Donald Trump signed the Laken Riley Act on Wednesday as the president approves a series of initiatives meant to tackle his goal of curbing illegal immigration.

Trump called it a "tremendous tribute" to the Georgia nursing student whom the legislation is named after. The law required federal authorities to detain undocumented immigrants before their conviction if they are accused of crimes like theft, burglary, and violent crimes.

The legislation will require immigration officers to detain immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally when they're accused of lower-level crimes like shoplifting.