United States of America - January 2025

On 29 January, President Donald Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law. This piece of legislation establishes that undocumented migrants who are charged with crimes that involve injury or death, but also non-violent crimes such as shoplifting, should be detained and deported by federal officials, even without a conviction. It also enables state attorneys general to file lawsuits against federal government immigration enforcement policy (for example regarding the release or decision not to detain certain undocumented migrants, such as non-violent offenders). Named after a nursing school student killed by a Venezuelan migrant, the piece of legislation received bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress, although it was opposed by a majority of Democrats. It received widespread criticism, as due process guarantees and presumption of innocence are not duly considered in its provisions, and for the impact it will have on community members, including DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients. 

Sources: U.S. Congress, AP News, ACLU, NPR, CNN