Laken Riley Act heads to the White House



The final version of the Laken Riley Act passed the House Wednesday night, making it the first bill that President Donald Trump could sign.

The bill was named after 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, who was murdered by an illegal migrant in February 2024 while she was jogging at the University of Georgia. The landmark legislation would require the detainment of illegal immigrants who are charged with theft-related and violent crimes, a procedure that many believe could have saved Riley's life.

'At long last, the Laken Riley Act is on its way to the White House to be signed into law by President Trump.'

In the House, 156 Democrats voted against the bill, which ultimately aims to significantly crack down on violent migrants. Although most Democrats voted against the legislation, 46 Democrats joined with 217 Republicans to pass it.

"The Laken Riley Act will now go to President Trump’s desk for him to sign into law," Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said in a statement Wednesday. "Criminal illegal aliens must be detained, deported, and NEVER allowed back into our country. The American people demand and deserve safety and security."

"At long last, the Laken Riley Act is on its way to the White House to be signed into law by President Trump," Republican Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia said in a statement Wednesday. "Thank you to all those who fought with me to get justice for Laken. While we cannot bring her back, I am grateful to so many, including Senator Katie Britt, who fought for meaningful change to prevent this from happening to another American family."

Although the bill sailed through Congress this time around, the Laken Riley Act faced some setbacks in the past. The legislation first passed the House in the 118th Congress, with just 37 Democrats joining 214 Republicans to pass the bill. Despite its passage in the House, Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) never brought the bill up for a vote in the Senate.

This time around, more Democrats have sided with Republicans to pass the bill in both the House and the Senate. In the aftermath of Trump's overwhelming victory in the 2024 election, in which immigration remained a top priority for voters, several Democratic lawmakers have taken note and shifted their votes.

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Laken Riley Act gains traction with Democratic defectors in Senate



Although House Democrats overall voted against the Laken Riley Act, several Democrat senators have joined forces with Republicans in supporting the key immigration law.

The House officially passed the Laken Riley Act on Tuesday with the support of 216 Republicans and 48 Democrats. At the same time, 159 Democrats voted against the bill. The bill, named after the 22-year-old nursing student who was murdered by an illegal alien, would require the detention of illegal migrants who are charged with theft-related crimes.

'We must give law enforcement the means to take action to prevent tragedies like what occurred to Laken Riley.'

Notably, the bill saw a boost of support compared to the previous Congress, when just 37 Democrats voted in favor of the bill. Not only was there an 11-vote increase among House Democrats in the 119th Congress, but there has also been some support among Senate Democrats.

Newly elected Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, who voted in favor of the bill when he served in the House, publicly committed to supporting the Laken Riley Act in the Senate.

"Not only am I voting yes on the Laken Riley Act, I’m cosponsoring the bill," Gallego said in a Wednesday post on X. "Arizonans know better than most the real consequences of today’s border crisis. We must give law enforcement the means to take action to prevent tragedies like what occurred to Laken Riley."

'Laken Riley’s story is a tragic reminder of what’s at stake when our systems fail to protect people.'

Gallego's freshman colleague, newly elected Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, also voted to pass the bill in the 118th Congress, breaking away from the party-line vote.

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who has frequently defected from his party, is also a co-sponsor of the bill, calling Laken Riley's murder a case of "preventable violence."

"Laken Riley’s story is a tragic reminder of what’s at stake when our systems fail to protect people," Fetterman said. "No family should have to endure the pain of losing a loved one to preventable violence. Immigration is what makes our country great. I support giving authorities the tools to prevent tragedies like this one while we work on comprehensive solutions to our broken system."

"ICE reported tens of thousands of migrants with criminal records — homicide or sexual assault," Fetterman added. "425,000 have criminal records in total and should be deported. I support a secure border. I support a legal path for Dreamers. I support the Laken Riley Act."

The Laken Riley Act passed the House in the 118th Congress, but the Democrat-controlled Senate never took up the legislation. This time around, the bill is likely to pass in the Republican-majority Senate with the help of Democratic defectors.

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Democrats overwhelmingly vote against Laken Riley Act



The House passed the Laken Riley Act on Tuesday, with a majority of Democrats voting against the bill.

The Laken Riley Act is the first bill in the 119th Congress addressing illegal immigration, requiring that aliens charged with theft or burglary be detained. The landmark legislation was named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was brutally murdered by an illegal alien while she was jogging at the University of Georgia.

Despite the overwhelming resistance from 159 Democrats, 48 voted with 216 Republicans to pass the legislation.

'President Biden never apologized to Laken's family for allowing her killer into our country, but he DID apologize for calling that monster an illegal.'

The bill was also passed in the House during the 118th Congress, with 170 Democrats voting against it. Notably, 37 Democrats joined 214 Republicans to pass the bill.

Speaker Mike Johnson praised the legislation, saying it will "ensure criminals like Laken's murderer are detained & deported before they can commit such evil acts."

"President Biden never apologized to Laken's family for allowing her killer into our country, but he DID apologize for calling that monster an illegal," Johnson added.

