Did moderate Democrats embrace the Laken Riley Act and find religion?

Congressional Republicans campaigned on border security last year.

It was unsurprising that their first legislative action in 2025 centered on addressing illegal immigration and securing the border.

Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., the main sponsor of the immigration bill, stated that the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley by Jose Antonio Ibarra, who entered the country illegally from Venezuela, was one of the most heinous crimes imaginable.

The Laken Riley case was used by Republicans to criticize the Biden Administration and the border policy. After Riley's death, the House passed the Laken Riley Act, which mandates federal detention for anyone in the country illegally who is arrested for shoplifting or theft. Republicans claimed that if such a policy had been in place, Riley would still be alive today.

It will take several months for Congressional Republicans to agree on President-elect Donald Trump's demand for a comprehensive bill on tax policy, federal spending, and immigration. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., aims to pass the reconciliation package in early April.

The Laken Riley Act is the primary legislative effort of Congressional Republicans for the new year, as they target low-hanging fruit and find it challenging to approve a border security package alone, considering the cost.

Progressive Democrats pounced, accusing Republicans of race-baiting.

"During the floor debate, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., stated that the effort to gain political points from a tragic death is merely an attempt to do so. She added that this tactic is a recurring pattern of the Republican party, who consistently use fear to target immigrants."

"Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, stated that their bill today is an empty and opportunistic measure. He suggested picking a crime, pasting a template immigration law covering convicted criminals, and then requiring detention or deportation of certain persons merely accused of committing the crime or arrested for committing the crime."

"House Democrats are against the anti-immigrant agenda of House Republicans, as stated by House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif. He personally voted against it because it would allow for the deportation of individuals with DACA, even if they were only in the presence of someone who committed a crime."

Republicans clapped back.

During a House floor debate, Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., posed a question to his Democratic colleagues: "How many more laws with names attached to them do we need to pass before you take this crisis seriously?"

The criticisms of Democrats mainly came from the left-wing of the party and progressives.

The Democratic Party is undergoing a shift in its approach to border security, immigration, and how it handled the issue during the last election, which may have cost them.

In 2024, 37 House Democrats voted in favor of the Laken Riley Act. This week, the number of Democratic yeas increased to 48 as the House approved the 2025 Laken Riley Act in its first legislative vote of 2025.

A study of the vote matrix reveals that many moderate Democrats and representatives from swing districts voted in favor. Additionally, six Democrats who previously voted against the measure changed their stance to support it this year.

The group of representatives includes Brendan Boyle, Val Hoyle, Lucy McBath, Joe Morelle, Ritchie Torres, and Terri Sewell.

"Morelle, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, expressed concern about what happened to Miss Riley and stated that she wants to ensure it doesn't happen to others."

Longtime conservative Democrats, including Rep. Henry Cueller, D-Tex, who represents a border district, voted against the bill. Cueller explained his vote by saying, "It's an easy one. We won't welcome people who break the law."

Reps. Angie Craig, D-Minn., Don Davis, D-N.C., Jared Golden, D-Maine, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., who represent swing districts, voted yes.

So were Democrats getting religion after the election?

""Did Democrats not take immigration seriously, and did they regret their actions, leading to a change in votes?" I inquired of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y."

Jeffries attributed it to new members joining the Democratic Caucus.

According to Jeffries, there were around eight to ten more Democratic votes this year compared to the previous year. There are 30 new members in the House Democratic Caucus.

Although the bill passed the House, the Senate did not consider the Laken Riley Act last year.

"The Senate," Collins sighed, "[the bill] became mired and disappeared. It vanished into the Senate's abyss. Most of our legislation sent to that chamber met a similar fate."

The Democrats no longer control the Senate. Instead, the new Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., prioritized the Laken Riley Act as the main focus for early 2025.

""Despite bipartisan support in the House, the Senate Democrats unanimously opposed the Laken Riley Act last year. We'll see how they act when the new Senate majority brings it up for a vote," said Thune."

The Laken Riley Act was swiftly endorsed by Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., who frequently goes against his party's stance.

"Fetterman stated that it is not xenophobic to desire a safe border and to oppose the presence of individuals with criminal records and those who are actively breaking the law in the country."

Fetterman dismissed liberal worries about infringing on the civil rights of undocumented individuals who could be held captive.

"Fetterman stated, "If they are present, they are technically violating the law.""

Other Democrats swiftly joined the Planet Chronicle app's slate of supporters.

Among those who argued that Democrats mishandled the border security issue in the election was Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., a first-term representative from a swing state on the border.

"Gallego stated that the lack of action by the Democrats led to a cost for the party and potentially the White House. He emphasized the importance of learning from this experience."

The Laken Riley Act will be debated in the Senate today, with a vote to break a filibuster. If it passes this procedural hurdle, it will be set for passage next week.

Democrats who represent competitive districts have learned from the Laken Riley Act that the party made a mistake on border security. They are now trying to protect themselves on this issue by supporting other border security/immigration bills. This represents a shift in the party's approach to the border compared to last year.