The Laken Riley Act is passed in the Senate after a filibuster is overcome, with the help of Democrats giving the GOP a hand.

On Thursday, the Laken Riley Act passed a procedural vote with more than 60 votes, defeating the legislative filibuster and moving it to a final vote.

The measure passed the filibuster with a margin of 84-9, with Democrats who voted against it being Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Andy Kim, D-N.J., Ed Markey, D-Mass., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Tina Smith, D-Minn., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., and Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., re-introduced the immigration bill in the Senate and House, respectively, after the new Congress started.

Britt stated that the vote on the Laken Riley Act was a crucial step towards making the country safer, but there is still more work to be done to pass this commonsense legislation.

"The Laken Riley Act must be passed by Congress to prevent the horrific murder of Laken from happening again. While we cannot bring Laken back, Congress has an obligation to her family and all Americans to ensure that such a tragedy never repeats itself."

In February, a 22-year-old Augusta University nursing student was discovered dead on the University of Georgia's campus. Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old illegal immigrant, was later found guilty of 10 counts, including felony murder. Despite initially pleading not guilty, he was ultimately sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in November.

Britt and Collins' bill proposes that ICE must detain illegal immigrants who have committed theft, burglary, or shoplifting until they are deported. Additionally, states would have the authority to sue the federal government if they do not enforce immigration laws.

John Thune, R-S.D., the new Senate Majority Leader, blessed the measure and made it the first major vote in the upper chamber.

Initially, it was uncertain whether Senate Republicans could secure enough Democrat support to advance the bill and surpass the 60-vote filibuster threshold. However, after Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., voted in favor of the bill and became a co-sponsor, other Democrats followed suit, including Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz.

At least 13 Democrats have confirmed their intention to vote in favor of the bill as of Thursday morning, according to Planet Chronicle.

All 11 senators, including Sens. Mark Kelly, Jacky Rosen, Gallego, Gary Peters, John Hickenlooper, Angus King, Jeanne Shaheen, Jon Ossoff, Elissa Slotkin, Raphael Warnock, Tammy Baldwin, and Fetterman, stated that they would vote in favor of the procedural hurdle.

Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced on the Senate floor that he would vote to advance the bill. He stated that he would support the cloture motion to allow for debate and for Democrats to propose amendments. Schumer added that he believed the measure had enough votes to overcome the filibuster.

Booker expressed support for the bill's goal of stopping violent criminals, but criticized its flaws.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., is likely to support advancing the bill.

Although it's not certain that all Democrats will support the bill's final passage, the vote only requires a simple majority, which is lower than the 60 votes needed for cloture.

The GOP's priority immigration bill will be sent to President-elect Trump's desk and ultimately become law due to the successful filibuster defeat.

In 2026, several Democrats who supported the bill's advancement are running for re-election in competitive states. These include Ossoff, Shaheen, Peters, and Hickenlooper.