U.S. House Deals Bill to Mandate Detention of Illegal Immigrants for Crimes

Ahead of the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has pledged massive deportations of illegal immigrants, the U.S. House of Representatives has dealt with legislation to expand the pre-trial detention of illegal immigrants related to crimes.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the so-called "Laken Riley Bill" on the 7th local time, 264 to 159 in favor.

The bill mandates the detention of illegal immigrants accused of theft, home invasion and other charges, named after Laken Riley, a college student who was killed by illegal immigrants last year.

Forty-eight Democrats also voted in favor of the bill, which the House of Representatives opened and first processed in the 119th Congress.

The New York Times and others said the bill is meant to expand the number of people who are subject to detention and potential deportation in relation to the issue of illegal immigrants.

Under current law, non-citizens who are guilty of misdemeanor crimes more than once are subject to deportation.

The bill was named after Laken Riley, a college student who was killed last year in Georgia, and the illegal immigrant from Venezuela who killed Riley at the time was arrested and charged with shoplifting and not being detained.

The Senate is expected to vote on the bill on the 10th, Riley's birthday, according to congressional media The Hill and others.The

Riley bill also passed the House last year, but failed to cross the Democratic-majority Senate threshold.

However, Republicans have a majority in the House as well as the Senate in this Congress, making the bill more likely to pass.