I’ll deliver the good news first: the House just passed the Laken Riley act, a bill that would detain and deport illegal aliens who commit crimes like theft.
The bill was named after the 22-year-old college student who was tragically murdered by Jose Ibarra, an illegal Venezuelan immigrant, who had previously been cited for shoplifting.
Laken Riley’s death would have been prevented if Ibarra had been deported after committing that first crime.
The bill now goes to the Senate, who will vote Friday — the day that Laken Riley would have celebrated her 23rd birthday.
Check it out:
Congratulations to the 264 members of the House who passed the Laken Riley Act today, and SHAME ON the 159 Democrats who voted against it.
Laken Riley's death was 100% preventable and she should be alive today.
God bless her family and may God bless her memory. pic.twitter.com/LZK7alSzU0
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) January 7, 2025
🚨 #BREAKING: The US House has just PASSED the Laken Riley Act, which would force detention for illegal immigrants arrested for shoplifting and other crimes
HUGE step in the right direction! 🔥
But 159 Democrats voted against it.
WHY? pic.twitter.com/vJd7OzuAIp
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 7, 2025
BREAKING: The Republican-controlled House passed the Laken Riley Act (264-159).
The bill mandates that illegal aliens — charged with theft-related crimes — must be detained.
159 democrats voted AGAINST the Laken Riley Act.
Let this be a reminder that Laken Riley was a Georgia… pic.twitter.com/UVwP7PqVVg
— ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) January 7, 2025
NBC News reported:
The Republican-led House on Tuesday passed its first bill of the new Congress — a strict border measure named for a 22-year-old Georgia nursing school student whose murder last year by an immigrant in the country illegally became a flashpoint in the 2024 presidential campaign.
The 264-159 vote to pass the Laken Riley Act puts pressure on Senate Democrats to support the legislation when Republicans, who now control the upper chamber, bring it to the floor for an initial vote on Friday, what would have been Riley’s 23rd birthday.
All 52 Senate Republicans are co-sponsoring the bill, as is Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. That means Republicans need seven more Senate Democrats to reach the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.
“We welcome with open arms, any Democrat who wants to help us solve these problems because the American people demand and deserve it. It’s overdue,” Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters before the vote.
Don’t get me wrong.
This is great news.
But, what isn’t great is the fact that 159 Democrats voted against passing the bill.
Really, what gives?
One of the Democrats who voted against the Laken Riley Act was incoming “transgender” Rep. Sarah McBride:
And wouldn't you know the man who wears a dress & calls himself a woman was a NAY vote on the Laken Riley Act.
As were 158 more anti-American Democrats. They should all be shamed.
You know who would've benefited from "a touch of grace", @SarahEMcBride? Laken Riley. pic.twitter.com/vJAfWA2MaC
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) January 7, 2025
Surprise, surprise.
Here’s the list of all the other Democrats who opposed the bill:
These are the names of the 159 Dems who voted against the Laken Riley Act (detains illegals over theft). Pass it on. pic.twitter.com/KLVbNVXnNb
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 7, 2025
Here’s the 159 Dems who voted against the Laken Riley Act. They are traitors to America. Pass it on pic.twitter.com/aZd2KAOe3S
— MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) January 7, 2025
In case that’s hard to read, here’s the full list:
BREAKING: Here are the House Democrats that voted against the Laken Riley Act:
Adams
Aguilar
Allred
Amo
Auchincloss
Balint
Barragán
Beatty
Bera
Beyer
Bishop
Blumenauer
Bonamici
Bowman
Brown
Carbaljal
Carson
Carter (LA)
Casar
Case
Casten
Castro (FL)
Castro (TX)…— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) January 7, 2025
Full list again, per The Washington Post:
Alma Adams N.C.
Pete Aguilar Calif.
Gabe Amo R.I.
Yassamin Ansari Ariz.
Jake Auchincloss Mass.
Becca Balint Vt.
Nanette Barragán Calif.
Joyce Beatty Ohio
ADVERTISEMENTWesley Bell Mo.
Ami Bera Calif.
Don Beyer Va.
S. Bishop Jr. Ga.
Suzanne Bonamici Ore.
Shontel M. Brown Ohio
Julia Brownley Calif.
Salud Carbajal Calif.
André Carson Ind.
Troy A. Carter La.
Greg Casar Texas
Ed Case Hawaii
ADVERTISEMENTSean Casten Ill.
Kathy Castor Fla.
Joaquin Castro Texas
S. Cherfilus-McCormick Fla.
Judy Chu Calif.
Gil Cisneros Calif.
Katherine Clark Mass.
Yvette D. Clarke N.Y.
Emanuel Cleaver II Mo.
James E. Clyburn S.C.
