US House passes immigrant detention bill; Trump’s first law to sign

Washington: The House gave final approval on Wednesday to a bill requiring the detention of unauthorised immigrants accused of theft and violent crimes, indicating the first legislation that President Donald Trump can sign as Congress, with some bipartisan support, moved quickly to support his plans to crack down on illegal immigration, AP reported.

The passage of the Laken Riley Act, named after a Georgia nursing student killed by a Venezuelan man last year, demonstrates how sharply the political discussion over immigration has moved to the right since Trump's election victory.

Despite being a controversial subject in Congress, a group of 46 politically vulnerable Democrats and Republicans voted 263-156 to support a tight immigration measure.

“For decades, it has been almost impossible for our government to agree on solutions for the problems at our border and within our country,” said Sen. Katie Britt, an Alabama Republican.

She described the legislation as "perhaps the most significant immigration enforcement bill" to be passed by Congress in nearly three decades.

Nonetheless, the law calls for a substantial increase in the powers of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but it does not include any new funding.

Meanwhile, the new president has issued a series of executive orders aimed at closing the Mexican border to immigration and eventually deporting millions of immigrants who lack permanent legal status in the United States.

On Wednesday, Trump also cancelled refugee resettlement, and his administration has threatened to prosecute local law enforcement officials who do not enforce his new immigration policy.