President Donald Trump has signed the Laken Riley Act into law, marking a significant step in his administration’s immigration policy. The act mandates the detention and potential deportation of individuals in the U.S. illegally who are accused of theft and violent crimes, even before they have been convicted. This measure swiftly passed the Republican-controlled Congress with some Democratic support.
The law is named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia who was tragically killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan national in the U.S. illegally. Ibarra was found guilty in November and sentenced to life without parole. The act requires federal officials to detain any immigrant arrested or charged with crimes such as theft or assaulting a police officer, or offenses that result in injury or death.
The Laken Riley Act also empowers state attorneys general to sue the federal government for harm caused by immigration decisions, potentially allowing conservative states to influence federal immigration policy. This provision has raised concerns about the constitutionality of the act and its potential to strip due process rights from migrants.
Sources:
https://thehill.com/video-clips/5112831-watch-live-donald-trump-laken-riley-act-signed/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laken_Riley_Act
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/29
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