President Donald Trump has signed his first immigration bill: The Laken Riley Act
23 january 2025 в 20:50
President Donald Trump has just signed his first immigration bill.
The bill, named the Leiken Riley Act, was passed by the House of Representatives with a vote of 263−156, receiving support from 46 Democrats. This vote marked a significant shift within the party, as Democrats largely opposed the measure for most of the past year.
Forty-six Democrats joined Republicans in voting for the bill.
The bill is named after Leiken Riley, a medical college student from Georgia who was tragically killed last year by a Venezuelan. Leiken was studying at Augusta Medical College at the time.
The Venezuelan, identified as Jose Ibarra, was found guilty in November 2024 of murder, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and several other crimes. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The Leiken Riley Act provides for the detention and deportation of illegal immigrants accused of theft or violent crimes. Under the bill, the Department of Homeland Security will be responsible for detaining individuals without legal status accused of certain crimes.
While several criminal offenses already serve as grounds for deportation, critics argue that the bill circumvents the current practice of waiting for a conviction before beginning the removal process.
The bill is on track for passage, but even federal agencies responsible for its enforcement have expressed concerns. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), one of the main agencies responsible for deportations, has pointed out several issues in implementing the law, including the need for additional staff and insufficient space to house offenders. Earlier this month, ICE sent a memorandum to lawmakers warning that the law would be «impossible to implement with existing resources» and estimating that its implementation could cost approximately $ 26 billion.
President Trump wasted no time pursuing his goals upon returning to the White House, signing a record 26 executive orders on Inauguration Day.
Many of them were aimed at reversing actions taken by the Biden administration, including the revocation of 78 orders. Key areas of focus included immigration — such as declaring a «national emergency» at the US-Mexico border and ending birthright citizenship — as well as changes to LGBT+ rights, the federal workforce, and more.
Trump also signed an order to withdraw the US, the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, from the Paris Climate Agreement
The bill, named the Leiken Riley Act, was passed by the House of Representatives with a vote of 263−156, receiving support from 46 Democrats. This vote marked a significant shift within the party, as Democrats largely opposed the measure for most of the past year.
Forty-six Democrats joined Republicans in voting for the bill.
The bill is named after Leiken Riley, a medical college student from Georgia who was tragically killed last year by a Venezuelan. Leiken was studying at Augusta Medical College at the time.
The Venezuelan, identified as Jose Ibarra, was found guilty in November 2024 of murder, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and several other crimes. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The Leiken Riley Act provides for the detention and deportation of illegal immigrants accused of theft or violent crimes. Under the bill, the Department of Homeland Security will be responsible for detaining individuals without legal status accused of certain crimes.
While several criminal offenses already serve as grounds for deportation, critics argue that the bill circumvents the current practice of waiting for a conviction before beginning the removal process.
The bill is on track for passage, but even federal agencies responsible for its enforcement have expressed concerns. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), one of the main agencies responsible for deportations, has pointed out several issues in implementing the law, including the need for additional staff and insufficient space to house offenders. Earlier this month, ICE sent a memorandum to lawmakers warning that the law would be «impossible to implement with existing resources» and estimating that its implementation could cost approximately $ 26 billion.
President Trump wasted no time pursuing his goals upon returning to the White House, signing a record 26 executive orders on Inauguration Day.
Many of them were aimed at reversing actions taken by the Biden administration, including the revocation of 78 orders. Key areas of focus included immigration — such as declaring a «national emergency» at the US-Mexico border and ending birthright citizenship — as well as changes to LGBT+ rights, the federal workforce, and more.
Trump also signed an order to withdraw the US, the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, from the Paris Climate Agreement
© Kolganov Andrey
