[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 9 (Thursday, January 16, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S222]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            LAKEN RILEY ACT

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I appreciate that we are beginning an 
amendment process on S. 5 in the Senate. I hope we continue with that 
process, as there are still significant improvements to be made to this 
bill. We must keep our communities safe and prioritize detention of 
violent offenders, and our focus must be on the most effective path to 
achieve that goal.
  I have introduced, along with Senator Kaine, an amendment that 
directly addresses the circumstances that led to the tragic murder of 
Laken Riley without creating a system that diverts resources away from 
the detention and deportation of violent offenders. I have also offered 
an amendment that makes clear that the apprehension and deportation of 
convicted violent offenders should be our highest enforcement priority.
  Yesterday, I voted against the Cornyn amendment, which would expand 
the category of offenses under which individuals are detained following 
an arrest only, not a conviction or even an indictment. While I 
appreciate the seriousness of those crimes, this would continue to take 
resources from detention and deportation of those who pose the greatest 
threat to our communities and who are actually convicted.
  I also voted for an amendment proposed by Senator Coons that would 
strike the section of the underlying bill that allows States attorneys 
general to sue the Federal Government when they disagree with any of 
the thousands of complex immigration enforcement decisions ICE and CBP 
make every day. Conflicting lawsuits in State courts around the country 
would paralyze our immigration enforcement system, ultimately 
jeopardizing public safety. I am disappointed that this amendment 
failed to pass.
  I urge my colleagues to work in a bipartisan way to improve this bill 
to keep our communities safe while ensuring that our immigration 
enforcement officials can focus on the greatest public safety risks.

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