would be alive.”

However, there are differing opinions on the equity of the bill and if this is the correct course of action to limit heinous crimes.

“It is a slippery slope to start with the mandatory, prolonged detention of our longtime residents who have been accused of, though perhaps not even charged with, criminal offenses − sometimes decades-old charges,” a letter sent to Congress by the American Civil Liberties Union remarked on Jan. 6, urging them not to pass the measure.

Despite this, President Trump, who took office Jan. 20, has promised to oversee mass deportations and restrict the continuous flow of illegal immigrants. His position was similar to public opinion regarding immigration during the presidential campaign, due to the record number of border crossings under the Biden administration. Many citizens expressed concern about the number of people migrating to the United States and wished for more restrictions.

The bill still has to undergo revisions, and many people are anxiously waiting to see the effects once it is passed and enacted.  

Article by Jada Jones