You'd better hope that Monday's executive order workout didn't leave President Donald Trump's signature hand laid up because soon he'll have the Laken Riley Act to sign — thanks in part to no fewer than a dozen Democrats in the U.S. Senate.
Named for the Georgia college student who was murdered last year by a Venezuelan illegal alien, the Laken Riley Act requires authorities to detain illegal aliens suspected of theft. You might think that a law aimed at enforcing existing laws and (hopefully) preventing the murders of more young women by people who aren't even supposed to be here would be a no-brainer.
You might think that, had you never met or read about a Washington Democrat.
So it just goes to show you how insane this country is on simple law-and-order issues. Authorities are supposed to detain — and deport — illegal aliens because they're here illegally. All of the Left's talk about how illegal aliens commit fewer crimes per capita (debatable) than citizens do is designed to make people forget that every single one of them committed a crime when they illegally crossed the border.
Also, I remember a time when suspected thieves were detained because of suspected theft. Crazy, right?
All 51 Republican senators voted in favor, surprising exactly nobody. The stage is set for the bill to return to the House for reconciliation, followed by Trump's signature.
If you had asked me a long time ago — the election was a long time ago, right? — how many Democrats would vote Yea on Laken Riley, I would have said, "Three? Four? I could see John Fetterman getting on board with some common sense, and Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego can't afford to annoy their constituents in Arizona that much."
Honestly, with so many other big stories, I wasn't following the Laken Riley Act story very closely. That's probably why I missed it last week when 10 Democrats — enough to trump a filibuster — voted Yea on a procedural vote to limit debate and move the bill forward. Since then, two more Democrats signed on board.
Polls show overwhelming support for increased border security and, yes, even for mass deportation of illegals. That's how you got these 12 Democrats crossing the aisle to support common-sense legislation: John Fetterman (Pa.), Ruben Gallego (Ariz.), Maggie Hassan (N.H.), Mark Kelly (Ariz.), Jon Ossoff (Ga.), Raphael Warnock (Ga.), Gary Peters (Mich.), Jacky Rosen (Nev.), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (Mich.) and Mark Warner (Va.).
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking the same thing this guy on X was thinking:
Warnock? Warnock ?
— Ward Bond: "I Have a Note from My Mother." (@Bond11Ward) January 21, 2025
I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to dath... but: WARNOCK -- ?!?
Yes, Warnock. The times they are a-changin', indeed. Notice that both of Georgia's Democrat senators voted for Laken Riley. Warnock and Ossoff both owe strange twists of fate — don't even get me started on that again — for their senate seats. I'm not sure they could survive a Nay on this or certain other bills Trump wants to sign.
We've seen many signs in the last few days that Trump's election was more than just the guy from the other party winning the White House. There is a political shift taking place and, more importantly, a cultural shift, too. Trump and congressional Republicans can and should use that power to bring swing-state and red-state Democrats on board with legislation that they'd otherwise oppose.
Yesterday's action on the Laken Riley Act showed the way.
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