Illegal immigrants charged with minor crimes in the United States would face deportation, as the US Congress passed a bill that will enable federal authorities to detain them.
The Laken Riley Act got the support of 48 Democrats and all Republicans.
The bill cleared the house on a 252-157 vote.
An expanded list of crimes that the bill penalizes includes burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting.
The bill tagged ‘Laken Riley Act’ followed the murder of a 22-year-old nursing student, last year in Georgia by Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan migrant, who crossed into the US illegally.
Ibarra was arrested and charged with shoplifting but was not detained, later in November last year was sentenced to life in prison without parole for Riley’s killing.
Mike Collins, a Republican representative who sponsored the Act, said every part of their system failed Laken that day.
The bill passed on Tuesday, just days into the new session of Congress, setting the tone for President-elect Donald Trump’s ambitious policy agenda, which targets reduced immigration.
Recall that Trump has repeatedly vowed to undertake mass deportation soon after he takes office on January 20.
Meanwhile, Democrat critics argued that the new category is too broad and could result in innocent people being thrown into detention.
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