Cape News

U.S. Representative Jason Smith of Missouri has voted in favor of the Laken Riley Act, a legislative measure aimed at equipping law enforcement with additional tools to combat crimes committed by illegal immigrants. The act is named after Laken Riley, a nursing student who was killed last year by an illegal immigrant from Venezuela.

Smith expressed his concerns regarding what he perceives as the "Left's" leniency towards violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants. He specifically mentioned Jose Ibarra, stating that if local law enforcement had coordinated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Riley might still be alive.

The legislation also comes in response to another incident involving Officer David Lee from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, who died after being hit by a car driven by Ramon Arnaldo Chavez-Rodriguez, an illegal immigrant. Smith noted that these incidents highlight broader issues related to border security and immigration policies.

According to Smith, “We’ve seen this violence affect communities around the country, including right here in Missouri where Officer David Lee was killed by an illegal immigrant with a criminal record.” He further stated that Americans are frustrated with the consequences of what he describes as an "open-border agenda."

The Laken Riley Act proposes amendments to federal law requiring ICE to detain individuals committing theft-related offenses and permits state attorneys general to seek legal action against the Secretary of Homeland Security for any policy failures impacting their states.

Smith emphasized his commitment to addressing these issues: “I’ll continue fighting to fix all the damage caused by the Left’s radical immigration agenda and advance the policies we need to make our border secure again.”