Atlanta, Georgia – Following a press briefing by University of Georgia Police Chief Jeffrey Clark on Friday, it was revealed that the suspect in the murder of Laken Riley was not a U.S. citizen. This news quickly sparked controversy among Georgia politicians, who criticized federal immigration policies as contributing to the tragic event.
Georgia Rep. Mike Collins of Athens strongly condemned President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas for Riley’s death, placing the blame on them and the government of Athens-Clarke County. He argued that the suspect, an undocumented migrant from Venezuela named Jose Antonio Ibarra, should not have been in the country, let alone in the UGA community where the murder took place.
Joining Collins in denouncing border policies and federal immigration directives, Georgia Sen. President Pro Tem John Kennedy criticized Athens’ sanctuary city status, stating that such policies embolden criminals and endanger the community. He emphasized the importance of public safety over political agendas in the face of tragedies like Riley’s murder.
Governor Brian Kemp also weighed in on the issue, criticizing the president’s immigration policies in the wake of Riley’s death. He demanded answers and information from the Biden Administration to help protect citizens in light of what he views as federal government inaction.
The responses to Riley’s murder extended beyond Georgia, with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson calling on President Biden to take action and close the border. However, some Democrats pushed back against these calls, urging a focus on addressing the issue with bipartisan solutions rather than engaging in political blame games.
In a twist of events, it was later revealed that both Jose and Diego Ibarra were in the United States as undocumented immigrants. Diego, a citizen of Venezuela, had been released from immigration custody pending adjudication of his claim for asylum. Meanwhile, Diego was arrested for presenting a fake permanent resident card to local law enforcement.
The tragic events surrounding Riley’s murder have reignited the debate on immigration policies, border security, and the criminal justice system, prompting a national conversation on how to prevent such senseless acts of violence in the future.