The Republican Party's Laken Riley Act has made its way to President Donald Trump's desk for approval, marking it as the first bill to be signed into law after the party regained control of both chambers of Congress and the White House.
The bill was passed by the House of Representatives in a 263 to 156 vote, with this being the second time the lower chamber has advanced the bill this month. The initial passage in the House was on Jan. 7 with a vote of 264 to 159.
All Republican members supported the bill, and this time, 48 Democrats also voted in favor, two more than the previous vote.
The GOP-controlled Senate also showed bipartisan support for the bill with a vote of 64 to 35. However, the Senate included additional measures in the bill, such as deporting illegal immigrants who assault a police officer or cause death or serious bodily injury to another person.
The original provisions of the bill direct Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to detain illegal immigrants accused of theft-related crimes. Furthermore, the bill grants states the authority to sue the Department of Homeland Security for any harm caused to their citizens due to illegal immigration.
