By Keith Brown
The murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley was committed by a migrant who federal authorities claim was previously arrested and released on a lesser charge in Queens. The choice to release this migrant with no consequences allowed him access to New York streets and subsequently, to take the life of Laken Riley.
When two NYPD officers were attacked only weeks ago, we saw the migrants released without bail. Now, the life of a young woman has been tragically taken—we cannot allow the same injustice to occur here.
Laken’s Law (A.9167), which I am a proud co-sponsor of, will help bridge the divide that exists between New York state’s criminal justice system and law enforcement agencies with federal immigration authorities to prevent future tragedies like this from happening again. New York families deserve justice and safety, and this bill will help facilitate the changes needed to ensure they have both.
Migrants who commit violent felonies or misdemeanors who are not held accountable nor properly punished are receiving a very clear message from our state: it’s okay to continue to commit crimes in New York, and the safety of New York citizens is not valued.
Assemblyman Keith Brown (R,C-Northport) represents the 12th Assembly District, which includes parts of Suffolk County, encompassing the vibrant towns of Huntington, Babylon and Islip.