Laken Riley Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. CLINE. Madam Speaker, I support this important legislation that would take concrete policy steps toward addressing the problem of open borders created by this administration.
We listened to the gentlewoman from Washington on the other side talk about the cost of implementing the legislation. That requires a certain amount of hubris to claim to be worried about the cost of implementing a piece of legislation when the cost of the open borders that have been created by this administration and embraced by the other side are clearly evident.
I have been to the border. We have seen the impact that open borders have had on the educational systems, the transportation systems, the housing systems, and the agriculture systems. All across this country, our Nation is a nation of border communities now because we are all being impacted by these open borders.
Back in 2022, Laken Riley's horrific murder shocked the Nation. Also shocking was the fact that her murder was preventable. It was preventable by enforcing the laws of this country. After his arrest for crossing the border illegally in 2022, he was paroled into the United States. Months before murdering Laken Riley, he was arrested for theft. Local authorities in Georgia released him, and ICE didn't lodge a detainer for the alien. Unfortunately, these two actions directly contributed to the murder of Laken Riley.
This legislation that bears her name would require ICE to arrest illegal aliens who commit theft offenses and, importantly, would mandate that these aliens are detained until they are removed from the country. It further requires that the Department of Homeland Security issues a detainer for these illegal aliens and take custody of them effectively and expeditiously.
While we anxiously await President Trump's inauguration and know that his administration will follow and enforce immigration law and take steps to advance the enforcement of our borders, the Laken Riley Act ensures that all administrations are held accountable, including the previous one, and that our immigration laws are followed.
Madam Speaker, I support this important legislation, and I thank the gentleman for his leadership on the bill.
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