GOP Congressman Shuts Down Democrat Colleague in Tense Exchange on Laken Riley Act During CNN Town Hall

On Thursday night, CNN held a battleground district town hall featuring four House of Representatives members, where actions taken by the GOP Congressional majority and the Trump administration so far were discussed, with questions being asked along the way by audience members.

In attendance on the Democrat side were Rep. Derek Tran (D-CA) and Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT). On the Republican side, there were Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA) and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY).

One of the issues that came up during the town hall was the Laken Riley Act, with one questioner asking Tran why he voted for it despite what the questioner alleged were due process concerns.

"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," energy engineer Johnny Nguyen said, according to the CNN transcript. "So, given your background, both as an attorney and also the son of immigrants like myself, what made you vote yes on that?"

Though Tran said he understood from experience how "we have to treat people with humanity and have empathy," he nevertheless defended his vote by saying, "I believe that when you commit a crime, you should be deported. That made sense to me. As a lawyer, I believe in law and order as well."

It was at that point that the town hall's co-moderator, Kaitlan Collins, pulled Rep. Hayes into the debate by noting that she, too, had voted for the Laken Riley Act. Here's what happened next:

HAYES: So, I understand your concerns, and I understand how immigrants across this country who are here legally and have followed the law are being terrorized right now because they are unsure of what happens next. 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. There were other things about, to your point, Kaitlan, someone who was charged but hadn't been convicted.
As I have thought about it over the last couple months, I probably would have voted differently. It's a vote that I regret. But, coming into this Congress, I trusted that this administration, we would have some -- that they wanted to have border security, they wanted to work with Democrats, that we could actually move forward.
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. So I am very cautious and careful when I'm negotiating my votes moving forward.

LOL. Blaming President Trump for her decision to vote on the Laken Riley Act is something, I guess.

Watch:

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

Later, on the question of due process and which party really stands for strong border security, Rep. Mackenzie dinged Hayes with the only response that needed to be given:

MACKENZIE: I think it's been explicitly clear through votes like the Laken Riley Act, where a broad bipartisan group of individuals voted for that legislation. 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.
And so you do see that difference and distinction between the two parties nowadays. 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.
HAYES: But 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, which is on the books in this country.
MACKENZIE: Did Laken Riley get due process? The answer is no.

Watch:

.@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

This is just my opinion, of course, but if I was a Democrat in a battleground district the last thing I'd be admitting in public is that I "regret" my vote for an act that has the potential to prevent heinous crimes like what happened to Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray, and other innocent victims - especially considering the fact that Trump has good approval ratings from from the American people on how he has handled the Biden border crisis so far.

Just sayin'.

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