Individuals arrested for lower-level offenses like shoplifting would be placed in mandatory detention without access to a bond hearing
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan 22, 2025
MEDIA CONTACT:
Liana Liang, lliang@ajsocal.org, 213.241.0237
Liza Ameen, lameen@ajsocal.org, 213.241.0258
Asian Americans Advancing Justice denounces the passage of S.5, also known as the Laken Riley Act. This passage threatens immigrant communities and allows anti-immigrant state officials to dictate federal immigration policy and international relations. The bill requires individuals who are arrested for lower-level offenses and who lack immigration status to be detained without possibility of bond and without a judge’s assessment of public safety or flight risk. This would directly impact long-settled individuals, children, and those who benefit from Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. The bill would also give state attorneys general unprecedented authority to interfere in individual immigration cases and aspects of federal immigration law.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice issues the following statement:
“We are horrified that Congress, with the support of members from both parties, has exploited the tragic death of Laken Riley to accelerate an agenda of detention, deportation, and ultimately separation of immigrant families. Detaining individuals who are merely accused of petty offenses goes against American norms of due process and presumption of innocence. This infringes on constitutional rights within the U.S. and threatens legal protections for all who call this land home. This law will hurt our communities, sowing fear and division, instead of making our communities safer. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders comprise diverse communities with varied immigration journeys and statuses. In particular, Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees are more likely to be arrested, detained, and deported than others in our community. By passing this bill, lawmakers have signaled that they are willing to scapegoat immigrant communities instead of working to improve public safety for all.
Today, Congress stands on the wrong side of history in growing state repression of immigrant communities and fear mongering. We will continue to speak out against aggressive tactics to strip away individual civil rights.”
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Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of four leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation’s members are: Advancing Justice – AAJC (Washington, DC), Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), Advancing Justice – Atlanta, and Advancing Justice – Chicago
