As Donald Trump's presidential inauguration draws near, Congress has intensified its efforts on immigration policy. The Senate made headway with advancing the Laken Riley Act, named after a Georgia nursing student whose life was tragically taken by an undocumented immigrant. According to CBS Austin, a significant portion of Democrats sided with Republicans to move the bill forward, leaving only nine in opposition and a handful delivering a "present" vote instead of taking a definitive stance.
"This is an important issue we should have a debate and amendments," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. stated ahead of his vote to support the bill's advancement into a debate, an assertion obtained by CBS Austin. The forthcoming debate over amendments, anticipated to unfold next week, would see the potential for undocumented immigrants charged with theft to be detained and possibly deported. It also grants states new leverage to sue the federal government over what is perceived as a failure to adequately enforce immigration laws. This legislation marks the first major immigration-related measure to be considered in Capitol Hill in this session.
Capitalizing on the congressional momentum, Trump's team has reportedly prepared a slew of executive orders concerning immigration. According to information from a meeting between Trump and Senate Republicans covered by WJLA, up to 100 executive orders could be enacted from day one, including the reinstatement of Title 42, increased collaboration between local law enforcement and ICE agents, additional border wall construction, and the establishment of more migrant holding facilities.
"Number one we’re closing the border, it’s going to be closed very strongly. It’s going to be closed, we’re going to take people out that are criminals. We have people from jails, all over the world, people from mental institutions and they’re going to have to be removed," Trump was quoted saying Wednesday night, in a statement to WJLA. This hardline stance echoes the sentiment he expressed during his campaign and is reflective of the plans laid out in the potential executive actions.
Moreover, Republicans are setting their sights on reviving the SAVE Act, which stipulates that only American citizens should be required to provide proof of citizenship to vote, as stated by Senator and bill sponsor Mike Lee, R-Utah, an aspect discussed in CBS Austin. They firmly believe that immigration concerns propelled the 2024 election results. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, told CBS Austin, "The number one issue I heard about when I was out on the campaign trail was the border."
Setting a bipartisan tone, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., not only was the first Democrat to cosponsor the Laken Riley Act but also plans to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago this weekend, according to CBS Austin. He urged his colleagues to engage more willingly in dialogue on the matter.
