Senate Advances Laken Riley Act with Bipartisan Support in 61-35 Vote, Aiming to Crack Down on Illegal Immigration

Jan 17, 2025, 03:54 PM

The U.S. Senate has advanced the Laken Riley Act, a bill aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration, by a vote of 61-35, successfully breaking a filibuster. The legislation, named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student murdered by an illegal immigrant in February 2024, requires federal immigration authorities to detain illegal migrants who commit theft-related crimes. An amendment proposed by Sen. John Cornyn was added to the bill, expanding the list of offenses to include assault on a law enforcement officer. The bill's passage received bipartisan support, with 10 Democratic senators, including Jon Ossoff, Gary Peters, Mark Warner, Ruben Gallego, Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, Elissa Slotkin, Jacky Rosen, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Mark Kelly, joining all Republicans in the vote. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. John Fetterman, a co-sponsor of the bill, were notable figures in the debate. Sen. Katie Britt, who introduced the bill in the Senate, and Sen. John Thune, the Senate Majority Leader, played key roles in its advancement. The Laken Riley Act is expected to be the first bill signed into law by President-elect Donald Trump following his inauguration, marking an early legislative victory on immigration policy. The bill will return to the House for consideration due to the Senate's amendments.