SW Georgia News

Yesterday, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 29, known as the Laken Riley Act. This legislation aims to provide local law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with enhanced tools to address crimes committed by illegal immigrants in the United States. The bill received significant bipartisan support, passing with a vote of 264-159, including backing from 48 Democrats alongside all Republicans.

Rep. Mike Collins (GA-10), who authored the bill, urged cooperation between both parties during the debate to pass what he described as "commonsense legislation" intended to prevent further tragedies.

“Nearly one year ago, an illegal immigrant came across our border and killed Laken Riley. Today, House Republicans and Democrats joined together to ensure that no family has to go through the pain that Laken Riley’s has,” stated Rep. Mike Collins. “I hope to see the same level of bipartisan support for this bill in the Senate, and I urge my Senate counterparts to put this on President Trump’s desk and save lives.”

The act is named after Laken Riley, a nursing student who was murdered by an illegal alien on February 22, 2024, at the University of Georgia campus.

The proposed legislation seeks two main objectives: it mandates ICE to issue detainers and take custody of illegal aliens involved in theft-related offenses defined by state or local laws; it also permits state attorneys general to pursue injunctive relief against the Secretary of Homeland Security if immigration policy failures adversely affect their states or citizens.

This legislative move directly responds to federal policy shortcomings linked to Laken Riley's murder case. Her assailant, Jose Ibarra, had prior shoplifting charges from Athens Police Department but was not detained by ICE due to lack of communication between agencies. Ibarra was convicted in November 2024 and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.