New Hampshire U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster was part of the House minority voting against the bipartisan “Laken Riley Act,” a bill requiring police to detain any illegal immigrant arrested for burglary or theft. The bill, named after the 22-year-old Georgia nursing student apparently murdered by an illegal immigrant who had previously been arrested — and released — by local police, easily passed the House 251-170.
Among the 37 Democrats who joined House Republicans to pass the bill was Kuster’s fellow Granite State Democrat Rep. Chris Pappas.
Riley was murdered while out for a run, allegedly by Jose Antonio Ibarra, a migrant from Venezuela, who entered the U.S. illegally in September 2022 and was released under border rules put into place by the Biden administration. Ibarra was later arrested in both New York City and Georgia but was released both times.
Asked why she opposed the Laken Riley Act, Kuster declined to respond.
In addition to requiring illegal immigrants who have committed crimes to be detained, the law would also let states sue the federal government “if an immigration-related action harms the state or its citizens.” The bill also calls on President Joe Biden to reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy.
The resolution was introduced by Georgia Rep. Mike Collins (R).
“While we can’t bring Laken back, we must now turn our focus to doing everything we can to prevent this from happening to another American,” Collins said in a statement.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said on social media, “170 House Democrats just voted against the Laken Riley Act, refusing to require the detention and deportation of illegal immigrants who have been caught committing a crime. Sadly, if these Democrats have their way, there will be more victims like Laken Riley.”
Republicans called on Biden to mention Riley in his State of the Union speech, using the slogan “Say Her Name.”
Biden did mention her, briefly, in his address.
Kuster has repeatedly opposed increased border security and immigration enforcement, including multiple votes against building a border wall. She also opposes deporting illegal immigrants for the purpose of immigration law enforcement.
