The bill authored by U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., in response to the murder of Laken Riley is one step closer to passage following a procedural vote Friday.

The Laken Riley Act, which would force U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement to hold undocumented migrants charged with theft and similar crimes, survived a filibuster Friday when nine Democrats joined 52 Republicans to push the bill forward.

Britt’s bill is the first to be considered by the new Senate GOP majority.

“The American people spoke loud and clear on November 5,” Britt tweeted Friday. “They said they would no longer put up with open borders policies like those that led to Laken Riley being stolen from her loved ones. The Senate has a duty to act—to protect our citizens and pass the Laken Riley Act.”

The bill advanced by a vote of 61-35.

The Laken Riley Act would require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest undocumented immigrants charged with theft, burglary, larceny or shoplifting offenses and mandate those suspects be detained until they are deported so they cannot reoffend.

Riley’s killer, undocumented Venezuelan national Jose Antonio Ibarra, had been arrested multiple times once in the United States but was released each time before ICE could put a detainer on him.

On Feb. 22, 2024, Riley was jogging on the University of Georgia campus in Athens when she was killed by Ibarra.

The House earlier passed a version of the bill and will have to take the legislation up again should the Senate pass the bill on Monday due to differences between the versions.