‘Lacan Riley Act’ passed in US, what will be the impact of the new law on Indian workers-students?

Impact of Lake Riley Act on Indians: The US House of Representatives has approved the ‘Lecan Riley Act’. The bill is named after a Georgia nursing student who was murdered by an illegal immigrant in 2023. Under this law, illegal immigrants can be detained even for minor crimes such as theft. President Donald Trump will sign it into law when he/she returns to the White House this week. This law may also affect Indian immigrants.
The Laken Relay Act passed the US House of Representatives by a vote of 263-156. In this, 46 Democrats also supported the Republicans. Earlier, the Senate had also approved this bill by 64-35 votes. In this, 12 Democrats also supported it. Due to this law, a big change will be seen in American immigration policy. Now illegal immigrants can be detained even for minor crimes. Earlier, illegal immigrants used to be arrested only for serious crimes.

But what happened to Riley?

22-year-old Laken Riley was murdered in 2023 in Athens, Georgia. She was walking near the University of Georgia when an illegal immigrant named Jose Ibarra attacked and killed her. Ibarra was a resident of Venezuela. he/she was found guilty of kidnapping, assault and murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. This matter was much discussed even during the 2024 presidential elections.

Will Indians also be affected by the new law?

The Laken Relay Act is going to impact Indian immigrants, which includes workers, students, undocumented workers and people violating visa conditions. Under the law, detention has been made mandatory even for crimes like petty theft and burglary. Because of this, Indian citizens involved in violations of minor laws may also face the risk of deportation.

Immigration experts warn that even minor violations under this law could lead to strict enforcement action. It may also affect Indian students, workers and their families living in America on non-immigrant visas. This bill puts further pressure on the immigration system. Pro-immigration activists fear that legal immigrants may also face problems due to increased surveillance.