Washington, D.C. – Congressman Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01) voted today to support the Laken Riley Act, legislation to give U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and state governments additional tools to fight against crime by illegal aliens. The bill was named after Laken Hope Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was brutally murdered by an illegal alien who was still in the U.S. even after he had been cited for theft. The House passed the Laken Riley Act with a vote of 264 to 159.
“By passing the Laken Riley Act as our first piece of legislation in the 119thCongress, House Republicans are sending a strong message to those who would come into our country illegally to harm innocent American lives,”said Congressman Moran. “I was proud to support this crucial legislation to ensure that illegal aliens like Laken’s killer are detained and deported before they can harm other Americans. Laken should be alive today. While we cannot bring her back, we can and must fight to ensure no other American life is taken in the same barbaric and heartbreaking way ever again.”
Specifically, the Laken Riley Act would amendfederal law to require 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. The bill also 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.
The Laken Riley Act was introduced in the House by Congressman Mike Collins (R-GA-10); companion legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Katie Britt (R-AL) and Ted Budd (R-NC).
