The Senate passed the Laken-Reilly Act on Monday with bipartisan support.
The bill passed on a 64-35 vote, with 12 Democrats voting to advance it..
The Laken Riley Act is named after the 22-year-old nursing student who was senselessly murdered by an illegal immigrant while jogging at the University of Georgia in February 2024. The bill requires the detention of illegal aliens charged with theft or robbery-related crimes.
“We must give law enforcement the tools to take action to prevent tragedies like the one that happened to Laken Riley.”
In the wake of Riley's tragic murder, Republicans embraced her story as one of many innocent lives taken by illegal aliens. Riley's story has become a feature of Republican messaging on immigration, but Democrats are also active in the cause.
Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Ruben Gallego of Arizona both announced their support for the bill ahead of the vote.
“The story of Laken Riley is a tragic reminder of what is at stake when our systems fail to protect people,” Fetterman said. said. “No family should have to endure the pain of losing a loved one to preventable violence. Immigrants are what made this country great, and while we work toward comprehensive solutions to our broken systems, this I support giving authorities the tools to prevent such tragedies.”
“Not only am I voting yes on the Laken Riley Act, I am also a co-sponsor of the bill,” Gallego said. said In a post by X earlier this month. “Arizonas know better than anyone the true consequences of today's border crisis. We must give law enforcement the tools to take action to prevent tragedies like the one that happened to Laken Riley. No.”
In the end, 12 Senate Democrats joined all 53 Republicans in passing the bill. Similarly, 48 Democrats joined 216 Republicans in voting to pass the bill in the House.
The bill was specifically passed by the House of Representatives during the 118th Congress, with only 37 Democrats to 214 Republicans. Although a majority remained opposed to the bill, the Laken-Reilly Act gained momentum when 11 more Democrats voted for it in the 119th Congress.
Similarly, under Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's authority, the bill was never brought to a vote on the Senate floor. This time, the Senate not only took up the Laken-Reilly Act, but more than a dozen Democrats went against their party and voted to pass the bill.
The bottom line is that immigration is a losing issue for Democrats. Immigration was repeatedly polled as a top priority for Americans during the 2024 presidential election, and voters had far more confidence in President Donald Trump to address the issue than in former Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump won all seven battleground states, securing the popular vote.
This was a wake-up call for the Democratic Party. Not only was their platform unpopular, they were also losing elections.
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