US Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray have announced plans to push for amendments to a bill requiring the deportation of immigrants charged with minor crimes while in the US illegally, known as the Laken Riley Act. The bill’s procedural vote passed in the Senate, allowing debate, but did not pass.
The Laken Riley Act was named after 22-year-old Georgia woman Laken Riley, who was murdered by a man from Venezuela after he was arrested for shoplifting. It aims to deport immigrants who are charged with minor crimes, including those who are undocumented.
Cantwell and Murray disagree on the bill’s merits, with Cantwell saying it deserves debate and amendments to align with Washington State law, while Murray opposes the bill in its current form due to concerns about its impact on public safety and resources.
The bill’s passage has sparked controversy among Democrats, with some seeing it as a necessary response to concerns about immigration. However, others argue that the bill could lead to the deportation of innocent individuals, including Dreamers and farmworkers who are not violent criminals.
President Joe Biden recently extended Temporary Protected Status for over 1 million immigrants from El Salvador, Sudan, Ukraine, and Venezuela, citing national security concerns. Some Republicans have suggested ending this program, which protects undocumented immigrants brought into the country as children.
The Senate will begin debate on the Laken Riley Act this week, with several other immigration-related bills also expected to be introduced.
Source: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/jan/12/cantwell-and-murray-say-theyll-push-for-amendments