The Laken Riley Act took another step to becoming law Monday evening after clearing another hurdle in the Senate.
Senators voted 82-10 on a motion to proceed to consideration of the bill, allowing the chamber to begin debating the bill and any potential amendments. Thirty-33 Democrats voted to begin debating the legislation.
The outcome, while a significant development, was unsurprising after 33 Senate Democrats voted with Republicans Thursday to clear a procedural hurdle to enable Monday’s vote. But the surging momentum of the bill is a sea change from the previous Congress, when Democrats reigned in the Senate and then-Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) blocked the House-passed legislation from Senate consideration.
Democrats’ willingness to consider the bill – a handful have even expressed support for the unamended bill – is another indication of their recognition of the electoral potency of Republican calls for increased border security.
The Laken Riley Act would require DHS to take into custody illegal aliens arrested, charged, or convicted for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. The bill, named after the 22-year-old nursing student who was brutally murdered last year in Georgia by an illegal alien released into the United States interior, passed the House Wednesday.
Senate Democrats allowed the bill to come to the floor even at the expense of providing President-elect Donald Trump early legislative momentum on his key issue, although the path forward and timing is uncertain.
Now that the Senate has proceeded to debate the bill itself, Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) must determine how many – if any – amendments will be considered. Schumer has continued calling for opportunities to amend the bill. Democrat proposals include smaller tweaks to the bill as well as much broader immigration measures beyond the bill’s existing tailored approach.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), who voted to proceed to the bill, said Republicans introduced the legislation because “It’s a ‘gotcha’ bill.”
“But Thune has said he wants to have amendments and try for bipartisanship,” he added. “I hope he does.”
Democrats have attacked the legislation for its cost and even called it a “highway to mass deportation.” The Biden administration said the bill would cost $3.2 billion to implement due to the required increase in detention beds.
Only 51 Republicans are seated in the Senate as of Monday. Sen-elect Jim Justice (R-WV) is expected to be sworn in Tuesday, and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is expected to appoint a replacement for Vice President-elect JD Vance (R-OH) in the coming days as well.
Bradley Jaye is Deputy Political Editor for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter and Instagram @BradleyAJaye.
