In a move that’s turning heads across Washington, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) has thrown his support behind the Laken Riley Act, a Republican-led bill aimed at cracking down on illegal immigrants who commit crimes in the United States. “Not only am I voting yes on the Laken Riley Act, I’m co-sponsoring the bill,” Gallego announced on X, signaling that even some Democrats can no longer ignore the realities of the border crisis.
Laken Riley’s death was a tragedy. Our immigration system should never let a potentially dangerous criminal onto our streets.
Today, I voted for the Laken Riley Act to ensure something like this never happens again. https://t.co/aYCDkqgz5u
— Ruben Gallego (@SenRubenGallego) March 7, 2024
The Laken Riley Act, named after a 22-year-old nursing student tragically murdered last year by an illegal immigrant, has gained bipartisan traction. Illegal immigrant Jose Ibarra was convicted of Riley’s murder and sentenced to life in prison. Gallego, along with Senators John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), appears to be aligning with Republican efforts to bring some semblance of accountability to U.S. immigration policy. The act passed the House on January 7, with every Republican and 48 Democrats voting in favor—a rare moment of cooperation on an issue that has long divided the two parties.
The legislation mandates that the Department of Homeland Security detain illegal immigrants arrested for crimes like theft, burglary, and shoplifting. It also empowers states to sue the federal government over immigration policy failures, including botched background checks for would-be immigrants. For a country tired of watching preventable tragedies unfold, this bill represents a step toward restoring sanity to immigration enforcement.
Of course, not all Democrats are on board. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) predictably denounced the act as “empty and opportunistic,” conjuring up an absurd hypothetical of an otherwise saintly illegal immigrant unfairly arrested for shoplifting. This pearl-clutching critique ignores the reality that the act is about stopping actual criminals, not imaginary do-gooders caught up in bureaucratic misunderstandings.
Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) hit back, making it clear that the bill directly addresses the kind of negligence that has turned border security into a joke under Democrat leadership. With Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) pushing for a vote this week, the GOP’s 53–47 majority means the bill will likely pass, barring a filibuster that requires 60 votes to overcome.
It’s almost amusing watching Democrats scramble to align themselves with public sentiment after years of ignoring the border crisis. For years, they’ve mocked Republicans for advocating common-sense immigration policies, all while sanctimoniously lecturing the public on compassion. Now, as the real-world consequences of their open-border policies play out, they’re forced to admit that Republicans were right all along.
The Laken Riley Act isn’t just a piece of legislation; it’s a reminder that ignoring the rule of law has real, devastating consequences. Americans are tired of the endless excuses and empty rhetoric. While Democrats like Gallego deserve credit for stepping up, the fact that it took this long for them to act is a testament to how out of touch their party has become.
With President-elect Donald Trump returning to the White House, the days of pandering to the far-left fringe are numbered. The Laken Riley Act is just the beginning of a broader push to secure the border, enforce the law, and put American lives first. Democrats can join the effort or continue to cling to their failed policies—but either way, the tide is turning.
