Countless Democrats in Congress exposed for refusing to vote for this potential life-saving bill

Fetterman

The Left can never seem to make the right decisions. They’re always doing the opposite of what the American people want.

And countless Democrats in Congress were exposed for refusing to vote for this potential life-saving bill.

On Tuesday, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed the “Laken Riley Act” again, renewing efforts to crack down on illegal immigration by requiring federal officials to detain undocumented immigrants charged with theft-related crimes in the United States.

The bill saw bipartisan support, with 48 Democrats joining 216 Republicans to vote in favor of it. However, 159 Democrats opposed the legislation—a slight shift from a similar vote in March of last year, when 170 Democrats rejected the measure.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) criticized the opposition, stating that the Democratic “no” votes reflected a disregard for voters who “demanded secure borders, the deportation of violent illegal aliens, and laws that put the safety and security of the American people first.”

The bill is named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia who was tragically m*rdered last year. Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela, was convicted of Riley’s m*rder and sentenced to life in prison.

Along with requiring the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants charged with theft-related offenses, the legislation would empower states to sue federal officials for “injunctive relief” if immigration policies are found to harm their citizens.

During the debate, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) argued against the bill, accusing Republicans of using Riley’s death to “score cheap political points” and warning that it could “unfairly sweep up many more innocent lives with no due process.” In the below video, she compares Laken Riley’s tragic death to shoplifting:

Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), who reintroduced the bill last week, issued a press release pointing to the federal government’s failures as a contributing factor in Riley’s death. The statement highlighted that Ibarra “is an illegal alien who had been previously cited for shoplifting by the Athens Police Department.” Collins noted that if local law enforcement had contacted ICE and Ibarra had been detained, “Laken would be alive.”

The Senate, which did not vote on the bill last year under Democratic control, now has a Republican majority. A Senate version of the Laken Riley Act has been reintroduced, with Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) signing on as a co-sponsor. “Laken Riley’s story is a tragic reminder of what’s at stake when our systems fail to protect people. No family should have to endure the pain of losing a loved one to preventable violence,” Fetterman said in a statement.

While the Laken Riley Act has gained renewed momentum in Congress, it highlights growing tensions over immigration policy. Critics have called out Democratic lawmakers for refusing to adopt what they see as reasonable solutions to curb illegal immigration and prevent tragedies like Riley’s death.

Despite repeated calls from voters to secure the border and enforce stricter immigration laws, Democrats have consistently pushed back against measures they view as overly punitive or discriminatory. Some, like Rep. Jayapal, argue that such policies risk violating due process and disproportionately affecting immigrant communities.

However, Republicans contend that Democratic resistance has only worsened the crisis at the southern border. Reports of record-breaking border crossings, strained local resources, and growing public frustration have amplified demands for action. Yet, Democrats have largely focused on advocating for immigration reform that prioritizes pathways to citizenship and humanitarian considerations over enhanced enforcement measures.

For many Republicans, this approach falls short of addressing the immediate concerns of border security and public safety. As they push forward with the Laken Riley Act and similar proposals, they continue to emphasize the need for swift action to close the gaps in the system that have allowed preventable crimes to occur.

The question remains whether the Senate’s current makeup will move this bill further along than before—or if it will face the same partisan stalemates from the Democrats that have characterized immigration debates for years.

Time will tell of course, but it’s past time for real action to be taken on illegal immigration. And hopefully with the return of Donald Trump as president, a stricter crackdown on this issue will occur sooner than later.

Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.

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