US House passes bill allowing detention of undocumented immigrants for theft

Laken Riley Act, named for nursing student murdered by Venezuelan, is resurrected after failing in Senate last year

The US House of Representatives approved the Laken Riley Act on Tuesday, marking the first bill passage of the new Congress, as Donald Trump and fellow Republicans turn their attention to immigration after heavily campaigning on the issue in the November elections.

The vote was 264 to 159, as 48 Democrats joined 216 Republicans in supporting the bill. It now goes to the Republican-controlled Senate, which is expected to consider the proposal in the coming days.