Senate Dems to join Republicans to advance anti-illegal immigration bill named after Laken Riley

A number of Senate Democrats say they will vote to advance a bill that would require federal authorities to detain illegal immigrants found guilty of theft – increasing the bill’s chance of passing in the upper chamber.

At least nine Senate Democrats are expected to vote to advance the bill in the upper chamber, giving it the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster if all Republicans vote in favor. It would then begin debate on the bill, and eventually a vote on final passage, where it would only need 51 votes to pass and send it to the president’s desk.

Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., Gary Peters, D-Mich., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Angus King, I-Maine, Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., and John Fetterman, D-Pa., have all said they will support advancing the bill. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he is likely to support advancing the bill. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., previously voted for the bill in the House.

LAKEN RILEY ACT PASSES HOUSE WITH 48 DEMS, ALL REPUBLICANS 

Sen. Mark Kelly at the Capitol in Washington, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

“You know, I plan, I plan to support it. Because if you’re a criminal, you should be held accountable,” Rosen said.

Hickenlooper’s office said he will vote to let the bill proceed to amend it, but “he does not support the Laken Riley Act in its current form.”

A senior GOP staffer told Fox News Digital that they believe they have the votes to proceed to a full debate. Kelly echoed those comments.

“Yeah I think it will,” he said when asked by Fox if it will get more than 60 votes.

Jose Ibarra, left, was found guilty on 10 counts in the death of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, right. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)

The Laken Riley Act, which passed the House on Tuesday with 48 Democrats voting in favor, is named after a nursing student killed by a Venezuelan illegal immigrant on the University of Georgia’s campus last year.

It not only requires the feds to detain illegal immigrants guilty of committing theft, burglary or shoplifting until they are deported, but also allows states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for harm caused to their citizens because of illegal immigration. Riley’s killer, Jose Ibarra, had previous arrests, including for theft, but had never been in ICE detention.

HOUSE, SENATE REPUBLICANS REVIVE TRUMP-BACKED PUSH TO CRACK DOWN ON NONCITIZEN VOTING 

It was the first bill introduced in the House in the new Congress and indicates how tackling illegal immigration, both at the border and in the interior, is likely to be a top priority for Republicans and some Democrats.

Video

President-elect Trump won his presidential campaign in part by focusing on the border crisis which had plagued the Biden administration before a recent, sharp drop in numbers. Trump has pledged to carry out a “historic” mass deportation campaign and his team have indicated they intend to push back against “sanctuary” cities that refuse to comply with ICE.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

A number of the Democrats saying they will support the bill have a looming re-election fight. Sens. Shaheen, Peters and Hickenlooper are all up for re-election in 2026 and illegal immigration could again be a crucial issue as it was in many races in 2024.

Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.