Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) joined the entire Senate GOP conference and Democrat Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) in introducing the Laken Riley Act. The legislation is named for the tragic death of University of Georgia student, Laken Riley, who was brutally murdered by illegal immigrant José Antonio Ibarra on February 22, 2024. Ibarra—who entered through the southern border illegally under the lax Biden and Harris border policies—had multiple previous offenses related theft and childhood endangerment.
“Laken Riley’s murder was a devastating, cruel, and horribly preventable tragedy,” said Sen. Mullin. “I’ve co-sponsored the Laken Riley Act to require ICE to arrest illegal aliens who commit theft, burglary, or larceny offenses and mandate their detention until they are removed from the United States of America. I urge every Senator to support this commonsense legislation.”
“It’s impossible to fully describe what was taken from Laken and from our family on February 22, 2024. Laken’s life was abundantly and exceptionally full of promise. She was a beautiful, shining beacon in the life of everyone who knew her. Not only did the people who knew and loved Laken lose a beautiful soul, but so did our world. Laken shared her love for Jesus with everyone she encountered. Laken’s passion for sharing her faith through acts of kindness were felt by everyone she met. Laken was selfless, hardworking and made those around her feel special. Laken did not just talk about her faith, she led by example,” said Allyson and John Phillips, Laken Riley’s mother and stepfather. “The Laken Riley Act has our full support because it would help save innocent lives and prevent more families from going through the kind of heartbreak we’ve experienced. Laken would have been 23 on January 10th. There is no greater gift that could be given to her and our country than to continue her legacy by saving lives through this bill. Every single member of Congress should be able to get behind this purely commonsense bill that will make our country and communities safer. We thank Congressman Mike Collins, Senator Katie Britt, and Senator Ted Budd for continuing to work to honor Laken’s legacy and get this legislation enacted into law.”
The Laken Riley Act would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest illegal aliens who commit theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting offenses and would mandate that these aliens are detained until they are removed from the United States so they cannot reoffend and commit further crimes. This legislation would also ensure states have standing to bring civil actions against federal officials who refuse to enforce immigration law or who violate the law.
Last Congress, U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-AL) and Ted Budd introduced the Senate companion to the Laken Riley Act, after its introduction in the House byU.S. Representative Mike Collins (R-GA). In the 118th Congress, the legislation passed the House in an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 251-170. Senate Democrats, however, refused to give the bill a committee hearing or floor consideration. On multiple occasions, Senate Democrats blocked the measure from passing by unanimous consent.
###