Most Senate Democrats Join Republicans To Pass ‘Laken Riley’ Act

On Thursday, Senate Democrats joined Republicans in a decisive bipartisan vote to advance the Laken Riley Act.

The cloture vote, requiring at least 60 votes to pass, saw overwhelming support, with 84 senators voting in favor, nine opposing, and six abstaining. The legislation is focused on combating criminal activity by illegal immigrants residing in the United States.

According to Politico, the final vote on the measure could happen as soon as next week. While the vote to end debate doesn’t guarantee final approval, the bill will only need a simple majority to pass. With the substantial bipartisan backing during the cloture vote, the legislation is expected to sail through, as noted by the Western Journal.

This bill is named after 22-year-old Laken Riley, a nursing student from Georgia who was tragically killed last February while jogging in Athens. Reports from the time stated that Riley resisted her attacker for several minutes before he fatally struck her with a rock. The suspect, an illegal immigrant, is accused of the murder.

Support for the legislation includes notable Democrats such as Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Ruben Gallego of Arizona, both of whom co-sponsored the bill alongside over 50 Republican senators. The measure was introduced in the Senate by GOP Senator Katie Britt of Alabama.

During a joint appearance on Fox News with Britt on Wednesday, Fetterman commented, “If you’re here illegally and you’re committing crimes … I don’t know why anybody thinks that it’s controversial, that they all need to go.” He also emphasized the importance of bipartisan cooperation, stating, “There’s 47 of us in the Senate, and if we can’t pull up with seven votes [for cloture] — if we can’t get at least seven of 47 … that’s the reason why we lost. That’s one of them.”

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In the House, GOP Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia spearheaded the Laken Riley Act, detailing its provisions in a news release on Wednesday. According to Collins, the act introduces two primary changes:

1. It mandates that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issue detainers and take custody of illegal immigrants who commit theft-related offenses, including shoplifting, as defined by state and local laws.
2. It empowers state attorneys general to file lawsuits against the Secretary of Homeland Security for injunctive relief in cases where immigration-related policies—such as parole violations or detention failures—harm states or their residents.

Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan national convicted in November for the murder of Laken Riley, had previously been cited for shoplifting by the Athens Police Department. Before this, Ibarra was arrested in New York City for allegedly endangering a child, though he was subsequently released.

Earlier this week, the House approved the Laken Riley Act in a 264-159 vote, with 11 members abstaining. Notably, 48 Democrats—representing nearly one-quarter of their party—voted alongside Republicans in favor of the bill.

In March, House Speaker Mike Johnson strongly criticized President Joe Biden following an interview in which Biden appeared to show leniency toward Riley’s accused killer rather than offering condolences to her family.

“The president is cowering to his base and showing deference to a man who deserves none. This man is an illegal immigrant who brutally murdered Laken Riley. President Biden should be apologizing to Laken’s family. What an embarrassment,” Johnson stated on X, referencing Biden’s remarks during an MSNBC interview with Jonathan Capehart.