Austin News

U.S. Senator John Cornyn, along with several Republican colleagues, has reintroduced the Laken Riley Act. This legislation mandates U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest and detain migrants who enter the country illegally and commit certain crimes until they are deported.

Senator Cornyn stated, "The death of Laken Riley was a senseless and preventable tragedy, and now that her murderer is behind bars, we owe it to Laken to do everything we can to ensure any migrant who enters the country illegally and commits a crime is never given the opportunity to harm innocent Americans." He further commented on the impact of current immigration policies: "The loss of Laken and others is a painful reminder that President Biden’s catch-and-release policies have devastating consequences, and this legislation is an important step forward."

The bill has garnered support from numerous Senate Republicans including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, former Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senator John Fetterman, as well as Senators Jim Banks, John Barrasso, Marsha Blackburn among others. Congressman Mike Collins introduced corresponding legislation in the House of Representatives.

The act follows the tragic incident involving 22-year-old Laken Riley who was killed while jogging at the University of Georgia. The perpetrator was Venezuelan national Jose Antonio Ibarra, affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang. Ibarra had been released into the U.S. after entering illegally but was later convicted on multiple charges including felony murder.

Previously, Senator Cornyn questioned DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas regarding Ibarra's parole into the U.S. The proposed act also empowers states to initiate civil actions against federal agencies that violate or fail to enforce immigration laws.