Following the tragic death of college student Laken Riley, Republicans passed a bill in her honor that would crack down on illegal immigrants who break the law.
The ‘Laken Riley Act,’ which passed 251 to 170, requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain immigrants who have been accused of theft and other crimes. Notably, 37 Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the measure.
The bill is named after Laken Riley, 22, a University of Georgia student who was recently discovered dead and disfigured on campus.
His alleged murderer, José Antonio Ibarra, is a 26-year-old Venezuelan citizen who is in the country illegally. Ibarra was arrested in New York for child endangerment and was cited in Georgia for shoplifting, but ICE did not arrest him immediately before Riley’s murder.
The bill’s passage came just hours before President Biden arrives at the Capitol for his State of the Union address. During his remarks he is expected to blame Republicans for not voting on a $118 billion Senate-led bill to secure the border.
Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., urged President Biden to mention Laken Riley during his speech tonight.
José Antonio Ibarra, 26, was arrested for the murder of Laken Riley and appeared in court on February 24 when he was formally charged with the young woman’s murder.
Authorities have confirmed that Ibarra is not a U.S. citizen and did not know or have any relationship with Riley.
Notably, 37 Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the measure.
Riley “was murdered by an illegal alien who should never have been allowed to cross into our country,” he said on the floor Thursday.
‘Biden is neglecting the safety of American citizens. Tonight at SOTU I should say his name,” Miller continued.
The White House finally broke its silence on Riley’s death days after she was murdered, sparking outrage across the country.
“We would like to express our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Laken Hope Riley,” a White House official said in a statement to DailyMail.com late last month.
‘People should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law if they are found guilty. “Since this is an active case, we would have to refer it to state authorities and ICE,” the White House official said.
Notably, the statement omitted any mention, by name, of illegal Venezuelan immigrant Ibarra.
Ibarra, since entering the United States in 2022, has been cited for shoplifting and child endangerment.
The law would also allow individual states to sue the federal government if it or its citizens are harmed by immigration-related actions.
The new legislation from Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., would have required Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain Ibarra after his first offense and before he could have a chance to target Riley.
Collins represents Georgia’s 10th congressional district, which contains the community where Riley was killed.
The law “would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to detain aliens charged in the United States with theft and for other purposes,” a copy of the bill obtained by DailyMail.com states.
Just five months ago, Ibarra was arrested and charged with “acting in a manner to injure a child under the age of 17 and a driver’s license violation,” according to ICE.
Ibarra, who had been working for food delivery services such as DoorDash and Uber Eats, was caught riding his wife’s son on the back of a gas-powered moped without a helmet or child restraint in New York City. .
The NYPD released him “before an arrest warrant could be issued,” the agency said.
New York City is also a “sanctuary city,” which generally prevents authorities from enforcing ICE detainers.
Representative Mike Collins, who represents Athens, Georgia, in Congress, wrote the ‘Laken Riley Act.’
José Ibarra entered the US in 2022 with his brother Diego, ICE confirmed
In 2022, Ibarra was charged with shoplifting at a Walmart in Athens, Georgia.
However, he was allowed to remain in the country.
The ‘Laken Riley Act’ would have required Ibarra to be detained after his theft citation.
The bill also contains a phrase condemning the Biden administration’s handling of the US-Mexico border.
‘Congress determines that the Nation…grieves the devastating loss of Laken Riley and other victims of the Biden administration’s open pit drilling policies; honors the life and memory of Laken Riley and other victims of the Biden administration’s open border policies.
