Over half the House Democratic Caucus on Thursday voted against the Laken Riley Act, a bill named for a murdered nursing student that would force the detention of illegal migrants in the United States who commit crimes.
Riley was killed on Feb. 22 by Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan national who entered the United States unlawfully in 2022 and had been previously arrested in New York City, until he was released. In response, the House of Representatives passed a bill, named in Riley’s honor, that would require the detention of such individuals if they commit petty crimes of burglary, theft, larceny or shoplifting, which 170 House Democrats voted against. (RELATED: Houses Passes ‘Laken Riley Act’ To Crack Down On Illegal Immigrant Criminals)
“Laken was a kind and gentle soul beloved by everyone around her. May her memory be a blessing. Unfortunately, instead of coming together to express our sorrow for Laken’s tragic loss, the majority appears to be exploiting her death for yet another partisan political stunt,” said Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, who led the debate on the bill in opposition, on the House floor shortly before the bill’s passage. “Republicans appear to have thrown together language from existing unrelated bills that target and scapegoat immigrants to score cheap political points in an election year while doing nothing to address the situation at the border. This approach is fundamentally unserious.”
H.R. 7511, Laken Riley Act by Daily Caller News Foundation on Scribd
Just 37 House Democrats voted with 214 Republicans to pass the bill, while eleven members did not vote. The bill was sponsored by Republican Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia, who represents the district where the offense occurred.
It remains unclear whether the Democratic-led Senate will take up the bill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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