Laken Riley Act

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/laken-riley-act

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the location of incident?Athens, Georgia
2. What is the date of house vote?January 22, 2025
3. Why was the Laken Riley Act created?The Act was created after the tragic murder of Laken Riley in Athens, Georgia. It was made to address concerns that existing laws were not enough to protect the public from crimes committed by non‑citizens.
4. Who can be detained under the Laken Riley Act?The Act requires that non‑citizens who are arrested for or charged with specific crimes—such as theft, burglary, assault on a law enforcement officer, or serious injuries—must be detained.

Federal statute: A law enacted by the national legislative body of a country, such as the United States Congress.
Detention without bond: A legal status where an individual is held in custody by authorities and is not permitted to be released upon payment of bail.
Immigration enforcement: The activities undertaken by government agencies to ensure compliance with immigration laws and regulations.
Federalism: A system of government in which power is divided between a national government and regional governments.