US human rights advocates slam ‘shameful’ anti-immigration bill

US Congress passed a controversial anti-immigration bill that could pave the way for newly inaugurated President Donald Trump to issue mass deportations, human rights advocates warned. 

The Laken Riley Act, named after a Georgia nursing student murdered last year by a Venezuelan national living in the US unlawfully, was approved in the House of Representatives on Wednesday by a 263-158 vote.

Under the legislation, forces could detain undocumented immigrants accused of committing crimes such as theft, larceny, and burglary, even before they are convicted.

This would extend to any crime resulting in injury or death, as well as offences like assaulting a police officer.

It grants state governments the power to sue the federal government over immigration enforcement decisions they believe harm their states, deepening the growing divide over immigration policy in the US.

The bill passed with backing from 46 Democrats, joining the full Republican caucus in support. Two days earlier, the Senate endorsed the measure with a vote of 64-35, including 12 Democratic votes.

Supporters argue it will help reduce crime and save lives by removing individuals accused of violent or property crimes from communities.

Yet, critics warn the bill could exacerbate racial profiling, increase the militarisation of communities, and lead to widespread fear and distrust.

‘The most radically xenophobic bill’

Democratic lawmakers and advocacy groups have condemned the bill for infringing upon the due process rights of immigrants.

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, a fierce critic of the Trump administration and advocate for Palestinian rights, argued the bill could mark the beginning of Trump’s long-promised mass deportations.

Tlaib accused the bill of targeting millions of undocumented immigrants based on accusations alone, without the necessity of a criminal conviction. She warned it would lead to family separations and stoke racial tensions.

“It is shameful that the first bill of the new Congress will put a target on the backs of millions of our neighbours and increase the militarisation of our neighbourhoods,” Tlaib said in a statement.

“This bill is a blatant violation of due process and will lead to the mandatory detention and deportation of people who are merely accused of a crime” she continued.

Progressive voices in Congress have also condemned the bill, stating it exploits tragedy to further an anti-immigration agenda.

Congressman Chuy García denounced the measure as a mechanism to “criminalise immigrants” while benefiting wealthy corporations, particularly in the private prison industry.

He suggested the bill would fuel the growth of detention centres, a long-standing concern for human rights groups and advocates who argue such facilities disproportionately target minorities and immigrants.

Human rights organisations have also expressed alarm. The Asian American Legal Defence and Education Fund (AALDEF) branded the Laken Riley Act as “the most radically xenophobic bill Congress has passed in recent history.”

At the core of the controversy is the bill’s potential to expand the scope of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, making it easier for federal authorities to detain and deport undocumented individuals based on allegations alone.

This provision has sparked comparisons to the harsh immigration policies of the Trump administration’s early years when mass deportations were a central focus.