The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act Thursday, which takes aim at President Joe Biden and U.S. immigration policy following allegations that an illegal immigrant killed a student on UGA's campus in Athens in February.
H.R. 7511 passed with a 251-170 vote and is named after Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was allegedly killed by Jose Ibarra, 26, of Venezuela, in February. 37 Democrats supported the measure. The bill was authored by Georgia's 10th Congressional District Representative, Republican Mike Collins.
"The Laken Riley Act is a key piece in our fight to restore the rule of law and get criminal illegal aliens off our streets," Collins said while addressing the House. "Let’s ensure justice for Laken Riley."
The act specifically condemns President Joe Biden's border policies. One specific policy that Collins referenced in the bill was catch and release. Collins requested the Biden administration to reinstate a "Remain in Mexico" policy.
The bill would also amend federal law to require Immigration and Customs Enforcement to issue detainers and take custody of illegal aliens who commit theft-related crimes, such as shoplifting, as defined by state and local law.
Additionally, it would allow state Attorneys General to sue the Secretary of Homeland Security for injunctive relief if immigration actions such as parole, violation of detention requirements or other issues harm that state or its citizens.
"The bill directly addresses one of the federal policy issues related to Laken Riley's murder," a press release from Collins' office said. "As is widely reported, Jose Ibarra was cited for shoplifting by the Athens Police Department prior to killing Ms. Riley. If local law enforcement had called ICE, and ICE issued a detainer and picked him up, Laken Riley would be alive."
The bill will now go before the U.S. Senate. You can read the full document here.
