On January 7, the U.S. House of Representatives convened for the first session of the 119th Congress and passed H.R. 29, the “Riley Laken Act,” with bipartisan support.
The bill is named in memory of Riley Laken, a 22-year-old nursing student tragically murdered in February 2024 while jogging on the University of Georgia campus. Her assailant, José Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan national who entered the U.S. illegally, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Riley’s death ignited widespread media attention and a national debate over immigration policies, focusing on the detention and monitoring of individuals entering the country illegally.
The Riley Laken Act mandates the detention of certain undocumented immigrants arrested for or charged with crimes such as burglary and theft. It also empowers states to sue the federal government for perceived failures in immigration enforcement.
The bill passed the House with a 264-159 vote. Eleven members abstained, while 48 Democrats joined Republicans in support of the measure.
Northern Virginia’s Representatives Divided
Representative Suhas Subramanyam (D-10, Loudoun, Prince William, Manassas) was among the Democrats who voted in favor of the bill, joining five Republican representatives from Virginia.
Meanwhile, Eugene Vindman (D-7th, Woodbridge, Stafford, Fredericksburg) opposed the legislation. In a statement, Vindman expressed frustration over the lack of collaboration, stating:
“The Riley Laken Act puts additional burdens on our local police without their input or additional funding, overwhelms our corrections facilities, and leaves so many of the most pressing challenges on immigration unresolved.”
Vindman, a University of Georgia alumnus with a family member currently attending the school, emphasized his commitment to bipartisan solutions:
“I voted no today to uphold the right to due process and keep our law enforcement focused on the most pressing issues in our communities, but remain frustrated by the lack of real solutions to our immigration problems. We need to find bipartisan solutions that prioritize securing our borders while providing pathways to legal immigration.”
Vindman narrowly won his seat in the November 2024 election against Republican challenger Derrick Anderson.
Historical Context: Bipartisan Immigration Legislation
The Riley Laken Act echoes the controversy surrounding H.R. 7909, the “Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act,” passed in 2024. That legislation, which garnered support from 51 Democrats, including Vindman’s predecessor Abigail Spanberger, made sexual offenses or conspiracies to commit them grounds for deportation. It also expanded the list of domestic violence crimes that can lead to deportation, including physical or sexual abuse and coercive behavior within close relationships.
After passing the House in September 2024, H.R. 7909 was sent to the Senate and referred to the Judiciary Committee for review.
Both bills underscore the continued challenge of addressing immigration policy, balancing enforcement, and securing bipartisan consensus on pathways to reform.
From The Center Square
Despite Democrat Eugene Vindman raising more than five times as much as his Republican opponent Derrick Anderson, the race for Virginia’s 7th District remains tight.
A new poll shows Anderson lags Vindman by only 2%, a statistical tie according to one of the poll’s partners.
From New York Post:
Trump whistleblower and Virginia congressional candidate Eugene Vindman refuses to answer questions about his business dealings in Ukraine, which started after he took more than a dozen taxpayer-funded trips to the war-torn nation.
Just The News: “The nonpartisan Cook Political Report on Tuesday shifted two House races towards Republicans, with a New Jersey House race becoming “lean Republican” instead of toss up, and a Virginia race becoming a “toss up” instead of leaning Democrat.”
“The Virginia race adds pressure to Democratic candidate Eugene Vindman, who is trying to defeat Republican Derrick Anderson in the state’s seventh district. Anderson and Vindman won their respective primaries in June, and are seeking to replace Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who is running for governor. Both men are Army veterans.”
The 7th District includes portions of Prince William County, Stafford and Spotsylvania counties, and Fredericksburg.
Correction (Sept. 12):Â The dates listed for Candidates Anderson and Vindman are not all debates. We have updated the information to reflect whether they are debates or forums. Debates allow candidates to answer questions and respond to their opponent’s comments. Forums are typically statements with no back-and-forth between candidates. Anderson has previously agreed to participate in six debates; Vindman has agreed to participate in one debate at University of Mary Washington. Vindman previously declined a televised debate hosted by ABC news.
As election season heats up, Virginia’s candidates for U.S. Senate and House of Representatives District 7 have announced their debate schedules.
The race for Virginia’s Senate is between incumbent Tim Kaine (D) and Hung Cao (R).
Kaine, a Richmond resident, practiced law in Richmond before being elected to the Richmond City Council in 1994, then elected Mayor in 1998, and served Lieutenant Governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and Governor from 2006 to 2010. Kaine was elected to the Senate in 2012. Kaine is a member of the Armed Services, Budget, Foreign Relations, and other Senate Committees.
Cao moved to Virginia as a child refugee from Vietnam in 1975 and graduated from Alexandria’s Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. He served as a Special Operations Officer in the Navy and with Special Forces overseas. Cao has worked at the Pentagon, with the FBI, and with Homeland Security. He and his family now live in Purcellville.
