The Laken Riley Act was just passed by the US House of Representatives last week, and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is urging senators to approve it.
Any illegal alien accused of burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting would have to be detained under the Laken Riley Act.
Bipartisan support helped the bill pass the House.
Read: Mother Of Murdered Georgia Student Laken Riley Rips Biden For Flubbing Her Daughter’s Name
The legislation is in response to the tragic and preventable death of Laken Riley, a University of Georgia student, who is suspected of being murdered by Jose Ibarra, an illegal alien from Venezuela.
“Over three years ago, my office sued the Biden administration for refusing to deport aliens here illegally who commit crimes. Biden has dismantled our public safety immigration structures entirely. It seems every month, this crisis worsens and in the case of Laken Riley, and many other innocent Americans, it has ended in tragedy. Enough is enough. The Senate needs to pass the Laken Riley Act swiftly so we, as a nation, can begin to fix the countless problems this president has created,” said Moody.
In a letter sent by a 26-state coalition of attorneys general, it states, “Riley’s death could have been prevented on multiple fronts, but the system failed her.
In August 2023, Ibarra was arrested in New York for alleged child endangerment but was released before immigration officials could request local authorities hold him in custody. Then in October 2023, Ibarra was charged with alleged shoplifting in Georgia.”
Read: Georgia Rep. MTG Says President Biden Has ‘Blood On His Hands’ In Murder Of Laken Riley
In March 2021, Attorney General Moody took legal action against the Biden administration saying, “As Attorney General, my job is to protect Floridians. Every day I work tirelessly to make Florida stronger and safer. Whether it is fighting the opioid epidemic, combating human trafficking or helping domestic violence victims, we are confronted with these real-life problems. The Biden administration’s reckless policy of refusing to do their jobs and deport criminals, places all those gains and Floridians’ public safety at risk. Until President Biden’s inauguration, presidents of both parties detained and deported criminals. This is a radical shift that places Floridians and our law enforcement officers in greater danger, and that is why I filed suit.”
The letter by the coalition concludes saying, “We believe the Laken Riley Act is a strong bill that can act as another arrow in the quiver when it comes to combatting illegal immigrations and protecting Americans. Please advance this bill to a vote as soon as possible. Laken Riley should still be alive. Let her memory be used to protect others before it’s too late.”
Attorney General Moody is joined by the following state attorneys general in the coalition and letter: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.
Jose Antonio Ibarra
Jose Antonio Ibarra, who was arrested Friday after 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley was found dead on UGA’s campus., entered the United States illegally in 2022.
Ibarra crossed the southern border into El Paso, Texas, and was detained, but was then released by authorities due to a lack of holding space, according to News Nation.
Authorities have charged Ibarra with felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, malice murder and concealing the death of another. He was denied bond.
Riley’s death was discovered after her friend asked UGA police to perform a wellness check after she failed to return from a morning run. UGA Chief of Police Jeff Clark said that Riley died from “blunt force trauma.”
Riley was an active member of Woodstock City Church, a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority, and a Dean’s List student.
Border Patrol arrested 59 illegal immigrants on the terror watchlist between October and January. A Somali terrorist who entered the country was allowed to move freely through the United States for almost a year.
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