Civil and Human Rights Coalition Urges Senators to Reject the Laken Riley Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Oprah Cunningham, [email protected], Rachel Hooper, [email protected]

WASHINGTON — Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement ahead of the Senate’s expected upcoming vote on the Laken Riley Act:

“Laken Riley should be alive today, and her loss is a tragedy. We all want to be safe in our communities, and that includes people of color. Sadly, this bill would endanger many working class people, parents, grandparents, and people who contribute to our communities.

“The senseless murder of Laken Riley should not be used to justify making unprecedented changes to immigration detention laws that will invite more discrimination and do little to increase public safety. Mandatory immigration detention on the basis of a mere accusation of a nonviolent property crime would almost certainly invite abuses that harm people of color.

“This bill will disproportionately affect Black and Brown communities who are already over-policed and incarcerated at higher rates. Families will be torn apart, communities will be destabilized, and taxpayer resources will be wasted on detaining people accused of minor offenses — all while failing to address any real safety concerns. Instead of advancing justice, this bill seeks to exacerbate systemic inequalities, exploit fear, and perpetuate harmful stereotypes.

“The Laken Riley Act represents a dangerous turn toward continued scapegoating of immigrants and further dismantling our system of justice. By empowering states to challenge federal immigration decisions, it threatens to weaken our courts, flood them with endless lawsuits, and undermine constitutional safeguards.

“The Senate must reject this harmful legislation and focus on policies that protect civil rights, promote due process, and offer fair paths to citizenship.”

The Leadership Conference sent a letter to Congress urging opposition to the Laken Riley Act.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 240 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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