More than half the U.S. Senate's Democrats joined with Republicans on Thursday to advance a bill that would require the federal government to detain migrants living in the country illegally who are suspected of crimes,

A significant number of Senate Democrats voted with Republicans on Thursday to advance a GOP-led bill to require the detention of undocumented migrants charged with certain crimes – a key step that puts the legislation on the verge of passage.

By a whopping 84-9 margin, the Republican-controlled Senate on Thursday voted to advance the Laken Riley Act, an immigration enforcement bill named after a college student killed last year by a man who had crossed the southern border illegally.

The Senate cleared the 60-vote threshold to begin debate on a GOP priority, with Democrats backing it as the party recalibrates politically on immigration. Final passage is still uncertain.

The new Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed its first bill Tuesday, the Laken Riley Act, named for the 22-year-old Georgia nursing school student killed by a Venezuelan immigrant living in the country without legal permission.

Senate Democrats joined with Republicans to overwhelmingly advance the Laken Riley Act on Thursday. The cloture vote was 84 in favor, nine opposed, with six senators not voting on the legislation designed to crack down on illegal immigrants who engage in criminal conduct while in the United States.