On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, President Donald Trump signed the first bill of his second term in the White House. Here are some important things to know about this new act:

• What is the Laken Riley Act?

Winning bipartisan support in all of Congress, the Laken Riley Act requires any illegal immigrants suspected of theft, burglary, assaulting a police officer, or any serious crime committed to one’s body to be detained in official custody. 

In addition, state attorneys general are permitted to take legal action against the federal government and sue it for any damage caused by issues regarding immigration enforcement. This can include, but is not limited to, the improper release of illegal immigrants and the failure to detain those who have been ordered to be deported. 

• Why was this created?

This bill was signed into law after Laken Riley, a nursing student in GA, was killed (according to Wikipedia) when out for a run on February 22, 2024.

Jose Antonio Ibarra was arrested for killing her after encountering her. Because he waived his right to be tried in court, he was found guilty of murder and other crimes by a judge without a jury. As a result, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. 

Following this case, Trump and other Republicans placed the blame on former President Biden, arguing that his open-border policies and 64 executive actions he implemented had prompted such policies. Consequently, Ibarra had entered the US illegally from Venezuela and had been arrested due to being connected with a shoplifting case. However, he was never detained, and that allowed him to carry out this murder.

“If this act had been the law of the land, he never would have had the opportunity to kill her,” said Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia (R) to AP News. 

• What might this mean for migrants? What is some criticism aimed at passing this bill?

Unfortunately, this bill lacks the appropriate safeguards to protect illegal immigrants who obtained permission to stay temporarily. As a result, the bill would eliminate due process rights for migrants, including minors or people who came through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

“In the wake of tragedy, we are seeing a fundamental erosion of our civil rights,” reported Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez of New York(D) to AP News. “In this bill, if a person is so much as accused of a crime, if someone wants to point a finger and accuse someone of shoplifting, they would be rounded up and put into a private detention camp and sent out for deportation without a day in court.”

Additionally, this bill lacks the proper funds to effectively resolve immigration issues. The bill is estimated to cost $83 billion over the course of three years, according to the Democrats on the Appropriations Committee. 

• Given those problems, why did some people support the bill? 

Ultimately, the support for this bill derives from the idea of holding people accountable if they commit a crime and preventing further deaths like that of Laken Riley.

“Anyone who commits a crime should be held accountable. That’s why I voted to pass the Laken Riley Act,” said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada (D), according to AP News.

Additionally, people supported the passing of this bill for national security reasons, as maintaining an open border creates potentially dangerous situations like the murder of Laken Riley. 

“We must give law enforcement the means to take action when illegal immigrants break the law, to prevent situations like what occurred to Laken Riley,” said Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona (D) according to AP News.

All in all, this bill is controversial, given the divisive nature of illegal immigration and concerns over the Sixth and Seventh Amendment rights. Despite the need to create tighter security on U.S. borders, it’s crucial to consider the humanity behind those accused, thus creating a balance between national security and constitutional rights. The conversation surrounding this act is ongoing and its implementation will undoubtedly shape the future of civil liberties and immigration policies within the United States.