House passes immigrant detention bill, Laken Riley Act

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill requiring the detention of illegal immigrants accused of theft and violent crimes, marking the first legislation President Donald Trump can sign while Congress, with a some bipartisan support, quickly took hold. in line with its plans crackdown on illegal immigration.

Passage of the Laken Riley law, which bears the name a nursing student from Georgia who was murdered last year by a Venezuelan, shows how the political debate on immigration has shifted sharply to the right after Trump’s election victory. Immigration policy has often been one of the most entrenched issues in Congress, but a crucial faction of politically vulnerable Democrats joined with Republicans to lift the strict proposal and pass it by a vote of 263 to 156. .

“For decades, it has been nearly impossible for our government to agree on solutions to problems at our border and within our country,” said Sen. Katie Britt, Republican of Alabama. She called the bill “perhaps the most important immigration control bill” passed by Congress in nearly three decades.

Nonetheless, the bill would require a massive increase in the capabilities of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but does not include any new funding.

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