President Donald Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law on Wednesday, marking the first bill he has enacted as the 47th President of the United States.
The legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain non-citizens who are charged with or convicted of crimes such as theft-related offenses, assaulting a police officer, or causing serious bodily injury or death, including drunk driving incidents.
The passage of the Laken Riley Act is one of several decisive actions by Trump’s administration in its first week, alongside a series of executive orders aimed at securing the border and cracking down on illegal immigrant crime.
BREAKING: President Trump signs the Laken Riley Act
The act passed with 263-156 vote pic.twitter.com/Y6hUfVkzjd
— Resist Times (@resistupdates) January 29, 2025
The bill was named after Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student who was murdered by Venezuelan illegal immigrant Jose Ibarra.
Ibarra, who was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in November, has since requested a new trial, claiming legal errors in his case. His attorneys argue that the verdict was “contrary to law and evidence”, citing alleged judicial missteps during the trial.
During the signing, Trump paid tribute to Riley’s life and legacy.
“Laken was a brilliant and beautiful 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia. The best in her class… She was respected by everyone. From the time she was in first grade, Laken knew she wanted to spend her time caring for others. That’s what she did,” Trump said.
“To her friends and classmates, she was a light of warmth and kindness in every single room. To her parents and family, she was everything in the world. They’ve had a miserable period of time.”
Trump also condemned the Biden administration’s immigration policies, blaming them for allowing Ibarra to enter the U.S.
“America will never, ever forget Laken Hope Riley. The vicious criminal who murdered precious Laken was an illegal alien member of the barbaric Venezuelan prison gang known as Tren de Aragua. He trespassed across our southern border in 2022 and was apprehended by Border Patrol, but under the cruel policies of the last administration, instead of being deported as he should have been, he was released into the United States—as were millions of other people, many of them very dangerous.”
The House of Representatives passed the bill with bipartisan support, with 217 Republicans and 46 Democrats voting in favor, while 156 Democrats opposed it. The Senate passed the legislation in a 64-35 vote, but an amended version required an additional House vote before it was sent to Trump’s desk.
Key amendments included:
Senator Joni Ernst’s provision: Mandates ICE detention for illegal immigrants charged with homicide or serious injury.
Senator John Cornyn’s provision: Ensures that attacks against law enforcement officers result in mandatory detentions.
With the Laken Riley Act now law, Trump has reaffirmed his tough stance on illegal immigration and criminal accountability. The legislation marks a significant shift in immigration enforcement, ensuring that criminal non-citizens remain in custody instead of being released into the country.
