President Donald Trump has just passed his first immigration bill.
The bill, called the Laken Riley Act, passed the House with a 263-156 vote, garnering support from 46 Democrats. This vote marked a significant shift within the party, as Democrats had largely opposed the measure throughout much of last year.
JUST IN: The House passed an amended version of the Laken Riley Act on a vote of 263-156, teeing up major immigration reform at the start of Pres. Trump’s second administration.
Forty-six Democrats joined Republicans in voting in favor of the bill. https://t.co/q95j1buhJg pic.twitter.com/4U4s0Wi10l
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) January 22, 2025
Learn more below.
Who Was Laken Riley?
The act is named after Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student who was tragically murdered last year by a Venezuelan man. Laken was attending Augusta University’s College of Nursing at the time.
The Venezuelan man, identified as Jose Ibarra, was convicted in November 2024 of murder, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and several other crimes. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
What Is the Laken Riley Act?
The Laken Riley Act is a bill that mandates the detention and deportation of unauthorized immigrants accused of theft or violent crimes. Under the bill, the Department of Homeland Security would be responsible for detaining individuals without legal status who are charged with certain offenses.
While several criminal offenses already serve as grounds for deportation, critics argue that the bill bypasses the current practice of waiting for a conviction before initiating the removal process.
The bill is on track to become law, but even the federal agencies responsible for enforcing it have raised concerns. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), one of the primary agencies in charge of handling deportations, has pointed out several challenges in implementing the law, including the need for additional officers and the lack of sufficient detention space for offenders. Earlier this month, ICE sent a memo to lawmakers warning that the bill would be “impossible to execute with existing resources” and estimated that its implementation could cost around $26 billion.
What Major Executive Orders Has Trump Signed So Far?
President Trump wasted no time pursuing his goals upon returning to the White House, signing a record 26 executive orders on Inauguration Day.
Many of these focused on reversing actions taken by the Biden administration, including rescinding 78 executive orders. Key areas of focus included immigration—such as declaring a “national emergency” on the U.S.-Mexico border and ending birthright citizenship—as well as changes to LGBTQ+ protections, the federal workforce, and more.
Trump also signed an order withdrawing the U.S., the world’s second-largest greenhouse gas emitter, from the Paris Climate Agreement.
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