The House of Representatives passed S. 5, the Senate-amended version of the Laken Riley Act, which includes provisions from Sarah's Law. Representative Derek Schmidt (KS-02) co-sponsored both pieces of legislation.
The bill requires the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants who commit certain offenses, including theft, assaults on law enforcement, and crimes resulting in serious bodily injury. It also grants state attorneys general the authority to sue federal immigration officials who do not comply with federal immigration law.
The legislation combines elements of two separate bills. The Laken Riley Act is named for an Augusta University student killed in February 2024. Sarah's Law is named for Sarah Root, a 21-year-old who was killed by a driver who was in the country illegally.
The Senate version expanded the House's original bill by adding "assault on a law enforcement officer" and "crimes that result in serious bodily injury" to the list of offenses requiring mandatory detention.
Rep. Schmidt, who previously served as Kansas Attorney General, stated he had prosecuted cases involving undocumented immigrants in Kansas. The bill now heads to the President's desk for consideration.
