Laken Riley Act: Georgia student's murder sparks new federal bill
WASHINGTON - The murder of Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student who was found dead on the University of Georgia campus on Feb. 22 has sparked a new federal bill which aims to at tightening polices when undocumented immigrants commit crimes.
The Laken Riley Act would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement to issue detainers on illegal immigrants charged with theft or burglary.
"We hate to have things like this happen off a tragedy, but if we can learn from it and not make this mistake again, then we need to do that," Representative Mike Collins said.
What is the Laken Riley Act?
Rep. Mike Collins, R-Monroe, introduced the Laken Riley Act to Congress.
He represents the district that includes Athens where 22-year-old Laken Riley was killed while out for a run on UGA's campus. ICE says her accused killer, Jose Ibarra, entered the country illegally in 2022. He was arrested in New York in 2023 for endangering a child and a motor vehicle violation and later in Athens for shoplifting.
The House Rules Committee held a hearing on the bill on Tuesday afternoon.
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Collins said the policies in act law would have kept Ibarra off the streets.
"He's obviously got a criminal pattern going here and if we were able to take him off the streets before this, this tragedy may not have ever happened," Collins said.
"There's also another section to this act to where if the state notifies the feds, and they don't come, or they just sit there, and say you know we'll think about it they have the ability to go to federal court, and make a federal judge tell them, ‘Yes this in fact meets the threshold get down there detain that person,’" he added.
Opposition to the Laken Riley Act
However, some local immigration organizations say the act may do more harm than good.
"This was an act committed by an individual not a community of people," Tim Isaacson, executive director of Immigrant Hope Atlanta, said.
"When we want to respond quickly to something, we have to make sure that we're not just reacting but that the resources are there to help that people are paying close attention to make sure that they actually are solving a problem that needs to be solved," he added.
The House could vote on the act as early as Thursday.
This story is being reported out of Atlanta