The House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would require the detention of any migrant who commits burglary or theft, legislation named after Laken Riley, a Georgia student who police say was killed by Jose Ibarra, a man who illegally crossed the U.S. border. The measure, known as the Laken Riley Act, cleared the chamber in a 251-170 vote, with 37 Democrats joining all Republicans present in voting "yes."
Republicans have seized on Riley's death to criticize the Biden administration's handling of the situation at the southern border, which has emerged as a key issue in the 2024 campaign cycle and a top vulnerability for President Biden heading into the general election. "Innocent Americans from Laken Riley in Georgia to the 14-year-old rape victim of an illegal immigrant in our home state of Louisiana," Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Wednesday, "They've all been victimized by those whom the Biden administration has released into our country."
The House approved the legislation hours before Biden is set to deliver his State of the Union address, which Republicans hope will call attention to Riley's death. Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) penned a letter to the president urging him to say the Georgia student's name during his remarks, while Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) said his guest seat for the speech will be empty "in honor of Laken Riley and all Americans who have lost their lives to an illegal alien criminal."
Democrats, however, have slammed Republicans for what they see as an exploitation of Riley's death in the heated debate over immigration and border security. "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," Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said on the House floor Thursday.
The bill would be a dramatic shift in detention policy, as those arrested for nonviolent crimes have not been prioritized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It remains unclear if the proposed legislation would have prevented the release of Ibarra, who entered the country illegally in September 2022 near El Paso, Texas, and was later arrested in Georgia after being given citations for shoplifting and failing to appear for his court date.
The issue of immigration has risen to the top of polls as the most concerning issue for voters ahead of the November presidential election. In a Gallup survey released last month, 28 percent of respondents said immigration was the most important problem facing the country today, followed by the government at 20 percent and the economy in general at 12 percent.
The salience of immigration on the campaign trail was highlighted last month when Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) won a special election to fill the seat left vacant by former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who was expelled from Congress in December. Suozzi flipped the script on Republicans by calling for legislation to address the flow of migrants and endorsing the bipartisan Senate agreement on border security, a strategy that helped him clinch a nearly 8-point win in the district and solidify his return to the lower chamber.
While Republicans have amped up their criticism of Biden's handling of the southern border, studies have routinely shown that migrants are less likely to commit crimes than U.S. citizens. The Laken Riley Act's passage in the House is unlikely to lead to its approval in the Senate, making it more of a political messaging vehicle for Republicans seeking to draw attention to the issue of immigration.
As the debate over border security and immigration continues to shape the political landscape, the Laken Riley Act serves as a stark reminder of the deep divisions and competing narratives surrounding this complex issue. While Republicans argue that the bill is necessary to prevent future tragedies and secure the border, Democrats contend that it is an exploitative and unserious approach to addressing the challenges at hand.
