The Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday passed HB7, also known as the Laken Riley Act, a measure aimed at increasing collaboration between state and local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
Named in memory of Laken Riley — a Georgia nursing student who was killed last year by an illegal immigrant who was awaiting trial on multiple criminal charges — the bill was carried by State Rep. Ernie Yarbrough (R-Trinity).
The legislation would allow state and local law enforcement agencies to enter into voluntary memorandums of understanding with federal agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security.
These agreements would authorize officers to enforce federal immigration laws, including arresting, detaining and transporting individuals suspected of being in the country illegally.
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“As Alabama continues to deal with an influx of illegal immigrants that entered our state during the previous president’s administration, we need to empower our state and local law enforcement agencies to protect their communities,” said House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville). “This is a commonsense, pro-public safety piece of legislation that is long overdue.”
The act also standardizes procedures for intake and booking of foreign nationals in jails, authorizes local officials to share and maintain immigration status information, and requires jails to honor immigration detainer requests in certain circumstances.
“I appreciate Speaker Ledbetter and my colleagues for supporting this important legislation and taking a significant step towards protecting our state and her people,” said Yarbrough. “Laken Riley’s death was tragic, and my goal is to help prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the state of Alabama.”
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Under the bill, jail officials are required to verify the immigration status of inmates when possible and maintain detailed records of communications with ICE. The act permits law enforcement officers to arrest individuals based solely on their immigration status if authorized by federal law.
HB7 now heads to the Alabama Senate for consideration. If approved, the law would take effect June 1, 2025.
U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) passed the Laken Riley Act through Congress earlier this year, requiring ICE to detain illegal immigrants convicted of crimes like theft, burglary, shoplifting, and offenses causing serious harm or injury, including assaults on law enforcement.
Britt’s measure was the first bill President Donald Trump signed into law.
Grace Heim is a state and political reporter for Yellowhammer News. You can follow her on X @graceeheim or email her at grace@yellowhammernews.com.
