President Trump Signs the Laken Riley Act into Law
US President Donald Trump signs the Laken Riley Act in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, January 29, 2025. The Laken Riley Act -- which mandates the detention of undocumented immigrants charged with theft-related crimes -- is named for a 22-year-old student murdered by a Venezuelan man with no papers who was wanted for shoplifting. (Photo by PEDRO UGARTE / AFP) (Photo by PEDRO UGARTE/AFP via Getty Images)
BY : Kanwal Abidi.
WASHINGTON D.C. President Trump signed his first piece of legislation into law, the Laken Riley Act. This law mandates the federal detention of illegal immigrants who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a law enforcement officer, and any crime that causes death or serious bodily injury.
A statement from Secretary Noem on the signing of the bill is below:
“Thank you, President Trump, for signing the Laken Riley Act. This law restores commonsense to our broken immigration system. Under President Trump, violent criminals and vicious gang members will no longer be released into American communities.”
The Laken Riley Act is named after a Georgia nursing student who was killed by a Venezuelan alien who was previously arrested and paroled into the U.S. under the previous administration.