Both candidates have agreed to participate in a debate on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at Norfolk State University. The debate will be televised state-wide. There were initially three proposed debates, two of which Cao declined.
The race for District 7 is between Derrick Anderson (R) and Eugene Vindman (D).
Anderson, who grew up in Spotsylvania and graduated from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VA Tech), served in the U.S. Army and as a leader of the Green Berets. After graduating from Georgetown University Law Center, Anderson also served in the White House under President Trump’s administration. Anderson is currently a Major in the U.S. Army National Guard.
Vindman moved to New York as a child refugee from Soviet Ukraine in 1979. He grew up in New York and enlisted in the U.S. Army after graduating from Bingham University. He earned a law degree and served in the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps where he was assigned to the Pentagon and moved to Dale City. Vindman and his brother raised concerns about a 2019 phone call between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which became a key element in the President’s impeachment inquiry.
As of Sept. 9, Vindman and Anderson will meet in four debates.
Monday, Sept. 16, Forum hosted by Fredericksburg Free Press
Tuesday Sept. 17, Forum hosted by Coalition for Action
Wednesday, Oct. 2, Debate hosted by University of Mary Washington
Monday, Oct. 7, Forum hosted by ARC of Northern Virginia
All four candidates have participated in our ongoing Candidate Survey Series, where we ask one question each week and share their responses with readers. Week three’s question tackling border security will be published on Wednesday, Sept. 11
A press release from Yevgeny “Eugene” Vindman’s (D) congressional campaign challenges his opponent, Derrick Anderson (R), to be transparent about his stance on abortion rights during upcoming debates and public events. Vindman’s campaign accuses Anderson of trying to hide his anti-abortion views due to their unpopularity.
Vindman, the Democratic nominee for Virginia’s 7th District in Prince William, Stafford, and Spotsylvania counties, and Fredericksburg, has openly shared his pro-choice position and plans to continue doing so at events throughout September and October. He pledges to vote for codifying Roe v. Wade and against a national abortion ban.
While Vindman pushes for transparency, he declined an invitation to debate on WJLA-TV (ABC Channel 7 in Washington, D.C.), which Anderson accepted, along with five other debate invitations in late August.
Press release:
Today, Vindman for Congress called on MAGA extremist Derrick Anderson to finally be honest with voters on his radical anti-abortion rights position at the forthcoming debates, forums, and town halls. So far, Anderson has tried desperately to hide his extreme position on reproductive rights because it’s so unpopular, but Anderson can’t escape scrutiny for much longer. Both he and Eugene Vindman will appear as their respective party nominees for VA-07 at a series of joint public events including:
- Monday, September 16th: Fredericksburg Free Press
- Tuesday, September 17th: Coalition for Action
- Wednesday, October 2nd: University of Mary Washington
- Monday, October 7th: ARC of Northern Virginia
Eugene Vindman has already laid out his abortion rights stance and will continue to do so at these events. Vindman knows, unlike Anderson, that a women’s healthcare decision belongs to her, her doctor, and her faith, not some bureaucrat in DC.
As a Member of Congress, Eugene Vindman will:
Vote for a bill to codify Roe v. Wade.
Vote against a national abortion ban bill.
Virginia voters deserve to know where Derrick Anderson stands on these two bills. Anderson will weasel, duck, dodge, and do everything in his power to avoid answering how he’ll vote on these bills. Vindman will use the forthcoming events to make sure the public gets answers.
Vindman’s campaign manager, Jeremy Levinson, responded by introducing a third party, the employee of a political action committee. “All future questions,” he said, could be directed to him.”
Vindman, a Democrat, is running to replace Abigail Spanberger, who represents eastern Prince William County, Stafford and Spotsylvania counties, and Fredricksburg. Republican Derrick Anderson is also vying for the seat.
“Hamas is coming” was scrawled in red across the face of the Columbus Monument at Union Station, alongside slogans, such as “free Gaza” and “all Zionists are bastards.” The riots coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress.
Anderson described the flag burning as a personal affront. “As someone who’s a former Green Beret who spent over 10 years in the U.S. Army, someone who did over 150 funerals in Arlington National Cemetery where I laid that flag on our service members before their family members saw them laid to rest, it hit hard to me, it hit incredibly hard,” he said. He recounted his experiences in Afghanistan, including the loss of five of his own soldiers and returning home with their flag-draped coffins for their last fight home. Anderson emphasized that the desecration of the flag at Union Station symbolized a broader disunity within the country.
Anderson criticized his opponent Eugene Vindman for remaining silent in the wake of the riots, calling for greater transparency and action from political leaders. “My opponent has been silent until a few minutes ago, but that’s a day late and a dollar short. It’s time for leaders to act and say what they mean. Transparency is important, and the folks here in the 7th Congressional District deserve transparency, they don’t need a politician that waits to see where the political headwinds blow before standing up for something” he asserted.
