Western South Dakota News

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune recently addressed the Senate, emphasizing the importance of passing the Laken Riley Act. The act is named after Laken Riley, a nursing student who was tragically murdered by an illegal immigrant in Athens, Georgia. Thune highlighted that this incident underscores how border security issues affect states across the nation.

"Mr. President, this was a tragedy – and it was preventable," Thune stated. He criticized current policies that allowed Laken's killer to remain in the U.S., despite previous criminal activities. The proposed legislation seeks to detain illegal immigrants charged with theft-related crimes, aiming to prevent similar tragedies.

Thune expressed hope for bipartisan support for the bill: "I hope that my Democrat colleagues are as committed to making it law as we are on this side of the aisle." He also mentioned an amendment process intended to strengthen the bill further.

One such amendment is Sarah’s Law, introduced by Senator Ernst. This amendment requires ICE to detain illegal immigrants accused of causing death or serious injury through criminal acts. "Every member of the Senate should be able to agree that illegal immigrants who commit a crime that kills or seriously injures another person should – at the very least – be detained," Thune remarked.

The Senate will engage in debates over these amendments and aim to pass a robust version of the Laken Riley Act into law. As discussions continue, Thune remains hopeful for effective legislative action: "We’ll have a debate, and we’ll aim to produce the strongest bill that we can pass into law."