Johnson Gets Overwhelming Support for Laken Riley Act

When the Laken Riley Act was introduced, many Democrats tried to portray it as controversial, but by the time the bill was put on the floor, it received shocking support from Democrats.  

While there were 159 Democrats who opposed it, there were more than 40 of them who supported it, passing the legislation in true bipartisan fashion. 

What is the Laken Riley Act 

The bill has two main purposes:  

To “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.” 

And to allow “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.” 

This bill was named in honor of a young nursing student who was murdered on the Georgia University campus while out for a run.  

Bipartisan Support 

The bill already had enough support to pass the House, but several Democrats flipped their votes after the election. 

It would appear that they got the memo.  

The six Democrats who flipped were Pennsylvania Rep. Brendan Boyle, Oregon Rep. Val Hoyle, Georgia Rep. Lucy McBath, New York Rep. Joseph Morelle, Alabama Rep. Terri Sewell, and New York Rep. Ritchie Torres. 

This was not only a big win for the country but also a huge win for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). 

Senate Beats Filibuster 

The bill still has to get through the Senate, but the first hurdle was already cleared, with Majority Leader Thune (R-S.D.) gathering more than 60 votes to advance the bill to the floor for the final vote.  

Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) stated, "Today’s vote on the Laken Riley Act is an important step forward in making our country safer, but there’s still more work to be done to get this commonsense legislation across the finish line. 

"Laken’s horrific murder should never have happened. While we cannot bring Laken back, Congress can and must pass the Laken Riley Act to save American lives and prevent this tragedy from repeating itself. Congress has an obligation to Laken, her family, and to Americans in every corner of our country to get this bill passed and signed into law." 

By my account, we have 53 votes from Republicans, and I believe there are five Democrats who are locked in to support the legislation. There are also another handful that may push for amendments, but that will support the will with some small concessions. This bill should pass and be put on Trump’s desk as the first piece of legislation he signs as president.