The U.S. Senate voted on Monday to move forward with a bill that would introduce stricter immigration detention rules for immigrants charged with property crimes. The bill also allows state attorneys general to take legal action in federal immigration matters.
In an 82-10 vote, most Senate Democrats (32) and one independent senator joined Republicans in supporting the bill. Nine Democrats voted against it, including Senators Tina Smith (Minnesota), Ben Ray Luján (New Mexico), Jeff Merkley (Oregon), Andy Kim (New Jersey), Cory Booker (New Jersey), Ed Markey (Massachusetts), Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts), Brian Schatz (Hawaii), and Mazie Hirono (Hawaii). Independent Senator Bernie Sanders also opposed the bill.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune praised the bill, which is named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was killed. Thune described it as a “common-sense measure” that should receive broad support from senators.
Colorado Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, both Democrats, voted in favor of the bill. In the House of Representatives, the vote mirrored party lines. Republicans Lauren Boebert, Jeff Crank, and others supported it, while Democrats like Jason Crow, Diana DeGette, and others voted against it.
The bill comes after the murder of Laken Riley by 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan migrant. Ibarra entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 and had a previous shoplifting arrest but was released. The bill aims to require mandatory detention for immigrants charged with property crimes, such as theft, burglary, or shoplifting, meaning they wouldn’t be allowed out on bond. It also extends these rules to immigrants with legal statuses like DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals).
Additionally, the bill gives state attorneys general the right to challenge federal immigration laws and policies, including decisions about issuing visas and immigration bonds.
Last week, 32 Senate Democrats and one independent senator voted with Republicans on a procedural motion to advance the bill. The bill had already passed the House, gaining more support among Democrats this time after border security became a key issue in the presidential election, where President-elect Donald Trump emphasized it heavily.
