Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) became the first Senate Democrat to co-sponsor the Laken Riley Act on Thursday. The act is named after a 22-year-old nursing student, Laken Riley, who was killed on the University of Georgia's campus by a migrant from Venezuela.
It's significant that Tester is now supporting the measure, as he initially voted against it when it was proposed as an amendment to a spending package that funded the departments of Defense and Homeland Security, among other priorities.
Including the controversial language in the broader package could have disrupted the bipartisan spending deal.
Tester stated last month that he would back the Laken Riley Act as a separate bill.
The proposed legislation would compel federal officials to arrest and detain illegal immigrants who commit specific crimes until they can be deported from the United States.
Tester's endorsement of the bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by the House in a bipartisan manner, indicates the increasing importance of border security as an issue leading up to the 2024 election.
In a statement, he said, “After hearing from law enforcement officers across Montana, I’m backing the Laken Riley Act to make sure that individuals who enter our country and commit a crime are held accountable so that no Montana family has to worry about the safety of their loved ones.”
Tester, who is seeking reelection in a state that twice supported former President Trump, is among the Senate's most vulnerable incumbents.
He emphasized that keeping Montana safe is his top priority and explained, “I’ve repeatedly called on the Biden Administration and Congress to do more to secure the southern border.”
The bill would mandate U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain illegal immigrants who commit theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting until they are deported from the country.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee quickly highlighted that Tester voted against the Laken Riley Act when it was proposed as an amendment by Sens. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) to a crucial appropriations bill.
However, as a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Tester pointed out that he had secured what his office described as “significant wins for border security” in a $1.2 trillion government funding package.
He played a role in allocating funds for 22,000 border patrol agents, 150 new Customs and Border Protection entry points, and 41,500 new detention beds in the bill.
