Internet weighs in as Mike Collins proposes Laken Riley Act to jail illegal migrants accused of larceny
ATHENS, GEORGIA: Republicans are proposing a bill in memory of Laken Riley, a college student who died under tragic circumstances. The bill would harshly prosecute illegal immigrants who violate the law.
The Laken Riley Act mandates that the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, detains immigrants who are accused of stealing, according to DailyMail.
The bill bears Laken Riley's name, a 22-year-old University of Georgia student who was found dead and disfigured on campus not too long ago.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, her alleged killer, is a 26-year-old Venezuelan national who is unlawfully in the United States and has been allowed to stay despite a lengthy criminal record.
What does the Laken Riley Act entail?
Rep Mike Collins (R-Ga.) will introduce new legislation that would have mandated that Ibarra be placed under arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following his initial conviction and prior to his alleged attack on Riley.
Collins represents Georgia's 10th Congressional District, which includes the area where Riley was killed.
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A draft of the bill obtained by the aforementioned outlet indicates that the legislation would "require the Secretary of Homeland Security to take into custody aliens who have been charged in the United States with theft, and for other purposes".
Individual states would also be empowered to sue the federal government if immigration-related actions caused harm to them or their citizens, under the act.
Ibarra was arrested just five months earlier and charged with "acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation," according to ICE.
Ibarra, who had previously worked for food delivery companies such as DoorDash and Uber Eats, was spotted driving his wife's son on the back of a gas-powered moped without a helmet or child restraints in New York City.
The NYPD released him “before a detainer could be issued,” according to the department.
New York City is also a “sanctuary city,” which means that law enforcement officers are typically prohibited from complying with ICE detention orders. Ibarra was charged with shoplifting in 2022 at a Walmart in Athens, Georgia.
Still, he was allowed to stay in the country because Athens is also a "sanctuary city".
The Laken Riley Act would have compelled Ibarra's detention following his shoplifting charge.
The proposed legislation also includes comments critiquing the Biden administration's handling of the US-Mexico border.
It states, “Congress finds that the Nation— mourns the devastating loss of Laken Riley and other victims of the Biden administration's open border policies; honors the life and memory of Laken Riley and other victims of the Biden administration's open borders policies.”
The House might vote on the bill as early as this week.
Internet slams Biden administration following announcement of Laken Riley Act
People on Facebook lambasted the current administration for their border negligence and for creating sanctuary cities where more and more instances of migrant crimes have been observed in recent months.
One user commented: "We should strengthen supervision and background investigation in this respect, such a tragedy could have been avoided."
Another user wrote: "Don’t tie up our courts anymore than they already are. Send the migrants back to their own countries!"
"Deport them all, that's what should be happening if anyone in government had a backbone or a shred of decency," another person suggested.
One user claimed: "GOP Republican wants a new law when there are already laws in place. They know how to talk alot at election time."
Another user argued: "Detain and set free. Come on. Let's start doing it right. Shut border. Those who screw up go to lock up. Remain there."
"Americans are fed up with this border shit!!! Close it" another person remarked.
Finally, this user said: "They should be detained for all crimes."
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
