Connecticut Democratic Rep. Jahanna Hayes said she regrets voting for the Laken Riley Act, a bipartisan bill that requires authorities to detain illegal immigrants accused of committing various criminal offences.
When asked at City Hall by CNN’s Cate Lancolins if the law violated the due-process rights of illegal immigrants, she said “probably voted differently.” The obvious flip-flop of lawmakers comes as Congressional Democrats want a safe border for voters, but say they consistently vote for laws that claim Republican lawmakers will force illegal criminal immigrants to help reduce the number of border crossings. (Related: Topdem says the party opposes “freeing sexual predators” after opening the southern border wide.)
“I voted for that law because of a very specific provision. If it caused an injury or death to a police officer, it was one small part,” Haynes said he mentioned the provisions of the bill that required the detention of illegal immigrants that caused the death of law enforcement, and the detention of convicted illegal immigrants. “I probably voted differently, as I’ve been thinking about in the last few months.”
Democrat Jahanna Hayes said tonight at our town hall that she regrets voting for the Laken Riley Act. pic.twitter.com/tfep0rebun
– Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) April 11, 2025
“That’s a vote I regret,” Haynes continued. “But coming to this Congress, I believed this administration wanted to have border security. They wanted to work with Democrats that we could actually move forward. I’m not really sure of that.
Hayes, serving her fourth term, represents a somewhat competitive Connecticut district with nonpartisan culinary political reports. Fee Just as “probably Democrats” are heading towards the midterm. Lawmakers discussed clearly changing views on immigration enforcement bills during a bipartisan CNN Town Hall Alongside California Democrat Derek Tran, Mike Lawler of New York and Ryan McKenzie of Pennsylvania, all represent the “battlefield” district.
The Laken Riley Act was the first law advanced by the 119th Congress and was signed into law by President Donald Trump. The law is named in honor of a University of Georgia nursing student who was killed by illegal immigrants while fleeing near a university campus in February 2024.
Supporters of the law alleged that if a similar law had been signed into law prior to Riley’s murder, her murderer, a Venezuelan citizen, was deported when she was arrested for shoplifting at Walmart in Athens, Georgia. The immigrants killed Riley almost two years after his arrest.
The Trump administration moved urgently to score lows, especially at tropical borders. march I saw it The Daily Caller News Foundation has seen a 95% decrease in border patrol encounters compared to the same period last year under former President Joe Biden’s leadership, according to the previously reported Daily Caller News Foundation.
Hayes also voted against it. law In February, they called for hard criminal penalties for migrants fleeing Border Patrol agents while driving. Fifty of her Democratic colleagues supported the immigration enforcement bill.
House Democrat leader Hakeem Jeffries told the DCNF Thursday that his meeting “want to secure a border” despite voting for a Republican budget resolution that unlocks up to $175 billion in border security-related funds for federal immigration authorities.
Hakeem Jeffries commented on border security funds
Jeffries: “We need to secure a border [and] Make sure it’s safe and strong. ” pic.twitter.com/3ipippltac
– Daily Caller (@dailycaller) April 10, 2025
“We believe there is a broken immigration system and we believe that we need to fix it in a comprehensive and bipartisan way,” Jeffries told DCNF at his weekly press conference on Thursday.
Jeffries also led the assembly, which led most House Democrats, with a vote against the bipartisan Leken Riley Act and the agent’s Officer Raul Gonzalez Act.
“We also believe that we will always defend dreamers, farm workers, law-abiding immigrant families and protect them from aggressive overreach from the Trump administration,” Jeffries continued. “These are principles that we are consistently related to finding a common basis on immigration issues, both publicly and personally, with our Republican colleagues.”
Mackenzie and Lawler took Haynes on mission to worry about the right to the legitimate process of illegal immigration to the safety of American citizens like Riley at the Town Hall.
“Has Lake Lake Riley obtained the legitimate process?” McKenzie I asked During the town hall, Haynes, despite initially supporting it, doubled concerns about the Laiken Riley Act. “The answer is no.”
“The only one Democrats voted against that bill [Laken Riley Act]Mackenzie said at City Hall. “All Republicans voted for it, and you’ve recently seen that difference and distinction between the parties.”
Andi Shae Napier contributed to this report.
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