The U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill requiring the detention of migrants in the country illegally who have been accused of theft and violent crimes, a move mirroring President Trump's stance on stricter immigration enforcement.
The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill that requires the detention of migrants in the country illegally who have been accused of theft and violent crimes. This is the first measure President Donald Trump could sign into law, following a swift bipartisan move by Congress in line with the president's plans to toughen measures against illegal immigration.
The passage of the Laken Riley Act, named after a Georgia nursing student who was killed last year by a Venezuelan national, demonstrates the drastic shift in the political debate on immigration to the right following Trump's electoral victory. Immigration policy has often been one of the most entrenched issues in Congress, but a crucial group of 46 politically vulnerable Democrats joined Republicans to approve the strict proposal with a vote count of 263 in favor and 156 against. 'For decades, it has been almost impossible for our government to agree on solutions for the problems at our border and within our country,' commented Republican Senator Katie Britt. She noted that it is likely to be the 'most significant immigration bill' that Congress has passed in almost three decades. The bill, however, would require a massive increase in the capacity of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but it does not include any new funding. Meanwhile, the new president has issued a series of executive orders aimed at sealing the border with Mexico to immigration and, ultimately, deporting millions of migrants lacking legal permanent status in the United States. On Wednesday, Trump also canceled the resettlement of refugees and his government has stated that it intends to prosecute local law enforcement officials who do not comply with his new immigration policies. Republican congressional leaders have made it clear that they intend to follow the same path, although their biggest challenge will be finding a way to approve the funding needed to actually implement Trump's strict plans. 'What he is doing is initiating what will ultimately be our legislative agenda,' said House Speaker Mike Johnson. House Republicans initially passed the legislation last year with the support of 37 Democrats in a move intended as a political rebuke to the handling of the southern border by then-President Joe Biden. It then languished in the Democrat-controlled Senate. This year, with Republicans now in control of both chambers of Congress, they have made this their top priority. When it came before the Senate, 12 Democrats voted in favor of the measure, and when the House voted on a version of the bill earlier this month, 48 Democrats supported it. Most adults in the United States are in favor of deporting immigrants convicted of violent crimes, according to a recent survey by the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and The Associated Press. However, only about 37% of U.S. adults favor deporting migrants who are in the country illegally and have not been convicted of a crime. 'Although the bill is not perfect, it sends a clear message that we think criminals should be deported,' stated Representative Tom Suozzi, a New York Democrat who has urged his party to support stricter implementation of immigration law. Under the bill, federal authorities would be required to detain any migrant arrested or accused of crimes such as shoplifting. The scope of the proposal was expanded in the Senate to also include those accused of assaulting a police officer or crimes that injure or cause the death of someone. The bill also grants legal standing to state attorneys general to sue the federal government for damages caused by federal immigration decisions
IMMIGRATION BORDER CONTROL DONALD TRUMP HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CRIMINAL JUSTICE
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