(NewsNation) — Florida law enforcement arrested 14 people under the Laken Riley Act, including suspected members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang and individuals charged with sex crimes against minors.
The operation was carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents in Miami working alongside local, state and federal agencies — including the FBI, DEA, ATF and U.S. Marshals.
The three-day enterprise was one of first major operations under the new law that requires the detention and deportation of immigrants in the U.S. illegally who are accused of theft or violent crimes.
What is the Laken Riley Act?
The law’s namesake, University of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, was killed last year by Jose Ibarra, a migrant released into the U.S. despite his prior criminal history.
It was the first bill signed by President Donald Trump in his new administration.
Trump praised the bipartisan support behind it and called the legislation a priority in his immigration enforcement agenda, as it not only expands ICE’s authority but allows state attorneys general to sue the federal government if immigration policies fail to protect communities.
Under the law, states now have a way to challenge federal decisions like releasing certain migrants or delaying deportations.
Critics say the law ignores due process, as it does not require a conviction.