Vindman posted to his X account one minute before Anderson began his scheduled press conference, writing, “Violence and destruction are not peaceful protests; it’s not about left or right, it’s about right and wrong. And it was wrong when rioters stormed the Capitol on January 6, and it’s wrong when anti-Israel protesters assaulted police officers and spray-painted Hamas slogans on Washington, DC monuments. I ask my opponent to join me in calling out all forms of violence immediately.”
Violence and destruction are not peaceful protests; it’s not about left or right, it’s about right and wrong.
And it was wrong when rioters stormed the Capitol on January 6 and it’s wrong when anti-Israel protesters assault police officers and spray paint Hamas slogans on… https://t.co/LRYdVMDXQc
— Eugene Vindman (@YVindman) July 25, 2024
Condemnation of Pro-Hamas Support
The candidate also highlighted the role of foreign influence in the protests, referencing reports that Iran had been funding some of these demonstrations. “Our enemies are watching—Iran, China, Russia. In fact, we just saw reports that Iran has been funding some of these protests that are happening in Washington, D.C. and continue to happen,” he said.
Congressman Rob Wittman’s Support
Congressman Rob Wittman (R), who represented part of Prince Willliam County until redistricting in 2021, who joined Anderson at the press conference, echoed his sentiments. Wittman condemned the burning of the U.S. flag and the display of pro-Hamas and Palestinian flags, describing these actions as disrespectful and un-American. “It was disrespectful. It was disloyal to who we are as a nation. Those things can’t be allowed to occur without speaking out against those efforts,” Wittman stated.
Wittman’s district’s boundaries shifted out of Northern Virginia and further southeast, toward Virginia’s Northern Neck and Williamsburg.
Anderson reiterated his support for the First Amendment but stressed the difference between the legal right to protest and the moral rightness of actions. “While you might have the right to do something, it doesn’t necessarily make it right. And that’s something that we’ve lost as a country,” he said.
Accountability and Prosecution
When asked about the potential for prosecutions following the riots, Anderson noted the lack of specific laws against flag desecration but highlighted other illegal activities, such as graffiti and assaults on law enforcement. He emphasized the need for accountability and consequences for breaking the law.
Call for Unity
Anderson emphasized the need for national unity and common sense throughout his remarks. He called on the residents of the 7th Congressional District to demand transparency and accountability from their leaders and to work towards a more united country. “We see hope. We see a future for our country. But it takes all of us coming together and being unified,” Anderson concluded.
Anderson faces Vindman in the November 5 General Election. Early voting for that election begins on September 20, 2024, at local voter registrar’s offices. Some of the jurisdictions included in the district include eastern Prince William County, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Caroline, King George countries, and Fredericksburg city.
We’ve asked Democrats seeking a congressional seat in our area where they stand on supporting President Biden’s re-election bid.
In the 10th Congressional District, which includes Manassas, Manassas Park, and western Prince William County, Suhas Subramanyam gave his full-throated support to the president.
“Americans and Virginians understand what’s at stake in this election, and they know that Joe Biden is the only candidate who will fight for our democracy, protect abortion rights, and ensure that Americans have access to affordable health care and prescription drugs. That is why on November 5, voters will come together once again and re-elect Joe Biden as our President,” said Subramanyam.
Jennifer Wexton (D) is not seeking re-election to her seat, one she’s held since 2018, after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Republican Mike Clancy is running against Subramanyam
In the 7th District, which includes eastern Prince William County (Woodbridge, Dumfries, Dale City), Stafford, Fredericksburg, and Spotsylvania, former Army Col. Eugene Vindman has not responded to multiple requests for comment on whether or not he supports Biden. His opponent, Republican Derrick Anderson, urged Vindman to make a statement.
“It’s been 11 days since President Biden’s disastrous debate, and my opponent still refuses to say whether or not he still supports President Biden,” said Anderson. “He’s hiding like a typical political does. It’s clear President Biden is not fit to serve right now.”
Vindman was campaigning at the Dale City Christian Church on Sunday. Last week, he stumped with Senator Tim Kaine (D) at an unannounced campaign stop in Woodbridge. Abigail Spanberger (D) has held the seat since 2018, is not seeking re-election, and is preparing for a run for Virginia Governor next year.
Kaine, up for re-election this year, has voiced his support for Biden. Virginia’s other Senator, Mark Warner (D), is on the fence.
“Another Trump term would be perilous for rule of law and for our democracy. President Biden has made America stronger, guiding the nation through some of our most difficult days. I am proud of my work on his agenda.
“With so much at stake in the upcoming election, now is the time for conversations about the strongest path forward.
“As these conversations continue, I believe it is incumbent upon the President to more aggressively make his case to the American people, and to hear directly from a broader group of voices about how to best prevent Trump’s lawlessness from returning to the White House.”
Several donors have called for Biden to end his re-election bid after stumbling through a debate with Donald Trump, which aired on CNN, and an interview with ABC News over the weekend, where the president continued to stumble.
