ABC News reports,The Republican Party’s Laken Riley Act, aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration, is set to be the first bill signed into law by President Donald Trump after the GOP regained control of Congress and the White House.
The bill passed the House and Senate with bipartisan support, but faced opposition from Democrats who raised concerns about deporting individuals accused but not convicted of crimes. The legislation includes measures to deport illegal immigrants who assault police officers or cause serious harm to others, and allows states to sue the Department of Homeland Security over harm caused by illegal immigration.
The bill is named after Laken Riley, a nursing student killed while out on a run. The suspect Jose Ibarra, 26 an illegal immigrant who pled not guilty, was previously arrested in New York. Ibarra was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after being found guilty of all charges.
Riley’s case has become a focal point of the GOP’s efforts to address border security and immigration issues in line with Trump’s agenda.