Immigration has been a key talking point for Trump in the lead up to the elections, and he’s followed that up by declaring a national emergency at the border that could permit the DOD to deploy the military and the National Guard to the border
In the first legislative win of his second term, President Donald Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law on Jan. 29. The House gave approval for the act in a 263-156 vote on Jan. 22. All Republicans voted for the act, as did 46 Democrats. Previously, this was passed in the Senate, in a 64-35 vote. Trump credited his stance on immigration for his victory, saying “That’s why I’m here instead of somebody else. Actually, it’s the biggest reason.”
What does the Act Say?
The Laken Riley Act requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain undocumented immigrants who are arrested, or who face charges of burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting.
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Who was Laken Riley?
Laken Riley was a nursing school student, who was murdered in Athens, Georgia. She was murdered by an undocumented migrant, Jose Ibarra, who had a previous conviction for stealing. The Laken Riley Act, written by Rep. Mike Collins, bears the name of the murdered student. The president said the law would save “countless” lives, and credited it as “a perfect, incredible tribute to an unbelievable young lady.” Ibarra was sentenced to life in prison.
What concerns do people have regarding this act?
While there has been support for this act from Republicans, and some Democrats, there have also been some concerns over it. This is because the law requires only that a person be accused or charged in order to be deported; it is possible, critics have argued, that bystanders to a crime could be hurt by it. During congressional floor debates, Democrats argued that if a group of people were in a store and one chose to shoplift, the police might easily arrest all of them before being able to sort out the facts of what transpired.
Additionally, the legislation empowers states to take legal action against the federal government if they determine it has violated the bill’s detention and removal requirements, signaling a significant shift in the balance of immigration enforcement authority. There has also been concern over a potential H-1B visa crackdown.
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What other immigration-related policies is Trump enacting?
Trump on Wednesday said that he would instruct Departments of Defense (DOD) and Homeland Security (DHS) to begin preparing a 30,000-person migrant facility at Guantanamo Bay “to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people,” calling it “a tough place to get out of.”
Immigration has been a key talking point for Trump in the lead up to the elections, and he’s followed that up by declaring a national emergency at the border that could permit the DOD to deploy the military and the National Guard to the border, and signing a series of executive orders aimed at stopping immigration.