Grassley and Republican Colleagues Introduce Laken Riley Act

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Sens. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and 31 Republicans in introducing legislation to combat crime stemming from illegal immigration. Companion legislation passed the House of Representatives last week by a bipartisan vote of 251-170.

The Laken Riley Act would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest and detain illegal immigrants who commit theft, burglary, larceny or shoplifting until they are ultimately removed from the United States. Further, the bill would ensure states have standing to bring civil actions against federal officials who refuse to enforce, or who violate, immigration law. The legislation is named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old student who was murdered by an illegal immigrant and repeat criminal offender who had previously been detained and released.

“Laken Riley’s life was robbed by an illegal immigrant, and repeat criminal offender, who the Biden administration allowed to slip through the cracks,” Grassley said. “The Laken Riley Act would ensure criminals who have illegally entered our country receive due justice and would help keep communities safe. We must act now to ensure this terrible tragedy never happens again.”

“Make no mistake – Laken Riley’s heartbreaking murder was a direct, preventable consequence of willful open border policies by President Biden and his administration. This commonsense legislation would ensure ICE detains and deports criminal illegal aliens, so more innocent American families do not have to face this kind of unimaginable tragedy,” Britt said.

“States should be able to protect their citizens from the Biden administration’s lawless, open border policies by seeking relief in federal court. That’s why I am joining Senator Britt to introduce the Senate version of the Laken Riley Act. We simply cannot tolerate any more senseless tragedies like this one. What happened to Laken Riley should never happen to any American citizen,” Budd said.

Additional Senate cosponsors of the legislation are Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

View bill text HERE.