Columbia Standard

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin expressed his disappointment following the Senate's approval of the Laken Riley Act. Durbin, who serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, voted against the bill and released a statement highlighting his concerns.

“The loss of a child is something no parent should have to endure, and we should do everything possible to make sure what happened to Laken Riley never happens again," Durbin stated. "But as I have said numerous times, this bill will not accomplish its stated goal. I’m genuinely disappointed in the passage of this bill as it stands and deeply concerned about how it will be implemented.”

Durbin had previously voiced his objections on the Senate floor and proposed two amendments aimed at protecting Dreamers, including those under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and individuals eligible for DACA.

The Laken Riley Act seeks to amend mandatory detention provisions within the Immigration and Nationality Act. It mandates federal custody for individuals who entered illegally or violated immigration terms if they are arrested, charged, or convicted of crimes such as burglary or theft. The legislation also allows state attorneys general to sue federal immigration authorities for unrelated actions.

According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), this act would require detaining over 65,000 immigrants. However, Congress has only allocated funds sufficient for 42,000 detainees, with ICE already nearing that capacity. The agency estimates an annual cost of $26 billion for compliance with this mandate—more than double its current budget.