House Advances Laken Riley Act To President Trump’s Desk

Just over 48 hours into his second term, Congress sent President Donald Trump a bill that will crackdown on illegal immigration upon being signed into law.

The House voted 263-156 with 46 Democratic lawmakers joining House Republicans to advance the Laken Riley Act to Trump’s desk. The House’s bipartisan approval of the bill comes after the Senate passed the Laken Riley Act 64-35 Monday with 12 Democratic lawmakers, led by bill sponsors — Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Ruben Gallego of Arizona — supporting the legislation.

The Laken Riley Act is named in honor of a University of Georgia nursing student who was murdered by an illegal immigrant while out on a run near her college campus in February 2024. The legislation requires federal immigration authorities to detain illegal migrants who commit theft-related crimes in the United States. The bill also allows state attorneys general to sue the federal government over failing to enforce immigration law, a provision the majority of Democratic lawmakers who voted against the bill opposed.

The Senate adopted two amendments to the Laken Riley Act from Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Joni Ernst of Iowa prior to sending the legislation to the House for approval. Both amendments expanded the list of offenses requiring detention of illegal migrants, including assault of a law enforcement officer and crimes that result in death or serious bodily injury.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s agreement to prioritize the Laken Riley Act at the start of the 119th Congress is a reflection of voters rejecting open borders in November, Republican Rep. Mike Collins, the lead sponsor of the Laken Riley Act in the House, told the