Quick Hit:
While campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris in Georgia Monday, former President Bill Clinton referenced the February murder of Laken Riley by an illegal immigrant, admitting that, "if they'd all been properly vetted, that probably wouldn't have happened."
Key Details:
Speaking in Fort Valley, Georgia, Clinton acknowledged that stricter immigration policies from the Biden-Harris administration might have prevented the tragedy, stating, "if they'd all been properly vetted, that probably wouldn't have happened."
Jose Antonio Ibarra, the 26-year-old Venezuelan national accused of killing Laken Riley, had entered the U.S. illegally in 2022. He had been detained and released several times, including a 2023 arrest for child endangerment in New York, but was not detained by ICE before the February 2024 murder.
Donald Trump Jr. responded to the clip on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "Even Slick Willy knows that Border Czar Kamala Harris is responsible for allowing the illegal alien who murdered Laken Riley into our country!"
Diving Deeper:
During a campaign stop in Fort Valley, Georgia, on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Bill Clinton made an unexpected admission about the February murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley, a nursing student killed by an illegal immigrant. Clinton acknowledged that the tragedy might have been preventable, stating, "if they'd all been properly vetted, that probably wouldn't have happened." Riley’s murder, which took place while she was jogging near the University of Georgia campus, has since become a rallying point for critics of the Biden-Harris administration's border policies, particularly as it highlights the tragic consequences of what many see as lenient immigration enforcement.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, the 26-year-old Venezuelan national accused of killing Riley, entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 under the Biden administration’s relaxed border policies. Despite multiple interactions with law enforcement, including a 2023 arrest in New York for child endangerment, Ibarra was repeatedly released without ICE involvement. He was also cited for shoplifting in Georgia just months before Riley's death, but no steps were taken to check his immigration status. These failures to detain or deport Ibarra have sparked widespread outrage, particularly among those who argue that the administration's open-border policies allow dangerous criminals to roam freely in the U.S.
Donald Trump Jr. also weighed in on the clip, posting on X (formerly Twitter), "Even Slick Willy knows that Border Czar Kamala Harris is responsible for allowing the illegal alien who murdered Laken Riley into our country!"