Trump’s first major legislative win…
President Donald Trump will sign the Laken Riley Act into law in the East Room of the White House. The new law requires the detention of unauthorized immigrants accused of theft and violent crimes. The bill won bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.
The law also allows state attorneys general to sue the federal government over immigration enforcement failures that cause harm to states or residents. This includes cases where migrants are released from custody or not detained despite having deportation orders.
“If you come into this country illegally and you commit a crime, you should not be free to roam the streets of this nation,” said Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., who helped push the bill through the Senate.
Laken Riley, 22, was a nursing student at Augusta University when she went for a run on Feb. 22, 2024. Illegal migrant criminal Jose Antonio Ibarra attacked and killed her during a struggle. Ibarra waived his right to a jury trial and was found guilty of murder and other crimes by a judge in November. He was sentenced to life without parole.
President Donald J. Trump Signs the Laken Riley Act https://t.co/RtqjGGGrIU
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 29, 2025