The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the first legislative proposal from the new U.S. President Donald Trump, requiring the arrest of illegal immigrants accused of theft and violent crimes.
This proposal garnered support from many Democrats alongside Republicans and was adopted with 263 votes in favor and 156 against.
The bill, which will be sent to Trump for his signature before it can take effect, is named after Laken Riley, a young woman from Georgia who was murdered last year by an illegal immigrant from Venezuela. The perpetrator has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
This is expected to be the first of several steps Republicans plan to take to strengthen the border and slow the influx of immigrants into the United States.
The House passed the bill with the support of 46 Democrats who joined 217 Republicans. The Senate had previously approved the bill, also with the backing of 12 Democrats.
The legislation mandates the arrest of immigrants suspected of theft or other offenses—even if they have not been charged with a crime.
Trump has made immigration a centerpiece of his campaign, and Republicans have backed his strict agenda on immigration.
Democrats who supported the law stated that they did so because their constituents are also concerned about immigration issues.
“Americans want us to do something about the border, and I think we would face strong backlash if we said we shouldn’t deport criminals,” said moderate Democrat Tom Suozzi, who voted for the bill.
Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, a member of the liberal faction, expressed her disappointment, saying it “breaks her heart” that such a large number of Democrats supported the legislation.
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Pete Aguilar, chair of the Democratic Caucus in the House, emphasized that Democrats remain committed to immigration reform and criticized Republicans for consistently rejecting proposals to enhance border security and modernize regulations.
“Democrats haven’t changed their stance on this issue. We will continue to push for solutions for ‘Dreamers’ (immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children), farmworkers, and immigrants with legal status in the U.S.,” he said.
A year ago, a similar bill was passed in the House with the support of 37 Democrats but failed to pass in the Senate, which was then controlled by Democrats.
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Izvor: Glas Amerike, Foto: AP (J. Scott Applewhite)