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Last week, the Laken Riley Act, a piece of legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-AL, passed the House of Representatives before being sent to the Oval Office where it is expected to be the first bill signed into law under the new Trump administration. The bill would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to detain any undocumented migrant arrested for offenses as minor as shoplifting before they are even charged with a crime.
Now, Britt is looking to add onto the provisions of the Laken Riley Act with a new bill, the Protect Our Law Enforcement with Immigration Control and Enforcement (POLICE) Act of 2025, which she introduced on Monday alongside U.S. Sen. Ted Budd, R-NC.
When it passed, the Laken Riley Act included an amendment which added assaulting a law enforcement officer to the list of crimes which ICE is required to detain an undocumented immigrant for. In that vein, the POLICE Act would explicitly make the assault of a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder by an undocumented individual a “deportable offense.”
“The American people want to make sure our communities and our friends and neighbors are safe,” Britt said in an official statement on Monday. “The passage of the Laken Riley Act was a big step forward in helping achieve this goal, but there is so much more that needs to be done, including passage of the POLICE Act. I think all Americans should be able to agree that if you break our laws after coming here illegally, you should be quickly removed from our nation. Senator Ted Budd’s and my legislation would ensure our brave law enforcement officers, firefighters, and first responders are strongly protected.”
Sen. Budd also spoke in support of the legislation.
“One of the best ways we can support law enforcement officers, and protect the public, is by deporting dangerous people who do them harm. If a migrant commits the crime of assaulting an officer or other first responder, they should be subject to immediate deportation. Our lawmakers must always back the men and women who protect and serve our communities. We must act on this vital proposal,” Budd said.
Just days into the new Trump administration, Sen. Britt has already been one of the staunchest supporters of the president’s anti-immigration agenda.
In addition to the Laken Riley and POLICE Acts, Britt is also a cosponsor of the Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act, a bill which would require states and municipalities to waive any protections of undocumented migrants as a condition of receiving federal grant dollars.
Britt has also introduced the WALL Act to appropriate $25 billion “to finish building a wall on our southern border without raising taxes on U.S. citizens or increasing the national debt.” According to Britt, the bill would be funded by closing loopholes, eliminating access to social services for undocumented migrants, and fining individuals who immigrate illegally or overstay their legal visas.
