Today, U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) expressed their concerns following the Senate’s approval of the Laken Riley Act. The legislation, identified as S.5, has sparked debate over its potential impact on the immigration system.
The senators released a joint statement emphasizing their disapproval: “We are horrified by the senseless killing of Laken Riley and perpetrators of violent crime should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
They further criticized the act for its mandatory detention provisions, which they argue could lead to unintended consequences. “Under the mandatory detention provisions in this bill, low-risk individuals, like an undocumented ten-year-old merely accused of stealing a pack of gum, must be detained by ICE,” they stated. They also highlighted financial concerns: “According to ICE’s own estimates, it will cost nearly $27 billion to implement this law in the first year alone.”
The act allows states to challenge federal immigration decisions and mandates U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain undocumented individuals involved in theft or other crimes. Additionally, it requires ICE to collaborate with local law enforcement regarding such detentions.
Senator Hirono attempted to introduce amendments aimed at protecting minors and families from detention and preventing states from suing over federal immigration decisions. She also proposed amendments to protect victims of domestic violence or human trafficking from mandatory detention or deportation; however, none were included in the final bill.
The lawmakers concluded their statement with a call for broader reform: “Our country needs comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform. Rather than fixing our broken immigration system, this legislation will further complicate it.”
