The Laken Riley Act is now law. President Donald Trump signed the measure Wednesday afternoon.
“Under the law I’m signing today, the Department of Homeland Security will be required to detain all illegal aliens who have been arrested for theft, burglary, larceny, shoplifting, assaulting a police officer, murder, or any crime that results in death or serious injury,” according to President Trump.
The legislation is named in honor of the Georgia nursing student who was killed last year while she was out running on the University of Georgia campus. Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan man who authorities say was in the country illegally, was convicted for her murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Riley’s mother Allyson Phillips spoke at the signing and thanked the president.
“Our family will forever be grateful for the prayers of the people across our nation and for helping to get this legislation into law,” Phillps said. “We also want to thank President Trump for the promises he made to us. He said he would secure our borders and that he would never forget about Laken, and he hasn’t."
The president said he would sign an executive order to instruct the departments of defense and homeland security to prepare beds at Guantanamo Bay to house illegal immigrants who commit crimes.
