The final version of the Laken Riley Act passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday night, making it the first bill President Donald Trump can sign.
The bill is named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was killed by an illegal immigrant while jogging at the University of Georgia in February 2024. This landmark bill would require the detention of undocumented immigrants charged with theft-related and violent crimes, a process many believe could have saved Riley's life. There is.
“Finally, the Laken Riley Act is on its way to the White House for President Trump's signature.”
In the House, 156 Democrats voted. against The bill ultimately aims to significantly crack down on violent immigration. Although most Democrats voted against the bill, 46 Democrats and 217 Republicans passed it.
“The Laken-Riley Act now goes to President Trump's desk for him to sign,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana). statement Wednesday. “Illegal aliens who commit crimes must be detained, deported, and never allowed to return to our country. Americans demand and deserve safety and security.”
“Finally, the Laken-Riley Act is about to be signed by President Trump and sent to the White House,” said Representative Mike Collins, Republican of Georgia. said in a statement Wednesday. “Thank you to everyone who fought alongside me to bring justice to Laken. We can't bring her back, but we can do something meaningful to prevent something like this from happening to another American family.” Thank you to the many people who fought for change, including Senator Katie Britt.”
Although the bill passed Congress this time, the Laken-Riley Act has faced several setbacks in the past. The bill passed the House for the first time in the 118th Congress, with only 37 Democrats voting to 214 Republicans. Despite passing the House, Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York never brought the bill to the Senate for a vote.
This time, more Democrats sided with Republicans to pass the bill in both the House and Senate. After Trump's landslide victory in the 2024 election, when immigration remained a top priority for voters, several Democrats took note and changed their votes.
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