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Immigration
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S. 5

Laken Riley Act

In Plain Language

This bill requires federal immigration authorities to detain non-U.S. nationals who are arrested for crimes like burglary, theft, assault on police officers, or crimes causing death or serious injury. It also allows states to sue the federal government over immigration enforcement decisions or failures, including releasing someone from custody, not properly screening people at the border, or failing to detain someone ordered removed from the country.

Official Congressional Research Service summary

Laken Riley ActThis act requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain certain non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, shoplifting, assault of a law enforcement officer, or any crime that results in death or serious bodily injury to another person. The act also authorizes states to sue the federal government for decisions or alleged failures related to immigration enforcement.Under this act, DHS must detain an individual who (1) is unlawfully present in the United States or did not possess the necessary documents when applying for admission; and (2) has been charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admits to having committed acts that constitute the essential elements of the above crimes.The act also authorizes state governments to sue for injunctive relief over certain immigration-related decisions or alleged failures by the federal government if the decision or failure caused the state or its residents harm, including financial harm of more than $100. Specifically, the state government may sue the federal government over adecision to release a non-U.S. national from custody;failure to fulfill requirements relating to inspecting individuals seeking admission into the United States, including requirements related to asylum interviews;failure to fulfill a requirement to stop issuing visas to nationals of a country that unreasonably denies or delays acceptance of nationals of that country;violation of limitations on immigration parole, such as the requirement that parole be granted only on a case-by-case basis; orfailure to detain an individual who has been ordered removed from the United States.

Sponsor

Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL]

Cosponsors

Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]
Sen. Schmitt, Eric [R-MO]
Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]
Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]
Sen. Tuberville, Tommy [R-AL]
et al.

Latest action

Became Public Law No: 119-1.

Jan 29, 2025

Official source

View on Congress.gov ↗

Action history

Jan 29, 2025 Became Public Law No: 119-1.

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