No one should ever have to go through the pain of losing a loved one because of violence. A country already deeply split on immigration was shaken by Laken Riley’s sad death, which fueled calls to more rigorous enforcement.
Most of us agree that the murderer must be held accountable, but the Laken Riley Act, which was established in her honor, raises the question: are we scapegoating the innocent or punishing the guilty?
Laken Riley was a 22-year old nursing student, tragically murdered in Athens, Ga. Authorities resparked discussions about border security and immigration enforcement by charging José Ibarra, an unauthorized Venezuelan immigrant with the crime.
Legislators quickly responded by introducing the Laken Riley Act, a plan that would imprison and deport criminal unauthorized immigrants.
“This horrific atrocity should never have been allowed to happen,” President Donald Trump said while signing the Act. “And as president, I’m fighting every single day to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.”
While its intentions may seem fair, its broader implications are far more complicated.
Local and federal law enforcement now have broader power to hold and deport illegal immigrants who are suspected, not yet convicted, of crimes according to the Act, which was just enacted by the House of Representatives.
Supporters argue that it protects Americans from dangerous criminals, but the bill’s ambiguous wording goes beyond violent offenses, perhaps putting thousands of productive, peaceful immigrants at danger of deportation.
Are immigrants not entitled to presumption of innocence?
I am disheartened by the participation of some immigrants in criminal activities. It makes life more difficult for those of us who go by the rules and it feeds negative stereotypes. I strongly agree that offenders need to be imprisoned and expelled.
The United States has the right to deport people who pose a threat to its population, and there is no justification for taking a life.
But while I support justice for criminals, I cannot support laws that open doors to criminalize innocent people. This Act risks treating all undocumented immigrants as threats rather than individuals, most who contribute to society, pay taxes, and abide by the law.
Innocent people and hardworking families shouldn’t pay the price for political scapegoating.
Even Laken Riley’s father has expressed concerns about the political use of his daughter’s death.
“I’d rather her not be such a political — how you say — it started a storm in our country,” Jason Riley told NBC’s Today show.
Justice for Laken Riley is necessary, and immigration laws should target those who represent a real threat. However, the mass criminalization of a whole community cannot be justified by a single catastrophe.
This Act, pushed by President Trump, exploits grief to fuel his anti-immigrant agenda, treating all undocumented people as criminals rather than distinguishing between violent offenders and those seeking safety.
Don’t fool yourself. This law doesn’t just target criminals, it reinforces fear and division. And that is what makes it so dangerous.
