U.S. Senator Katie Britt of Alabama has expressed her support for the Laken Riley Act, highlighting its broad backing among Americans concerned about crime and immigration enforcement. Britt made this statement in a January 9 post on X.

According to the U.S. Congress website, the Laken Riley Act was reintroduced to the 119th Congress on January 6 by Senator Britt. The legislation is named after a 22-year-old who was murdered in Georgia in February 2022 by an illegal immigrant. The Act mandates that the Department of Homeland Security detain certain non-U.S. nationals arrested for crimes such as burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. Additionally, it allows states to sue the federal government for not enforcing immigration laws.

A post on X by the Senate Republican Communications Center said that Laken Riley’s murderer had been arrested twice but not detained. The Laken Riley Act proposes that illegal immigrants be detained after arrest and taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Screenshot of Post on X | X

The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives, according to a release by U.S. Representative Eli Crane from Arizona. "I’m pleased to report that the Laken Riley Act passed out of the House of Representatives," said Crane. "This bill will protect our communities and give our law enforcement agencies the resources they need to prevent avoidable tragedies."

NBC News reported that the Senate voted to pass the Laken Riley Act on January 20, with support from 12 Democrats. The bill will return to the House for review before President Trump can sign it into law.

Britt was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022 and currently serves as Alabama's senator, according to her website.