Kelly backs Laken Riley Act, bill goes to President Trump for signature

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) voted in favor of The Laken Riley Act, legislation that protects American communities by requiring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to issue detainers and take custody of illegal aliens who commit theft, burglary, larceny, and shoplifting offenses. The legislation is named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was murdered in 2024 by Jose Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela who was previously arrested on theft charges and later released.

The legislation, previously approved by the U.S. Senate, now goes to President Trump's desk to be signed into law.

"Over the last four years, the Biden Administration turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to the illegal immigration crisis along our borders. This legislation makes it clear: violent illegal immigrant criminals have no home in the United States," said Rep. Kelly.

The Laken Riley Act also authorizes state governments to sue for injunctive relief over immigration enforcement decisions that have harmed the state or its residents. The Senate version strengthens the list of criminal offenses that subject illegal aliens to mandatory detention by adding “assault on a law enforcement officer” and “crimes that result in serious bodily injury.”