Steve Cohen Tenn.
Herb Conaway N.J.
Gerry Connolly Va.
Lou Correa Calif.
Jasmine Crockett Texas
Jason Crow Colo.
Danny K. Davis Ill.
Madeleine Dean Pa.
Diana DeGette Colo.
Rosa DeLauro Conn.
Suzan DelBene Wash.
Mark DeSaulnier Calif.
ADVERTISEMENTMaxine Dexter Ore.
Debbie Dingell Mich.
Lloyd Doggett Texas
Sarah Elfreth Md.
Veronica Escobar Texas
Adriano Espaillat N.Y.
Lizzie Fletcher Texas
Bill Foster Ill.
Valerie Foushee N.C.
Lois Frankel Fla.
Laura Friedman Calif.
ADVERTISEMENTMaxwell Frost Fla.
John Garamendi Calif.
Robert Garcia Calif.
Jesús “Chuy” Garcia Ill.
Dan Goldman N.Y.
Jimmy Gomez Calif.
Al Green Texas
Jim Himes Conn.
Chrissy Houlahan Pa.
Steny H. Hoyer Md.
Jared Huffman Calif.
Glenn Ivey Md.
Jonathan Jackson Ill.
Sara Jacobs Calif.
Pramila Jayapal Wash.
Hakeem Jeffries N.Y.
Julie Johnson Texas
Hank Johnson Ga.
S. Kamlager-Dove Calif.
Bill Keating Mass.
Robin Kelly Ill.
Timothy M. Kennedy N.Y.
Ro Khanna Calif.
Raja Krishnamoorthi Ill.
Rick Larsen Wash.
John B. Larson Conn.
George Latimer N.Y.
Summer Lee Pa.
T. Leger Fernandez N.M.
Sam Liccardo Calif.
Ted Lieu Calif.
Zoe Lofgren Calif.
Seth Magaziner R.I.
Doris Matsui Calif.
Sarah McBride Del.
Jennifer McClellan Va.
Betty McCollum Minn.
Morgan McGarvey Ky.
Jim McGovern Mass.
LaMonica McIver N.J.
Gregory W. Meeks N.Y.
Robert Menendez N.J.
Grace Meng N.Y.
Kweisi Mfume Md.
Gwen Moore Wis.
Kelly Morrison Minn.
Seth Moulton Mass.
Kevin Mullin Calif.
Jerry Nadler N.Y.
Richard E. Neal Mass.
Joe Neguse Colo.
Donald Norcross N.J.
A. Ocasio-Cortez N.Y.
John Olszewski Md.
Ilhan Omar Minn.
Frank Pallone Jr. N.J.
Jimmy Panetta Calif.
Nancy Pelosi Calif.
Scott Peters Calif.
Brittany Pettersen Colo.
Chellie Pingree Maine
Mark Pocan Wis.
Nelly Pou N.J.
Ayanna Pressley Mass.
Mike Quigley Ill.
Delia C. Ramirez Ill.
Emily Randall Wash.
Jamie Raskin Md.
Luz Rivas Calif.
Deborah Ross N.C.
Pat Ryan N.Y.
Andrea Salinas Ore.
Linda T. Sánchez Calif.
Mary Gay Scanlon Pa.
Jan Schakowsky Ill.
Bradley Schneider Ill.
David Scott Ga.
ADVERTISEMENTRobert C. Scott Va.
Brad Sherman Calif.
Lateefah Simon Calif.
Adam Smith Wash.
Darren Soto Fla.
Melanie Stansbury N.M.
Haley Stevens Mich.
Marilyn Strickland Wash.
Eric Swalwell Calif.
Mark Takano Calif.
Shri Thanedar Mich.
Mike Thompson Calif.
Bennie Thompson Miss.
Rashida Tlaib Mich.
Jill Tokuda Hawaii
Paul Tonko N.Y.
Norma J. Torres Calif.
Lori Trahan Mass.
Sylvester Turner Texas
Lauren Underwood Ill.
Juan Vargas Calif.
Gabe Vasquez N.M.
Marc Veasey Texas
Nydia M. Velázquez N.Y.
Eugene Vindman Va.
D. Wasserman Schultz Fla.
Maxine Waters Calif.
B. Watson Coleman N.J.
Nikema Williams Ga.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson called them out over it:
159 Democrats just voted AGAINST the Laken Riley Act.
They voted AGAINST detaining and deporting criminal illegal aliens, and putting Americans’ safety first.
Democrats have YET AGAIN ignored the demands of the American people for safety and security.
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) January 7, 2025
Shame on them.
All of the House Democrats who opposed passing a basic bill that would protect the American people from violence at the hands of criminal illegal immigrants should be primaried, stat!
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!