Many Senate Democrats have said they will vote to advance legislation that would require federal authorities to detain illegal immigrants convicted of theft, increasing the chances of the bill passing the Senate.
At least 10 Senate Democrats are expected to vote to pass the bill in the Senate, and if all Republicans vote yes, it would have the 60 votes needed to overcome the filibuster. The bill will then be debated and finally voted on, with only 51 votes needed to pass and send it to the president’s desk.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nebraska), Sen. Ruben Gallego (Ariz.), Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.), Sen. John Hickenlooper ( (Colorado), Angus King, Maine, Jeanne D.H. Shaheen, Georgia Jon Ossoff, Michigan Democrat Elissa Slotkin, and Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman all said they support moving the bill forward. . Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said he would likely support moving the bill forward.
Laken Riley Act passed by 48 Democrats (all Republicans)
Sen. Mark Kelly at the Capitol in Washington, March 15, 2023 (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
“You know, I’m going to support that because if you’re a criminal, you have to be held accountable,” Rosen said.
Hickenlooper’s office said he intends to vote for passage of the amendment, but “he does not support the Laken-Reilly Act in its current form.”
Republican officials told Fox News Digital they believe they have the votes to advance to a full debate. Kelly echoed that comment.
When asked by Fox if he could get more than 60 votes, he said, “Yes, I think we will.”
Jose Ybarra (left) was found guilty on 10 charges in the death of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley (right). (Hyo-Seob Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)
The Laken Riley Act, which passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday with 48 Democrats voting yes, is named after a nursing student who was killed by an illegal Venezuelan immigrant on the University of Georgia campus last year.
The law not only requires federal authorities to detain illegal immigrants who commit crimes such as theft, robbery, and shoplifting until they are deported, but also requires states to protect their homeland security from harm caused by illegal immigration. He also admits to suing the ministry. Riley’s killer, Jose Ybarra, had a history of arrests for crimes including theft, but had never been detained by ICE.
House, Senate Republicans reinstate Trump-backed push to crack down on uncivil voting
It is the first bill to be introduced in the House of Representatives in the new Congress, highlighting how tackling illegal immigration both at the border and inland is likely to be a top priority for Republicans and some Democrats. It shows.
President-elect Trump won the presidential election in part by focusing on the border crisis that had been plaguing the Biden administration even before the recent population surge. President Trump has promised a “historic” mass deportation campaign, and his team has signaled a pushback against “sanctuary” cities that refuse to comply with ICE.
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Many Democratic members of Congress have said they support the bill, and a re-election fight is looming. Sens. Shaheen, Peters, Ossoff, and Hickenlooper are all up for re-election in 2026, and illegal immigration could once again be a key issue in many 2024 races, as well.
FOX News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Adam Shaw is a political reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security.
Contact him at adam.shaw2@fox.com or at: Twitter.
