House approves revised Laken Riley Act, sending first major legislative win to Trumps desk

The House of Representatives passed a Senate-revised version of the Laken Riley Act Wednesday, sending the first piece of significant legislation to President Trump’s desk for his expected signature.Lawmakers voted 263–156 to approve the Senate-amended version of the bill dedicated to slain jogger Laken Riley, who was viciously strangled and beat to death in February 2024 by an illegal immigrant charged with multiple past crimes.“Today we’re going to send to President Trump’s desk his very first bill to sign into law,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) told reporters Wednesday.“You look at the contrast between last Congress, where we passed the same bill, and Chuck Schumer made it clear that in the Democrats’ Senate, they had no desire to stand up for women who were assaulted by people here illegally.

Joe Biden would not have signed that bill.”Under the Laken Riley Act, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is required to detain illegal immigrants who are caught engaging the crimes of “burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting.”The measure also enables state attorneys general to file lawsuits against the Homeland Security secretary if the government fails to enforce immigration laws, resulting in “the state or its residents experience harm, including financial harm in excess of $100.”On Monday after Trump was inaugurated, the Senate passed the Laken Riley Act in a 64 to 35 vote, with 12 Democrats onboard.But the upper chamber tacked on two amendments, which meant that the House had to vote on it again.The two amendments added to the bill include one from Sen.

Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), which compels ICE to detain illegal immigrants who were charged with wounding or killing someone, as well as an amendment from Sen.John Cornyn (R-Texas) that ensures attacks against law enforcement will result in automatic detentions.Democrats who opposed the Laken Riley Act argued that immigration authorities lack the resources needed to enforce...