Today, President Donald Trump signed H.R. 29 into law, the first piece of legislation to receive his signature under his second presidency. The controversial bill mandates that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detain undocumented immigrants who are merely arrested or charged with—but not convicted of—nonviolent crimes, including burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. The law is expected to have far-reaching consequences, particularly for DACA recipients, unaccompanied children under the age of 18, and other vulnerable immigrant populations.
The legislation, named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia student whose tragic murder by an undocumented migrant sparked a national debate on immigration and crime, also expands the authority of state Attorneys General. Under the new law, state Attorneys General can seek injunctions against the federal government for immigration policy decisions, a provision that critics argue will lead to legal chaos and a surge of lawsuits in the federal court system.
The House of Representatives passed the bill last week with a vote of 263 to 156, following Senate approval earlier in the week. The Senate had added amendments to broaden the scope of the bill, including crimes such as assault on law enforcement officers and offenses resulting in death or serious bodily injury. These changes further intensified the debate over the bill’s implications for due process and the rights of immigrants.

Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, condemned the legislation, stating: “The Trump administration has once again chosen to weaponize fear and hatred to demonize all immigrants and deny them the due process they deserve. With the signing of H.R. 29 into law, Trump has set the stage for an era of injustice where immigrant communities will face further criminalization, discrimination, and detention at a massive scale. We must reject policies like H.R. 29 that seek to divide us and push the most vulnerable into the shadows while doing little to improve our public safety and costing taxpayers billions of dollars annually. We will continue to fight for immigrant rights, for the protection of due process, and for a future where everyone can live with dignity and security.”
Advocates of the bill argue that it strengthens public safety by ensuring that individuals who commit crimes, even nonviolent ones, are not released back into communities. However, opponents warn that the law undermines the presumption of innocence, disproportionately targets immigrant communities, and could lead to the detention of individuals who may ultimately be found not guilty.
The signing of H.R. 29 marks a significant shift in U.S. immigration policy and enforcement, reigniting the national conversation about the intersection of immigration, crime, and justice. As the law takes effect, its impact on immigrant communities, the federal court system, and the broader political landscape will be closely watched.