A CNN-hosted town hall on Thursday night brought together four members of the House of Representatives from key battleground districts to discuss legislative action taken under the Trump administration and the current Republican-led Congress.
The event featured questions from constituents and focused heavily on immigration and border security, including a discussion surrounding the Laken Riley Act.
Participants included Representatives Derek Tran (D-CA), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA), and Mike Lawler (R-NY). The Laken Riley Act, which mandates the detention and deportation of illegal immigrants charged with certain crimes, became a focal point during the town hall when an audience member raised concerns about due process.
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The question was posed to Rep. Tran by energy engineer Johnny Nguyen, who referenced President Trump’s immigration policies in his remarks.
“So, with Trump’s immigration policy and mass deportations, I’m getting really concerned about legislation like the Laken Riley Act, which begs the question of whether due process exists still in America,” Nguyen said, according to CNN’s transcript.
“So, given your background, both as an attorney and also the son of immigrants like myself, what made you vote yes on that?”
Rep. Tran responded by emphasizing his support for law and order.
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“I believe that when you commit a crime, you should be deported. That made sense to me,” he said.
“As a lawyer, I believe in law and order as well.”
Co-moderator Kaitlan Collins then directed the question to Rep. Hayes, who also voted in favor of the Laken Riley Act.
Hayes expressed concern about how the law might be perceived and said she has since reconsidered her vote.
“I voted for that piece of legislation because of a very specific provision, and it was if it caused injury or death to a police officer, which was one small piece of it,” Hayes said.
“As I have thought about it over the last couple months, I probably would have voted differently. It’s a vote that I regret.”
Hayes added that she had hoped the administration would work toward bipartisan border solutions but had been discouraged by recent rhetoric.
“I’m not really sure of that, because I have seen the rhetoric that has come out and the attacks that have been targeted towards immigrants,” she said.
NOT A GOOD LOOK: Democratic Rep. Jahana Hayes says that she now regrets voting for the Laken Riley Act pic.twitter.com/z1gOe4xFu8
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) April 11, 2025
Rep. Mackenzie challenged Hayes’ reversal, pointing out the partisan divide in the House vote.
“It’s been explicitly clear through votes like the Laken Riley Act, where a broad bipartisan group of individuals voted for that legislation,” Mackenzie said.
“Now, you mentioned that you regret your vote on that, and that’s your choice. But it was only Democrats that voted against that bill. All Republicans voted for it.”
He added, “Republicans want strong border security. They also want to enforce the laws on the books here in our country. And so, again, I think it is only reasonable to make sure that we are deporting these individuals that have committed crimes in our country.”
In response, Hayes said, “Due process is a law on the books in this country. And that’s why Democrats, the people who voted against it, they had serious concerns about the lack of due process.”
Mackenzie countered by referencing the namesake of the bill.
“Did Laken Riley get due process? The answer is no.”
.@Ryan_Mackenzie takes Democrat @JahanaHayesCT to task for her outrageous statement she “REGRETS” voting for the bipartisan Laken Riley Act.
Mackenzie: “Did Laken Riley get due process? The answer is no.” pic.twitter.com/7KrKtQ71we
— NRCC (@NRCC) April 11, 2025
The Laken Riley Act was introduced following the killing of college student Laken Riley, allegedly by an illegal immigrant with a criminal record.
The legislation has become a rallying point for lawmakers pushing for stricter immigration enforcement.
The town hall served as a platform for both parties to highlight their positions on immigration policy, with Republicans defending the bill as a necessary public safety measure and some Democrats expressing concern over due process protections.
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