The Laken Riley Act legislation pending in Congress would unconstitutionally elevate state powers over immigration while substantially curtailing rudimentary post-detention protections for undocumented immigrants.

This bill emerged from a toxic brew of volatile ingredients. These include: the tragic murder of young Laken Riley in Georgia. The undocumented status of her convicted murderer, Jose Ibarra. The decision by Georgia authorities to cite but not detain Ibarra for shoplifting. The Trump campaign’s prominent use of Riley’s murder in its campaign rallies. The push by anti-immigration zealots in the Republican Congress to implement regressive proposals from Project 2025.