January 31, 2025: Laken Riley Act Becomes Law
President Trump signed amendments to into law on Jan. 29, requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain individuals unlawfully present in the United States who have been charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or have admitted to having committed acts of burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. These offenses are in addition to any “assault of a law enforcement officer offense or any crime that results in death or serious bodily injury to another person.”
See the frequently asked questions (FAQ) below for details about this new law and any impact on international students and scholars at CU Boulder. Please note that FAQs are based on the currently available information in and related to the law.
Frequently Asked Questions
The effective date of the law is Jan. 29.
The new law only applies to individuals who do not have lawful U.S. immigration status or did not have the appropriate immigration documents when they applied to be admitted to the U.S. It does not apply to individuals who have lawful immigration status (such as F-1, J-1, or H-1B status) and used appropriate immigration documents when they entered the United States.
For any criminal charges or arrests, ISSS always advises that the international student or scholar hire an immigration attorney to provide legal advice. Student Legal Services on campus provides to students only limited legal advice regarding immigration matters and legal consultations and representation for some criminal defense issues. ISSS is not able to provide advice regarding personal matters including those related to criminal charges or arrests.
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International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)
We want you to feel supported, safe, and comfortable during your time at CU Boulder and in the United States. If you need to talk or have any questions, we are here for you. ISSS offers walk-in and remote advising. You can also reach us via our general email account isss@colorado.edu or by phone at 303-492-8057 during normal office hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For our sponsored students, ISSS offers specific walk-in and remote advising and our Sponsored Student Advising team can be reached directly at sponsoredadvising@colorado.edu.
Campus Resources
ISSS wants you to know you can always talk to us or use the other resources on campus. Here are some resources we recommend:
- Students: Use our friendly campus counseling services to talk through feelings of anxiety, loneliness, stress, or just to have someone supportive to talk to.
- Faculty and Staff: Reach out to the Faculty & Staff Assistance Program to set up a time to chat with a trained counselor.
We are glad that you have chosen to be a part of the CU Boulder community. ISSS is here to assist you so please reach out to us if you need anything.