U.S. House Passes Controversial Bill to Deport Undocumented Immigrants for Minor Crimes

The U.S. House of Representatives approved the Laken Riley Act on Tuesday, advancing legislation that could lead to the deportation of undocumented immigrants charged with minor, nonviolent crimes, such as shoplifting. Passed with a 264-159 vote, the bill garnered bipartisan support, including votes from 48 Democrats.

Named after Laken Riley, a nursing student killed by an undocumented immigrant in Georgia, the proposed law now heads to the Senate, where Republicans hold a slim majority. If passed, it would expand the scope of deportable offences to include lesser crimes, a significant shift in U.S. immigration enforcement.

Two things can be true:
1. Laken Riley’s murder was a terrible tragedy.
2. Attempting to honor her memory by passing a bill that requires mandatory detention without criminal charges–and without access to a bond or bail hearing–is a blatant assault on American values. It… pic.twitter.com/04CF16dgBn

— Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) January 7, 2025

A Tragic Catalyst for Legislation

The bill is named after Laken Riley, who was killed in February 2024 by José Antonio Ibarra, an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela. Ibarra, who crossed into the U.S. through El Paso in 2022, had been arrested for shoplifting months before the incident but was later released.

Following his conviction for Riley’s murder, Ibarra was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. The case has become a rallying cry for stricter immigration laws among conservative lawmakers.

Senator John Cornyn of Texas, a vocal supporter of the Laken Riley bill, stated, “The death of Laken Riley was a senseless and preventable tragedy. We owe it to her to ensure that any migrant who enters the country illegally and commits a crime is never given the opportunity to harm innocent Americans.”

Broader Implications of the Bill

Currently, U.S. immigration laws allow for the deportation of undocumented immigrants and legal permanent residents convicted of serious crimes, such as aggravated felonies or violent offences. The Laken Riley Act would extend this to include nonviolent offences like theft, larceny, and shoplifting.

Additionally, the bill empowers state attorneys general to sue the federal government if undocumented immigrants released by authorities commit subsequent crimes. Proponents argue that these measures will enhance public safety by removing potentially dangerous individuals.

Criticism and Data Disputes

Critics, including immigrant rights groups and some lawmakers, argue that the bill is more about political posturing than public safety.

“This is political gamesmanship at its worst, exploiting a tragedy to advance an anti-immigrant agenda,” said Kerri Talbot, co-executive director of the Immigration Hub. “This bill weaponizes the justice system to incarcerate immigrants for minor infractions and tears apart families who have long called this country home.”

Studies consistently show that immigrants, including those undocumented, commit crimes at lower rates than U.S.-born citizens. According to Alex Nowrasteh of the Cato Institute, undocumented immigrants in Georgia are incarcerated for homicide at a rate of 61 per 100,000 people, compared to 90 per 100,000 for legal immigrants and U.S. citizens.

“The numbers indicate that illegal immigrants are not a disproportionate criminal threat,” Nowrasteh wrote, adding that additional enforcement is unlikely to reduce crime rates.

Democratic Division

The Laken Riley bill’s passage reflects shifting dynamics within the Democratic Party. Support from 48 Democrats, including Texas representatives Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez, highlights growing bipartisan willingness to support stricter immigration policies under President-elect Donald Trump’s administration.

As the bill moves to the Senate, its implications for millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. remain uncertain, igniting fierce debate over the balance between public safety and immigrant rights.