Senate Passes Laken Riley Act 64-35 Including Sarah's Law

Jan 20, 2025, 11:37 PM

The U.S. Senate has passed the Laken Riley Act with a bipartisan vote of 64-35, making it the first bill passed in the new Congress following President Trump's inauguration. The Act aims to strengthen immigration enforcement by mandating Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain undocumented immigrants charged with crimes such as theft, burglary, shoplifting, attacking law enforcement officers, and offenses resulting in death or bodily injury. The legislation, which includes provisions from Sarah's Law—named after Iowan Sarah Root, who was killed by an illegal immigrant—received support from 12 Democratic senators. The bill now heads to the House, where it is expected to pass the amended version before reaching President Trump's desk to be signed into law.