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U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul attended the signing of the Laken Riley Act by President Trump, marking a significant legislative development. The act is named after Laken Riley, a nursing student who was murdered by an illegal immigrant with a criminal record on February 22, 2024. This legislation aims to provide the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and state governments with enhanced resources to address crimes committed by illegal immigrants.
Congressman McCaul expressed his sentiments about the event: "I was honored to witness history in the making as President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law this afternoon. Laken Riley should still be alive today; her death was a tragedy, and while we can never bring her back, I was proud to help pass this crucial bill to prevent the same thing from happening to anyone else."
The act mandates that DHS detain illegal immigrants involved in theft-related offenses such as burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. Additionally, it allows states to seek injunctive relief against federal government actions that could harm them or their citizens due to immigration policy failures.
Congressman McCaul played an active role as an original cosponsor of the House version of this bill and supported it during the vote on the House floor.