WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed into law a bill named for murdered Georgia nursing student Laken Riley as her mother looked on.
“We will keep Laken’s memory alive and in our hearts forever, everyone’s hearts,” Trump said. “Her name will also live forever in the laws of our country.”
The measure gives federal immigration agencies broad authority to detain migrants accused of a variety of crimes. Charges of theft and burglary, assault of a law enforcement officer or any crimes involving serious bodily injury will make certain immigrants eligible for immediate deportation proceedings upon arrest.
Riley’s mother, Allyson Phillips, fought through tears after Trump called her to the podium to deliver brief remarks during the White House event. She thanked the president for keeping his promises to the family that he would address illegal immigration as a tribute to her daughter.
“He said he would secure our borders and that he would never forget about Laken,” she said. “He’s a man of his word.”
In addition to Riley’s family, Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and members of Congress, including Georgia Reps. Rick Allen of Augusta and Rich McCormick of Suwanee, were in the audience. So was Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns and members of the state House and Senate who co-sponsored a state law passed in the wake of Riley’s death that requires sheriff’s deputies to verify the status of anyone they suspect of being in the country illegally.
The bill’s sponsor, U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, R-Jackson, joined Phillips and others on the stage, surrounding Trump as he signed the bill document. Afterward, Collins issued a statement saying the law is a result of demands from voters concerned about illegal immigration.
“Nothing meaningful happens in Washington, D.C., unless the people demand it,” Collins said. “I am beyond grateful to the thousands of concerned citizens who called their representatives’ offices to demand that the Laken Riley Act pass and that these criminals be removed from their communities.”
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
Riley, 22, was found dead in a wooded area on the University of Georgia’s campus in February 2024.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan who authorities say entered the U.S. illegally in 2022, was later charged with murder and accused of killing Riley. He was found guilty following a trial in November and sentenced to life in prison. His attorneys have filed for a new trial.
In October 2023, Ibarra and his brother were issued citations after being accused of shoplifting in Athens-Clarke County.
Republicans have argued that if Ibarra had been detained and the process of deportation started after that initial arrest, Riley’s death would have been prevented.
Conservative critics accused the progressive-leaning government in Athens of providing safe harbor to people who are living in the country without legal permission. It’s a characterization Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz rejects. ”There’s been no legislation from this government that’s created a sanctuary city,” he said after Riley’s killing.
Democrats and pro-immigrant groups who oppose the bill say it robs people accused of crimes of due process, since it does not require a conviction. They also say the Ibarra brothers receiving a citation means they might not have been detailed even if the new law was in place, and they accuse Republicans of unfairly politicizing Riley’s death to justify their immigration crackdown efforts.
“What I’d like us to do is move away from the posturing,” Girtz said Wednesday on The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s “Politically Georgia” podcast, “and really move into better substantive legislation that’s not going to put new burdens on local law enforcement, put people unnecessarily in local jail beds and really encumber our federal authorities when they need to be focused on securing the border and getting truly violent people out of the country.”
Trump made a campaign pledge to curb illegal immigration, particularly at the southern border. Earlier this week, he authorized migrant arrests across the nation, more than 20 of which were carried out in Georgia.
Credit: J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Credit: J. Scott Applewhite/AP
The Laken Riley Act passed both chambers of Congress with bipartisan support, even after the Senate added amendments to widen its scope. It won the approval of every Republican in Georgia’s delegation plus four Democrats: U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, and Reps. Sanford Bishop of Albany and Lucy McBath of Marietta.
University of Georgia President Jere Morehead announced Wednesday during his 2025 State of the University address that the university has approved more than $1.7 million for security enhancements.
Morehead said the funds will go toward more emergency call stations, increased fencing and technology advancements for campus police.
The University of Georgia invested about $7.3 million on safety projects following Riley’s death. The initiatives included a 20% increase to the UGA Police Department budget and a new unit of Campus Safety Ambassadors who will assist police by providing student escorts and monitoring the campus during evening hours. The university began installing emergency call stations, automatic license plate readers, additional lightning and fencing last summer.
“We are constantly reviewing further initiatives to ensure we provide a safe and secure campus environment,” Morehead said.
