The U.S. Congress has approved a bill allowing federal authorities to detain illegal immigrants accused of minor offenses, which puts these immigrants at risk of deportation. Named after 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, who was murdered last year in Georgia by Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan migrant who entered the U.S. illegally, the Laken Riley Act was introduced in response to Ibarra’s previous arrest for shoplifting without detention. Ibarra ultimately received a life sentence without parole for Riley’s murder in November. Republican representative Mike Collins, who sponsored the Act, stated that the system failed Laken on that day. The bill was passed on Tuesday at the beginning of the new congressional session, aligning with President-elect Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration policy aims. Trump has pledged to initiate mass deportations shortly after his inauguration on January 20. The Laken Riley Act received support from 48 Democrats and all Republicans, passing the House with a 252-157 vote. The bill extends the list of penalized crimes to include burglary, theft, larceny, and shoplifting. However, Democratic critics argue that this broader category could lead to the detention of innocent individuals.
