Washington — President Trump on Wednesday signed the Laken Riley Act, which aims to expand the federal government’s mandate to detain immigrants who are in the country illegally, marking the first legislation signed in Mr. Trump’s new term.
The Laken Riley Act, named after a 22-year-old nursing student who was murdered by an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant last year, expands mandatory detention to include noncitizens convicted of or charged with burglary, larceny, theft or shoplifting, as well as those who admit to committing those crimes. It also empowers state attorneys general who claim their states or residents have been harmed by immigration policies to sue the federal government.
The House approved the legislation last week, sending the measure to the president’s desk after the Senate expanded its scope to include the assault of a law enforcement officer and crimes that result in the death “or serious bodily injury of another person” as grounds for mandatory detention. The legislation passed both the House and Senate with bipartisan support, despite pushback from some Democrats.
Ahead of the signing, Mr. Trump called it a “very important law” and said he was “proudly” signing it.
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“We will keep Laken’s memory alive in our hearts forever,” Mr. Trump said. “With today’s action, her name will also live forever in the laws of our country.”
Though the measure stalled last year in the Democratic-controlled Senate, Democrats have appeared more willing to engage on the measure following their losses in the 2024 election, where immigration was a key issue.
Still, the legislation has prompted questions among some Democrats, including whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement could fully enforce this new mandate without more funding.
The bill signing comes as Mr. Trump has signed a slew of executive actions since taking office targeting border security as part of a dramatic crackdown on illegal immigration — from attempting to terminate birthright citizenship to tasking the military with border enforcement and moving to designate cartels and gangs as terrorist groups to shutting down asylum and refugee admissions.
Meanwhile, congressional leaders are still working to identify a strategy on a massive reconciliation package that would surge resources to the southern border, while addressing other top GOP priorities including energy and taxes as key priorities.
