Laken Riley Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I oppose this bill for many reasons, but I really want to get to the heart of the problem for me. On day one, President Trump started his project to deport thousands of our neighbors, even legal immigrants, asylum seekers, and people who were born here in the United States. The Laken Riley Act is another piece of that tragic project.

Laken Riley's death is a tragedy. She should be alive today, and I am glad that that killer is facing accountability, as should anyone who harms an innocent person.

However, we have to be really clear about the bill in front of us. This bill does not make our communities safer. It gives this extreme President the authority to do something that actually most Americans don't agree with. Changing our laws so that any immigrant is detained if they are accused, not convicted, of a crime undermines due process.

This bill requires the government to detain people who pose no risk to our communities. It is a shameful bill that will result in the violent detention of innocent people and children.

Many are going to regret enabling Trump's brutal agenda, and the question is when.

When abusive boyfriends trap women in violent relationships by threatening to falsely accuse them of a crime, will you think back to this day?

When ICE raids kids' classrooms or goes into the Sunday school service to lock up some classmates, will you feel shame then?

When there are no more resources because we have been prioritizing looking at promising young DACA students and rounding them up for no reason, will you regret voting for this bill then?

Our country has failed to ensure that every American has the resources they need to live a good life. It is because of the greedy and richest 1 percent of corporations and spineless politicians that you don't have healthcare, that you need multiple jobs, that your check isn't big enough for those bills, and that you can't afford to rent or to buy.

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Mr. FROST. It is not the fault of our fellow Americans who might be undocumented. The solution here is not violence. On its face, this is an evil bill meant to empower a violent man who is not interested in solving the problems of working people but interested in power. It seems that any bill that gives him power he and his party will ruthlessly pursue, but not I.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on this bill.

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