1. What is the Laken Riley Act, and why was it created?
The Laken Riley Act is the first law President Trump signed in his second term, named in honor of a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was murdered by a Venezuelan illegal immigrant in February 2024. The law requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain illegal immigrants arrested for crimes such as theft or assaulting a law enforcement officer and hold them for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention and processing. It also allows states to sue the federal government for violating federal immigration laws that endanger U.S. citizens.
2. How many arrests have been made under this law?
More than 17,500 illegal immigrants have been arrested for crimes under the Laken Riley Act since it was signed. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced these figures following Operation Angel’s Honor, a two-week nationwide operation targeting those who committed crimes covered by the act, during which ICE arrested 1,030 criminal illegal aliens.
3. Who was Laken Riley and what happened to her?
Laken Riley was a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was murdered in February 2024 by a Venezuelan illegal immigrant. The Department of Homeland Security said the Venezuelan was previously arrested and released before Riley’s death and was a member of the terrorist criminal gang Tren de Aragua, which the State Department designated in February as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
SEE ALSO: DHS arrests over 17,500 illegal immigrants under Laken Riley Act
4. What types of criminals have been arrested under this operation?
Those arrested include individuals convicted of various crimes, such as one Cuban convicted of 17 counts of larceny and another person from India who was convicted of four counts of sexual assault. The operation specifically targeted illegal immigrants who committed crimes covered by the Laken Riley Act, including theft and assault on law enforcement officers.
5. What criticism has the law faced?
The American Civil Liberties Union has opposed the legislation, calling it a “false, xenophobic narrative about immigrants” and describing the bill as “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” that exploits Riley’s tragic death. The organization argues the law expands detention of people accused of non-violent offenses without actually improving public safety while encouraging discriminatory and arbitrary overdetention.
Read more: DHS arrests over 17,500 illegal immigrants under Laken Riley Act
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The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
