ATLANTA — Almost two years after the tragic death of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley in Athens, allegedly at the hands of an undocumented immigrant, federal authorities report that legislation enacted in her memory is significantly influencing immigration enforcement policies.

President Donald Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law a year ago today. This legislation mandates federal officials to detain certain non-U.S. citizens, particularly those without legal status, who are either arrested or convicted of specified offenses.

The Department of Homeland Security has released new statistics indicating that over 17,000 criminal undocumented immigrants have been apprehended and detained under this law within the past year.

The act was brought forward by U.S. Representative Mike Collins, representing Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, in collaboration with Alabama Senator Katie Britt, in the wake of Riley’s death in February 2024.

Proponents of the legislation contend that it effectively addresses previous enforcement loopholes that allowed repeat offenders to continue residing in communities.

“These people get more emboldened as they commit crimes,” Collins said. “The man who murdered Laken Riley had already been arrested twice, for shoplifting and endangering a child. There’s a pattern that continues to escalate.”

Under the law, federal authorities are required to take into custody certain undocumented immigrants accused or convicted of crimes such as burglary, theft, shoplifting, or assaulting a law enforcement officer.

Collins said the law also changed how local police interact with federal immigration authorities.

“Before this law, local law enforcement couldn’t contact ICE until a major crime happened, like a murder,” Collins said. “Now, when these lesser crimes occur, ICE can step in and take them off local departments’ hands.”

In addition to expanding mandatory detention, the Laken Riley Act gives state governments the authority to sue the federal government if they believe the Department of Homeland Security has failed to follow detention or removal requirements.

Opponents of the law have raised concerns about due process and the scope of mandatory detention, while supporters say the measure improves public safety and prevents repeat offenders from being released back into communities.

The law remains a central part of the national immigration debate, particularly in Georgia, where Riley’s death continues to resonate.