Under President Joe Biden's administration, there have been over 8 million encounters with illegal migrants on the southern border alone. As a result, illegal immigration has exacerbated the housing crisis and flooded communities with criminals, all at the cost of the taxpayer.

Supporters of former U.S. president and 2024 presidential hopeful Donald Trump hold images of Laken Riley before he speaks at a "Get Out the Vote" rally in Rome, Georgia, on March 9, 2024. Photo by ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/AFP via Getty Images

"This isn’t a partisan issue, but those on the Left will continue to prioritize 'political correctness' over American lives," Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona said.

After enduring four years of the Biden administration's burdensome border crisis, Americans rejected the Democratic Party at the ballot box.

Leading up to the presidential election, immigration had become a top priority for voters. President-elect Donald Trump spent his campaign addressing illegal immigration as a crisis and vowing mass deportations. At the same time, Trump's Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, avoided the topic altogether.

The message on November 5 was loud and clear, and Congress took note.

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Venezuelan migrants carjack off-duty NYPD officer, one armed with fully automatic pistol: Report



Two armed suspects – believed to be Venezuelan migrants – carjacked an off-duty New York Police Department officer on Friday night, according to a new report.

Sources told the New York Post that the two armed men approached the off-duty NYPD officer around 11:30 p.m. on Friday at West 146 Street and Bradhurst Avenue in Harlem. One of the suspects was reportedly brandishing a fully automatic pistol as the men walked up to the vehicle.

The off-duty NYPD officer was allegedly sitting inside his 2020 BMW when the suspects purportedly opened the car door, knocked a gun out of the cop's hands, and demanded he turn over the keys to the vehicle.

The suspects successfully carjacked the off-duty officer's vehicle and fled the crime scene.

However, the officer's iPad was inside the vehicle at the time of the carjacking. Investigators used the device to locate the stolen car, which was abandoned approximately less than a mile away, sources said.

Authorities combed the immediate area and found the two suspects, who allegedly had their firearms drawn when confronted by police.

The two men did not have any identification on them, but claimed to be Jomar Crespo, 21, and Jose Rivera, 20, of Waterbury, Connecticut, according to the Post.

The suspects had tattoos believed to be associated with a Venezuelan gang, the report read.

Police recovered two guns.

The two suspects were both charged with robbery, grand theft auto, possession of a machine gun, possession of a loaded firearm, possession of stolen property, making rapid-fire modifications to a gun, and unlawful possession of an ammo feed device.

This is the second time this month that NYPD officers have been attacked by suspects believed to be migrants from Venezuela.

In the early hours of June 3, a suspect shot an NYPD officer in the chest and another cop in the leg after they attempted to stop his moped in Queens.

The shooting suspect – 19-year-old Bernardo Castro Mata – illegally entered the U.S. through the southern border of Eagle Pass, Texas, in July 2023, the New York Post reported. He had been living at a migrant shelter in East Elmhurst.

Castro Mata was charged with two counts of attempted murder of a police officer and faces up to 80 years in prison for both charges.

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Analyst leaves CNN host speechless after he reveals why migrants choose New York City — not Florida — for criminal activity



CNN anchor Erica Hill was left stunned on Friday when she learned why migrants aren't committing brazen crimes in Florida.

During a report on the group of migrants accused of attacking New York City police officers over the weekend — at least four of whom police now believe are fleeing the country — CNN analyst John Miller explained why migrants are committing crimes in New York City.

After noting that the vast majority of migrants are not criminals, Miller said, "There is this one-percenter criminal element that looks at a different opportunity here."

Miller explained:

These individuals — I went over their rap sheets yesterday, multiple charges, grand larceny, robbery, attempted robbery, grand larceny, grand larceny — this particular crew operated on mopeds and scooters. They were doing organized retail theft. They were doing snatches on the street: iPhones, iPads, clothing. One of them that they are still seeking has ten charges on one day because he's part of a pattern that's been going on.

And I'm looking at the dates that their arrest started, which is probably close to when they got here. They've only been here a couple of months.

The former NYPD deputy commissioner then relayed what NYPD detectives have told him.

"What the detectives are telling me is they have crews here that operate in New York, do all their stealing, then go to Florida to spend the money and then come back," Miller recounted.

"And I'm like, 'Well, why don't they just stay and steal in Florida?' And they said, 'Because there, you go to jail,'" he explained.

When Miller finished his report, Hill appeared stunned and only managed to say, "Oh." Co-anchor Phil Mattingly then broke the silence by applauding Miller's "great reporting."

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) responded to the report on Friday by noting that, "We’re doing it right here."

"You can see why people are fleeing some of those areas that can’t even keep the streets safe, they can’t even keep homeless off the streets, its been really, really problematic in many parts of our country," he said.

It remains unclear why Manhattan prosecutors did not request bail for the accused migrants and why a judge approved their release.

"This was a bail eligible offense. Why bail wasn't asked for, we don't have an answer for that, but the judge also had an opportunity to step in and remand them to Rikers," said NYPD chief of patrol John Chell. "The whole system needs to be looked at."

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