The grief-stricken father of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia who was tragically murdered, has raised concerns about the potential role of President Joe Biden’s open border policies in his daughter’s untimely demise. In an interview with NBC’s “Today,” Jason Riley expressed his belief that if the border had been more secure, the Venezuelan illegal immigrant accused of killing his daughter may not have been present in the country.
This public statement marks the first time Mr. Riley has spoken out since the devastating loss of his daughter. However, his perspective on the impact of a stricter immigration policy has sparked a contentious debate surrounding the ongoing border crisis under President Biden’s administration.
“We have no idea if that would have changed anything, but he’s here illegally,” Jason Riley said.
“That he might not have been here had we had secure borders.”
26-year-old Venezuelan Jose Ibarra faces charges related to Riley’s murder. He entered the United States illegally through El Paso, Texas, in 2022 and was released into the U.S. interior on border parole. Initially residing in New York City, he was arrested for endangering a child before moving to Athens, Georgia.
Ibarra is accused of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, and concealing the death of another in connection to Riley’s murder. Living with his two brothers near the University of Georgia campus, the suspect allegedly committed the crime about a five-minute walk from their apartment complex. Diego Ibarra, 29, and Argenis Ibarra, 24, also entered the country illegally under Biden’s policies. Riley, a nursing student from Augusta University, was discovered deceased on the UGA campus on February 22 after her roommate reported her missing following a morning run.
Recently, Riley’s mother, Allyson Phillips, criticized President Biden for mispronouncing her daughter’s name as “Lincoln” instead of “Laken” during his State of the Union address.
“Lincoln Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal,” Biden said.
“That’s right. But how many thousands of people are being killed by legals?”
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