Laken Riley Act: In a significant development, the US Congress has passed a bill aimed at tightening immigration enforcement. The legislation named 'Laken Riley Act' mandates federal authorities to detain migrants accused of theft and violent crimes. The Act highlights Trump’s commitment to a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration, which he has declared a top priority of his administration. With Republicans holding the majority in Congress and some Democrats expressing support, lawmakers appear prepared to align with the President's vision to deport millions of migrants.
President Trump has begun unravelling many of his predecessor Joe Biden's immigration and border policies. This shift marks a departure from Biden's efforts to implement more humane approaches to immigration, even as the country grappled with record numbers of migrants arriving at the US-Mexico border. "We don’t want criminals coming into our country," Trump said.
About Laken Riley Act
The Laken Riley Act — named after a Georgia nursing student whose murder by a Venezuelan man last year became a rallying cry for Trump’s White House campaign. The legislation would require federal authorities to detain migrants accused of crimes such as shoplifting, as well as offences that injure or kill someone, and would grant states new legal standing to challenge federal immigration decisions, including by immigration judges.
Currently, the Laken Riley Act has no funding attached to it, but Democrats on the Appropriations Committee estimate the bill would cost $83 billion over the next three years, according to a memo obtained by The Associated Press. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has estimated it would need to nearly triple the number of detention beds and conduct more than 80 removal flights per week to implement the requirements, according to the memo.
Trump takes over as 47th President
It should be mentioned here that Trump has taken several bold and sweeping decisions as he signed more than 80 executive orders after taking over as the 47th president of the United States on January 20. These orders span a wide range of policy areas, including trade, immigration, national security, and public health. In his inaugural speech, Trump also declared January 20 as "Liberation Day," promising smooth and sweeping changes as he proclaimed, "America’s decline is over" and that the "golden age" of the nation had just begun.
(With AP inputs)