Democrat reveals how she now feels after voting for the Laken Riley Act

Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.) says she now regrets voting for the Laken Riley Act because she claims President Donald Trump is terrorizing the immigrant community.

Hayes told CNN on Thursday that she voted for the law — which is named after the nursing student who was murdered by a Venezuelan who was released into the country during the Biden-Harris administration — because it imposed tough punishment for those who kill or injure police officers.

That said, Hayes says she now would have voted differently because the Trump administration is being mean to immigrants.

'I believe that when you commit a crime, you should be deported.'

"I understand how immigrants across this country who are here legally and have followed the law are being terrorized right now because they are unsure of what happens next," Hayes said.

"It‘s a vote that I regret, but coming into this Congress, I trusted that this administration ... they wanted to have border security. They wanted to work with Democrats that we could actually move forward," she continued. "I‘m not really sure of that, because I‘ve seen the rhetoric that has come out and the attacks that have been targeted towards immigrants. So I‘m very cautious and careful when I‘m negotiating my votes moving forward."

The Laken Riley Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to take into custody certain aliens who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. The convicted killer of Riley was initially arrested for those crimes in New York City, but was then released before he moved down to Georgia.

The Laken Riley Act passed the House with 217 Republicans along with 46 Democrats voting for it and 156 Democrats voting against it.

The Hill reported that Hayes represents a competitive House district that the GOP is looking to target in the 2026 midterms.

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