Tuberville and Britt sponsor the Laken Riley Act

On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville announced that he has joined Senators Katie Britt (R-Alabama) and Ted Budd (R-North Carolina) in introducing the Senate companion to H.R. 7511, the Laken Riley Act.

This legislation would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest illegal aliens who commit theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting offenses and would mandate that these aliens are detained until they are removed from the United States so they cannot commit additional crimes. This legislation also would ensure that states have legal standing to bring civil actions against federal officials who refuse to enforce immigration law.

The Laken Riley Act was introduced in the U.S. House by Rep. Mike Collins (R-Georgia) and passed last week on a bipartisan vote of 251 to 170. The Senate cosponsors are urging Senator Chuck Schumer (D-New York) to bring the Laken Riley Act to the floor for a vote immediately.

"Make no mistake – Laken Riley's heartbreaking murder was a direct, preventable consequence of willful open border policies by President Biden and his administration," said Sen. Britt. "This commonsense legislation would ensure ICE detains and deports criminal illegal aliens, so more innocent American families do not have to face this kind of unimaginable tragedy. I am grateful for Representative Collins' strong leadership and for Senator Budd's partnership in introducing this Senate companion bill. Senator Schumer should bring this bill to the Senate floor immediately."

"The House of Representatives voted on the Laken Riley Act, we talked about her a few weeks ago right here on this floor," said Tuberville on the Senate floor. "A young lady who was killed by an illegal alien at the University of Georgia. The Laken Riley Act would mandate detention for illegal aliens charged with crimes as small as shoplifting. That is exactly what Laken Riley's killer had been arrested for previously. By the way, he had also been arrested for endangering a minor before he was charged with Laken Riley's murder. This bill today that was voted on in the house –170 Democrats voted against this bill.The blame for the state of this country rests solely with President Biden. He's the boss, he's the leader. Period."

"States should be able to protect their citizens from the Biden administration's lawless, open border policies by seeking relief in federal court," said Sen. Budd. "That's why I am joining Senator Britt to introduce the Senate version of the Laken Riley Act. We simply cannot tolerate any more senseless tragedies like this one. What happened to Laken Riley should never happen to any American citizen."

Additional cosponsors include Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), John Thune (R-South Dakota), and Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi).

Senator Tuberville says that he supports common-sense policies that strengthen our border and national security like building the wall and reinstating the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the Remain in Mexico policy.

Tuberville was elected to the Senate in 2020.

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