Lawyers’ Committee Vows Court Challenge to Defend California Immigrants Against President Trump’s Unconstitutional Laken Riley Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 29, 2025
MEDIA CONTACT: Raya Steier, rsteier@lccrsf.org, C:530-723-2426

Lawyers’ Committee Vows Court Challenge to Defend California Immigrants Against President Trump’s Unconstitutional Laken Riley Act

***PRESS RELEASE***

President Donald Trump signed the Laken Riley Act today, a shameful and unconstitutional law that will unjustly detain immigrants accused of low-level theft offenses, even without a conviction. In California, where immigrants play a critical role in our economy and communities, this law will disproportionately target immigrants of color, criminalizing individuals based solely on accusations.

The Laken Riley Act mandates that immigration authorities detain individuals accused of low-level offenses like shoplifting, even if that accusation is never brought before a judge and even if law enforcement does not consider them a threat to public safety. This bill does not require a conviction—simply being accused of a crime is enough to force individuals into mandatory detention without review by any judge. In doing so, the law strips due process protections and allows for discrimination against vulnerable immigrant communities.

The federal government already has the power to detain and deport individuals who commit criminal acts. But in our legal system, judges act as a constitutionally required check on police actions. This new law removes that check. It is a direct attack on the constitutional rights of immigrants and communities of color, and it erodes the civil liberties of American society at large. It will incentivize racial profiling and divert law enforcement resources away from real threats, making our communities less safe.

“Lawyers’ Committee and our partners vow to challenge this unconstitutional law in court. We will not stand by while the rights of immigrants and communities of color are trampled for political gain.” said Bianca Sierra Wolff, Executive Director at Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area.
 

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