The Laken Riley Act, a bill currently making its way through Congress, has the potential to give the United States more strength in detaining illegal migrants. According to Tom Homan, a former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the bill would allow ICE to detain illegal migrants for longer periods of time, giving the agency more flexibility in handling the influx of migrants at the southern border.
Homan, who has extensive experience in immigration enforcement, believes that the Laken Riley Act is a crucial step in addressing the ongoing crisis at the border. “This bill will give us the tools we need to effectively enforce our immigration laws and keep our communities safe,” he said in a statement.
The Laken Riley Act would amend the Flores Settlement Agreement, a 1997 court ruling that limits the amount of time minors can be detained by ICE. The bill would allow ICE to detain minors with their families for up to 20 days, rather than the current 72-hour limit. This would give ICE more time to process and deport families who are in the country illegally.
Homan believes that the Laken Riley Act is necessary because the current system is broken. “We’re seeing thousands of families coming across the border every month, and our current system is not equipped to handle it,” he said. “This bill will give us the flexibility we need to keep up with the demand and ensure that our borders are secure.”
The Laken Riley Act has received bipartisan support in Congress, with many lawmakers recognizing the need for stronger immigration enforcement. If passed, the bill would be a significant step forward in addressing the ongoing crisis at the southern border and giving ICE the tools it needs to effectively enforce our immigration laws.
