Senator Helming is pushing for the enactment of “Laken’s Law” (S.8533), named in memory of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia who was tragically murdered. The suspect, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, had been previously arrested and released in New York City.
This proposed legislation aims to strengthen cooperation between local law enforcement and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), mandating the notification of ICE upon the arrest or conviction of non-citizens.
Helming’s call to action stems from growing concerns among her constituents regarding national border security and the impact of illegal border crossings on states beyond the border. She criticized New York’s “pro-criminal” laws and the federal immigration system’s inefficiencies, advocating for public safety and the prioritization of New York taxpayers over funding services for migrants in New York City.
Assemblyman Jeff Gallahan, who also represents Ontario County, shared the following in part, “How many more mistakes like this do we have to see to realize immediate change is needed? How many more lives need to be put in jeopardy or taken in order to change current state and federal law to hold migrants accountable for the heinous crimes we are seeing? I am hopeful Laken’s Law is only the beginning of bringing true change to state courts and law enforcement agencies as well as federal immigration authorities so criminal cases involving migrants who have entered our state illegally do not slip through the cracks allowing disaster to occur.”
Sen. Helming emphasized the importance of local control and the need for state and federal governments to address the immigration crisis. Helming vowed to continue promoting solutions to enhance public safety and urges state leaders to take decisive action to protect the welfare of New Yorkers and their families.
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