U.S. Senator Katie Britt criticized Democrats in the Senate Monday for blocking the Laken Riley Act from moving forward in the upper chamber. An illegal immigrant accused of killing a nursing student in Georgia, Laken Riley, will be tried later this month after his attorneys attempted to delay proceedings in the investigation.
“The first action the Senate should take when we reconvene is passing the bipartisan Laken Riley Act,” Britt (R-Montgomery) said. “No family should endure such heartbreak due to failed border policies. It’s past time to put Americans’ safety first & pass this bill.”
Britt introduced the bill earlier this year that would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest illegal aliens who commit theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting offenses and would mandate that these aliens are detained until they are removed from the United States so they cannot reoffend and commit further crimes.
“As America watches this trial unfold, I am once again calling on Senate Democrats to pass the bipartisan Laken Riley Act,” Britt added in a statement. “Laken’s death was preventable, but President Biden and Vice President Harris chose mass migration over the safety and security of the American people.”
The legislation would also ensure that States have standing to bring civil actions against federal officials who refuse to enforce immigration law or who violate the law.
“Meanwhile, Senate Democrats have enabled their dangerous open-border policies and blocked our efforts to pass the Laken Riley Act,” Britt said. “There is no responsibility more important than keeping the American people safe, and I remain committed to passing this bill named in Laken’s honor to ensure more families are spared this type of unthinkable tragedy.”
Senate Democrats have twice now blocked passage of this law.
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee
