FAIR: Passage of the Laken Riley Act is Just the First Step in Restoring Common Sense to Our Immigration Policies

The following statement was issued by Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) in response to passage of the Laken Riley Act in the Senate.

(Washington, D.C., January 20, 2025) “Today, the U.S. Senate took the long overdue step of passing the Laken Riley Act. FAIR congratulates Senate Majority Leader John Thune for bringing this bill to the floor of the chamber and putting every member of the Senate on record as supporting or opposing the detention and removal of illegal aliens who commit crimes in this country.

“Passage of the Laken Riley Act is a promising first step in reversing the rampant illegal immigration that the nation has endured over the past four years. There is still much more to be done to secure our borders, alleviate the enormous fiscal burdens being borne by American taxpayers and ensure that no future administration will be able to abuse its authority to subvert our immigration laws.

“In the coming weeks and months, Congress must act swiftly to pass an updated version of H.R. 2, a bill that includes real changes that end catch-and-release, reform our asylum system, stop parole abuse, and prevent future administrations from ignoring their duties to enforce our immigration laws. Congress must also use the reconciliation process to fully fund construction of the border wall and provide the manpower and other resources needed to detain and remove illegal aliens from our country.

“Today’s Senate vote is a small measure of comfort to Laken Riley’s family and the families of countless others who have been victimized by illegal aliens who were allowed to roam freely in our country. But it is just the start of a long list of reforms that are needed to ensure that our immigration system serves and protects the security and interests of the American people.”