On Wednesday, the House gave its final approval to a bill that mandates the detention of unauthorized immigrants accused of theft or violent offenses, marking the first piece of legislation that President Donald Trump is set to sign. This bill demonstrates how Congress, with some bipartisan backing, quickly aligned with Trump’s efforts to strengthen immigration enforcement.
The passage of the Laken Riley Act, named after a Georgia nursing student who was tragically murdered last year by a Venezuelan national, highlights the dramatic shift to the right in the political discourse surrounding immigration since Trump’s election. Immigration policy has historically been one of the most divisive issues in Congress, yet a key group of 46 Democrats in vulnerable districts sided with Republicans to pass the stringent bill by a vote of 263-156.
“For decades, it has been almost impossible for our government to agree on solutions for the problems at our border and within our country,” said Senator Katie Britt, a Republican from Alabama. She described the bill as “perhaps the most significant immigration enforcement bill” to pass Congress in almost 30 years.
However, the bill would require a significant expansion of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s operations, without providing any additional funding.
{Matzav.com}