Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) said this week that he did not believe that the bill named after slain college student Laken Riley will come up for a vote in the Senate after it passed the House of Representatives by a large margin. The Laken Riley Act would impose penalties on illegal immigrants found guilty of theft after Riley’s alleged killer was arrested for the same charge and released.
Johnson said that it’s “certain” that the bill won’t be discussed “just like we haven’t held one hearing on the open border.”
Johnson further criticized President Joe Biden for his change in wording an apology about the alleged murderer in the case.
The president called the suspect an “illegal” during the State of the Union address. The president repeated the sentiment the next day but then apologized for using the term during an interview over the weekend.
“We literally are paying in orchestrating this invasion of America that is a clear and present danger to this country. This is beyond the pale, and yet President Biden is apologizing for calling a murderer an illegal immigrant,” said Johnson.
The bill received considerable support in the House, where it passed 250-171 last week.
The bill included a condemnation of Biden’s border policy and requested that he reinstate the Trump-era ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy.
The Laken Riley Act passed through the Rules Committee and in the House with my support. Americans like Ms. Riley are dying at the hands of illegal aliens. This bill forces DHS to detain aliens charged in the U.S. with theft.
Call your Senators and tell them to pass this now. pic.twitter.com/pK7ke55LPf
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 10, 2024
The bill would also require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to apprehend aliens who commit theft. It would also empower state attorneys general to sue the Homeland Security Secretary for perceived immigration policy failures.
“Laken Riley would still be alive if the Biden Administration had done its job. House Republicans are not going to stand by quietly while the President and his administration release dangerous criminals into our communities,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).
“The Laken Riley Act would help prevent future tragedies. If Senator Schumer and President Biden care to protect Americans and are serious about securing the border, they will bring this legislation up for a vote and sign it into law immediately,” Mike Johnson said.
