Congress launches early immigration crackdown ahead of Trump inauguration

Driving the news: The House will vote Tuesday on the bill, which requires the detention of undocumented immigrants who commit certain nonviolent crimes such as theft, according to a House leadership aide.

• Senate Majority Leader John Thune began the process to allow a vote on the Senate version of the bill — likely on Friday, a senior Senate GOP aide confirmed.
• The bill is named after a nursing student who was murdered last year by an undocumented immigrant who had previously been arrested on theft charges.

What they're saying: "I am thrilled that we're going to get moving," Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) told us about the bill, which she introduced in the Senate last year.

• Britt anticipates the bill will get Democratic votes "if they're being honest about what we need to do to protect Americans."

What to watch: The bill already passed the House in 2024 with bipartisan support. It will need to pass the House again as it's a new Congress.

• Expect the bill to pick up Democrats in the Senate — though it's not clear it will be enough to overcome the 60-vote filibuster.

• Two House Democrats who voted in favor of the bill last year are now in the Senate — Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.).

At least one other Trump-state Democrat is expected to vote in favor, according to a source familiar.

• Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) — Riley's home state senator — is up for reelection in 2026. Ossoff told us he would "carefully consider any legislation that comes to the floor of the Senate."

The bottom line: The Democratic support highlights the new reality for the party, which is still reeling from their 2024 losses.

• Democrats have been forced to move right on the immigration issue in particular, and are already signaling their willingness to work across the aisle on measures to secure the border.