Thirty-three Senate Democrats joined Republicans Thursday to clear key procedural hurdles on the Laken-Reilly Act.
The 84-9 vote easily cleared the 60-vote threshold to allow debate on the bill and potential amendments.
The Laken-Riley Act requires DHS to detain illegal aliens arrested, charged, or convicted of crimes such as robbery, theft, theft, and shoplifting. The bill, named after a 22-year-old nursing student who was brutally murdered in Georgia last year by an illegal alien released into the interior of the United States, passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
Although it faces additional hurdles to passage, the bill has significant momentum.
“This is an important issue, and it deserves to be debated and amended,” Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor before voting in favor of the bill. “Just to remind my colleagues, this is not a vote on the bill itself. This is a follow-on motion, a vote that we should have a debate and introduce amendments.”
Schumer's vote to pass the bill is significant because as Majority Leader last year, Schumer blocked the Laken-Reilly Act from consideration on the floor. Democrats are struggling with how to approach immigration and the border after President-elect Donald Trump slammed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on the issue last year.
The Senate is scheduled to vote on a motion to pass the bill Monday night, after which many Democrats will likely want to make changes to the bill. The bill appears to have enough support to pass without amendments, but it is unclear what strategy Democrats will take in moving forward with amendments.
“We're negotiating. We don't want to negotiate in public,” said Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), NOTUS report.
Potential amendments could range from good-faith efforts to adjust the bill to broader immigration efforts, such as protections for DREAMers.
“Please join us in this bill. [sic] We'll fix it for the better,'' said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut). saidaccording to NBC News. “The underlying bill looks like a bill that is not properly constructed. But we could improve it.”
NOTUS reports:
Democrats said they would like to see expanded powers for state attorneys general and changes to language that would require federal authorities to detain illegal immigrants even if charges are dropped. Some wanted to extend certain protections to Dreamers.
“Under the current language, if someone is arrested, they are in custody. I think it would be better if they were convicted. The window for arrest is too wide and there is no due process after arrest.” [Sen. Angus] King (I-ME) said. “But I agree with the fundamental purpose of this bill.”
Although the final shape of the bill and its prospects for passage are uncertain, working with Republicans on thorny immigration issues is more than most Democrats wanted during President Trump's first term. Democrats' reluctance to engage, even if born out of political necessity, means Trump may be able to win in Congress on key issues. It shows.
Bradley Jay is the deputy political editor at Breitbart News. please follow him X/Twitter and Instagram @BradleyAJaye.
