Why the Laken Riley Act is problematic - tell your Senator to vote NO
My discussion with Kristian Ramos highlights concerns about potential racial profiling, civil rights violations, and the lack of resources for local enforcement
One of my goals in 2025 is to expand my reach and push myself to do things that make me slightly uncomfortable. That includes… YouTube podcasts / long-form videos.
Last week, Kristian Ramos, a national thought leader in media and politics, offered to talk to me about the Laken Riley Act, which I wrote about last week. Even though I didn’t have everything I wanted perfectly set up to start my podcasting journey, I wasn’t going to tell him, “No, thank you.”
So, here it is… my interview with Kristian Ramos. This is also available as a podcast episode on Spotify. Click here to listen instead.
The conversation delves into the implications of the Laken-Riley Act, a proposed immigration bill that would grant local authorities significant powers over immigration enforcement.
We highlight our concerns about potential racial profiling, civil rights violations, and the lack of resources for local enforcement.
Both Kristian and I are big advocates for comprehensive immigration reform rather than piecemeal legislation. In this episode, we emphasize the need for a humane approach that recognizes immigrants' contributions. We also call for public engagement to oppose the bill and push for better solutions.
CALL TO ACTION:
Call your senators and tell them to vote NO. (You can find their contact info here) or you can call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121
Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
Please vote no on S. 5, the Laken Riley Act. This is NOT a border security bill. It's unconstitutional and puts hardworking immigrants, including DACA-recipients, at risk of indefinite detention and deportation. It will not prevent future tragedies; it will instead make more communities across America less safe while destabilizing those communities and their economies. Please, ask the Senator to oppose it and work to craft legislation that actually addresses our border crisis. Thanks.
[If Democrat please add:] Please file as many amendments as possible to slow down this bill. And please, at the very least, strip out the provision to empower state attorneys general to sue the federal government. It would almost certainly be exploited by bad actors. Thanks.