Congressional Republicans are preparing to introduce several smaller-scale border security bills aimed at reaching President-elect Donald Trump’s desk soon after he assumes office. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is focused on swiftly addressing “low-hanging fruit” in border security while also working on a broader package of related bills. The goal is to provide Trump with some easy legislative wins to sign into law following his inauguration on January 20th.
The first bill up for consideration is the Laken Riley Act, named after a nursing student who was tragically killed by an illegal migrant. This bill, which passed the House last year but was not taken up by the Senate, would require federal authorities to detain illegal migrants caught committing crimes such as theft. It would also allow state attorneys general to sue the Department of Homeland Security for failing to enforce immigration laws that result in harm to citizens in their state.
Another bill being reintroduced is the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which mandates proof of citizenship for voter registration. Additionally, there is the Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, which would require the deportation of migrants convicted of sex-related crimes.
Various other measures are being proposed by Republican lawmakers, including cutting off federal funds to “sanctuary cities,” continuing the construction of the US-Mexico border wall, and relocating the US Customs and Border Protection headquarters to Texas. Some of these bills may receive individual votes while others could be incorporated into a larger border reform package that Republicans are developing, likely to be tied to other key items on Trump’s agenda.
Trump has reiterated his commitment to cracking down on illegal immigration, including mass deportations and building the border wall, even suggesting the use of executive actions to advance these efforts. Speaker Johnson aims to finalize a comprehensive legislative agenda by April, encompassing border security and other priority issues.
The potential border legislation being considered by Republicans is expected to draw inspiration from the Secure the Border Act of 2023, which, unfortunately, failed to pass through the Senate. This proposed measure aimed to revamp the asylum process, allocate resources towards the enforcement of existing immigration laws, and establish a novel migrant surveillance program.
