The Laken Riley Act made it through its first hurdle in the Senate with strong bipartisan support. Will it eventually make it to the President’s desk?

From The Hill. The Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly cleared a key procedural hurdle toward passing the Laken Riley Act, a bill aimed at curbing crime by migrants, in the first vote of the year by the chamber.

View Comments (2)

Have you taken your place on the wall?

Senators cleared the first vote 84 to 9, with 33 Senate Democrats — including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) — joining with every Republican present to vote “yes.” The legislation would mandate federal detention of immigrants without legal status accused of theft, burglary and other related crimes.

“The Laken Riley Act presents the Senate a simple choice: Are you willing to allow illegal immigrant criminals to roam free in our country? Or do you want to save American lives?” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said on the Senate floor before the vote. …

Thursday marked the first step in a string of votes before the bill could become law. Senate Republicans are expecting a number of amendment votes on the item next week.

The tally comes only two days after the House cleared the same measure with 48 Democrats voting in support.

Riley, a Georgia college student, was killed in February by a Venezuelan migrant who had been arrested for shoplifting ahead of the attack and paroled in the country. Thursday’s vote took place the day before Riley’s birthday.

A number of Democrats had indicated heading into the procedural vote that they would also vote for the bill in its current form on final passage, with Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) signing on as co-sponsors. …

What do you think of the Laken Riley Act? Share your continued prayers below.

(Excerpt from The Hill. Photo Credit: Intercessors for America)