SE Wyoming News

U.S. Senators John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, along with Senators Katie Britt and Ted Budd, have introduced the Laken Riley Act, a bill aimed at addressing immigration enforcement issues. The legislation would require ICE to detain illegal immigrants who commit certain offenses until they are removed from the United States.

Senator Barrasso expressed his concerns about the current border crisis, stating, “Joe Biden’s border crisis has allowed nine million illegal immigrants to break our laws and pour across our southern border. The murder of innocent Americans, like Laken Riley, is a direct result of the Democrats’ lawless and dangerous open border policies.”

Senator Lummis also highlighted the tragic consequences of the administration's immigration policies, stating, “Laken Riley’s tragic passing is the unfortunate consequence of this administration’s reckless open border policies and acceptance of sanctuary cities that willfully allow illegal aliens convicted of crimes to reside in our communities.”

Senator Britt emphasized the importance of the legislation in detaining and deporting criminal illegal aliens to prevent further tragedies, saying, “Make no mistake – Laken Riley’s heartbreaking murder was a direct, preventable consequence of willful open border policies by President Biden and his administration.”

Senator Budd echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future, stating, “States should be able to protect their citizens from the Biden administration’s lawless, open border policies by seeking relief in federal court.”

The Laken Riley Act recently passed the House in a bipartisan vote and has garnered support from various Republican senators, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senators Marsha Blackburn, John Boozman, and others.

The full text of the bill and further details can be found on the official Senate website.