Senator Collins Applauds Signing of Laken Riley Act

Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senator Susan Collins applauded the signing of theLaken Riley Actinto law. Senator Collins joined 52 of her Senate colleagues as cosponsors of this bipartisan legislation, which passed the House of Representatives and the Senate by votes of 263-156 and 64-35, respectively. The bill will require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain illegal immigrants who are charged with, arrested for, or convicted of certain crimes including theft or burglary, and was amended to expand the list of crimes to include assault of a police officer or an offense that resulted in serious bodily harm or death.
“The horrific murder of Laken Riley by an illegal immigrant who had a criminal record was preventable,”said Senator Collins. “TheLaken Riley Actwill provide immigration and law enforcement authorities with the legal tools they need to help prevent such tragedies in the future.”
Laken Hope Riley was a 22-year-old nursing student who was brutally killed during a jog around the University of Georgia’s intramural fields. Her killer is a 26-year-old Venezuelan citizen who unlawfully entered the United States in 2022, had no personal connection to Laken, and had been arrested for criminal activity – including acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17, shoplifting, and other violations – after illegally entering the country. Despite these arrests, he was not detained and subsequently murdered Laken.
The complete text of the bill can be readhere.
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