Laken Riley Act

This bill, called the Laken Riley Act, would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain certain noncitizens tied to theft-related crimes. DHS would have to hold someone who is unlawfully in the U.S. or lacked required entry documents and who is charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admits to acts that make up burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. DHS must issue a detainer and take custody quickly if the person isn’t already held. Local definitions of these crimes would apply.

The bill also lets state governments take the federal government to court over certain immigration enforcement choices if the state or its residents are harmed, including financial harm over $100. Courts would be required to move these cases quickly. States could sue over, for example, releasing a noncitizen from custody, failing to follow border inspection and asylum rules, not stopping visas for countries that won’t take back their citizens, using parole beyond case-by-case limits, or not detaining someone ordered removed.

Key points:

• Who is affected: noncitizens tied to theft-related offenses; DHS; state attorneys general.
• What changes: mandatory detention and detainers; states can sue over specific immigration enforcement decisions; cases must be fast-tracked; harm threshold set at more than $100; local crime definitions apply.
• When: The provided text does not list a specific start date.