On Thursday afternoon, the US House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act, a bill that would require the ICE to detain any illegal immigrant who has been charged with a burglary or local theft.

Passing with a 251-170 vote, the Laken Riley Act is named for 22 year old Augusta University nursing student Laken Riley. She was killed on the campus of University of Georgia on February 22 by Jose Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela.

The 26 year old has a criminal record of local theft in Athens, Georgia and endangering his 5 year old son in Queens, New York. The act passes just hours before President Biden is to speak to the nation with the annual State of the Union address.

37 Democrats voted “yes” along with the Republicans in the House. According to Representative Mike Collins, who sponsored the bill, there is more work to be done.

“I now urge the Senate to take up this bill immediately. Please help us ensure justice for Laken and give ICE more tools to detain and deport criminal illegal aliens before they commit more serious crimes.”

—  Representative Mike Collins

The bill also allows state Attorney Generals to sue the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security for injunctive relief if immigration actions like parole, violating detention requirements or other “policy failures” harm that state or its citizens.

Representative Collins additionally stated, “If local law enforcement had called ICE, and ICE issued a detainer and picked him up, Laken Riley would be alive.”

At the State of the Union Thursday evening, Collins plans to leave his guest seat empty in honor of Laken Riley. He had previously invited her parents to join him for the address, but they declined as they are still grieving the loss of their daughter.