🚨 #BREAKING: The Senate has passed the Laken Riley Act 64-35
President Trump will soon sign it into law. pic.twitter.com/CZgSoBrfGb
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 20, 2025
(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) On Monday, the U.S. Senate passed the Laken Riley Act, the anti-illegal immigration bill that became the first piece of legislation to make it through the upper chamber in the new Congress.
The Hill reported that 64 senators supported and 35 opposed the bill.
The 12 Democrats who supported the bill were Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Gary Peters, D-Mich., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich. and Mark Warner, D-Va.
“A secure border + pro-immigration are fully compatible. I proudly voted AYE on the final passage of the Laken Riley Act. And I am looking for legislative solutions to protect our Dreamers,” Sen. Fetterman wrote on Twitter.
A secure border + pro-immigration are fully compatible.
I proudly voted AYE on final passage of the Laken Riley Act.
And I am looking for legislative solutions to protect our Dreamers.
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) January 20, 2025
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., also praised the bill on the Senate floor ahead of the vote, as reported by The Hill.
“This legislation will ensure that illegal aliens who steal or assault a law enforcement officer are detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement instead of being allowed out on the streets,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting this legislation to the president’s desk.”
Other politicians, including Sen. Katie Boyd Britt, R-Ala, also praised the bill after it passed.
“This critical legislation will strengthen public safety and protect our communities. I’m looking forward to President Trump signing this life-saving legislation,” she wrote.
The Senate just passed the Laken Riley Act. This critical legislation will strengthen public safety and protect our communities. I’m looking forward to President Trump signing this life-saving legislation. pic.twitter.com/OQG5O4pio5
— Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) January 20, 2025
After it was revealed that only 12 Democrats supported the bill, conservatives on Twitter started posting the list of those Democrats who opposed it.
“Publicly shame them,” @SteveLovesAmmo wrote.
Here are the 35 Senators that voted NO to the Laken Riley Act. 🚨🚨
Publicly shame them. pic.twitter.com/WffdE1dDAr
— Steve 🇺🇸 (@SteveLovesAmmo) January 21, 2025
Others highlighted specific politicians, urging voters in their states to vote them out of office.
Tina Smith not only voted against the Laken Riley Act today, but she also celebrated the pardon of a murderer.
She needs to be replaced in 2026. pic.twitter.com/x91bcOcHwj
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) January 21, 2025
The Hill added that the bill is named after Laken Riley, a college student who was murdered almost a year ago in Athens, Ga., by a Venezuelan illegal alien, Jose Antonio Ibarra, who had been arrested for shoplifting ahead of the attack and paroled in the U.S.