Most Senate Democrats Join Republicans To Pass ‘Laken Riley’ Act

Senate Democrats joined Republicans on Thursday in a strong bipartisan vote to advance the Laken Riley Act.

The cloture vote, which requires 60 votes to pass, was overwhelmingly in favor, with 84 senators supporting the measure, nine opposing, and six not voting. The legislation aims to crack down on illegal immigrants involved in criminal activities while in the United States.

The final vote on the legislation could take place as early as next week, according to Politico. While a vote to end debate does not guarantee support for the bill itself, only a simple majority will be needed for passage. Given the strong bipartisan backing during the cloture vote, the measure appears likely to pass with ease, the Western Journal added.

The bill is named after 22-year-old Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, who was tragically murdered by an illegal immigrant while jogging in Athens last February. Reports at the time indicated that she fought off her attacker for several minutes until he allegedly used a rock to strike her in the head, killing her.

Several Democrats have already expressed support for the legislation, including Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Ruben Gallego of Arizona, both of whom co-sponsored the bill alongside over 50 Republicans. GOP Senator Katie Britt of Alabama introduced the legislation in the Senate.

Appearing with Britt on Wednesday on Fox News, Fetterman said, “If you’re here illegally and you’re committing crimes …  I don’t know why anybody thinks that it’s controversial, that they all need to go.”

“There’s 47 of us in the Senate, and if we can’t pull up with seven votes [for cloture] — if we can’t get at least seven of  47 … that’s the reason why we lost. That’s one of them,” he added.

WATCH:

NEW: John Fetterman says if Democrats can’t get 7 votes in the Senate to pass the Laken Riley Act, then “that’s the reason why we lost.”

“If you’re here illegally and you’re committing crimes, I don’t know why anybody thinks that it’s controversial, that they all need to go.” pic.twitter.com/e0tDEK72uO

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) January 8, 2025

GOP Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia, who introduced the Laken Riley Act in the House, said in a Wednesday news release the act will do a couple of things.

First, “It would amend federal law to require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to issue detainers and take custody of illegal aliens who commit theft-related crimes, such as shoplifting, as defined by state and local law.”

Second, “It allows state attorneys general to sue the Secretary of Homeland Security for injunctive relief if immigration actions such as parole, violation of detention requirements, or other policy failures harm that state or its citizens.”

BREAKING: 9 Democrats just voted against advancing the Laken Riley Act which would require law enforcement to detain illegals who commit theft-related crimes.

Corey Booker
Mazie Hirono
Andy Kim
Elizabeth Warren
Ed Markey
Jeff Merkley
Bernie Sanders
Tina Smith
Brian Schatz

Why… pic.twitter.com/HDWHMAyFIG

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 9, 2025

Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan national convicted in November of murdering Laken Riley, had previously been cited for shoplifting by the Athens Police Department. Earlier, he had allegedly put a child in danger, for which he was arrested but then released in New York City.

The Laken Riley Act was approved by the House on Tuesday with a vote of 264 to 159, and 11 members did not participate. Forty-eight Democrats, nearly one-quarter of their party, joined Republicans to support the bill.

In March, House Speaker Mike Johnson tore into President Joe Biden for being an “embarrassment” after the president seemingly apologized to Laken Riley’s accused killer instead of to the slain student’s family.

“The president is cowering to his base and showing deference to a man who deserves none. This man is an illegal immigrant who brutally murdered Laken Riley. President Biden should be apologizing to Laken’s family. What an embarrassment,” Johnson wrote on X, responding to Biden’s interview with MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart.