Mocobizscene – President Joe Biden faced questioning about the tragic death of Augusta University College of Nursing student Laken Riley during a press conference at the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas on Thursday.
After Biden finished his speech, someone approached him and asked if he was responsible for Riley’s death.
As President Biden walked away from the podium, a person shouted, “Mr. President, do you take any responsibility for Laken Riley’s death?” It remains uncertain if the president heard the question or not.
The Context
Riley, 22, was found dead last week in a rural location in Athens, Georgia. One day after the finding, police arrested Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan migrant, on murder and other felony charges.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Ibarra was found to have illegally entered the country near El Paso in September 2022. This discovery sparked immediate reactions from supporters of former President Donald Trump, who called for Ibarra’s execution and blamed Biden’s border policies for Riley’s tragic death.
What We Know
As Biden wrapped up his address on border security in Brownsville, Texas, on Thursday, a member of the audience voiced their concerns, shouting “to hold you responsible”. Despite the president walking away from the podium with his back turned, the comment was audible amidst the scattered applause.
As the same voice echoed through the room, a pressing question was raised concerning Biden’s accountability in Laken Riley’s tragic demise. However, the president chose not to address the query and proceeded to exit the room without providing a response.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Steve Cortes, a former Trump adviser and Fox News personality, asserted that the voice was that of Griff Jenkins, a correspondent for Fox News.
Views
In a recent post on X, Republican Representative Mike Collins from Georgia placed blame on Joe Biden and members of his administration, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, for what he believes is the responsibility for the tragic death of Laken Riley. Collins boldly stated, “The blood of Laken Riley is on their hands.”
A.J. Delgado, a former Trump 2016 campaign aide, asserted in a series of posts to X on Saturday that Ibarra’s illegal entry into the country might have been influenced more by the immigration policies of the former president than by Biden’s.
According to Delgado, the Deferred Enforced Departure program (DED), signed by Trump in January 2021, established a unique category that has made it appealing for Venezuelans to migrate to the United States, often through the southern border.
According to Delgado, there are numerous individuals supporting the #MAGA movement on social media, accusing #Biden of having “blood on his hands” in connection to the murder of an Atlanta nursing student. The suspect in question is said to be an illegal immigrant from Venezuela who allegedly arrived in 2022. However, Delgado points out an interesting twist in the narrative. It appears that the blame may actually fall on *TRUMP* rather than anyone else, including the perpetrator.
The DED program in the United States granted a postponement of the deportation of specific Venezuelan nationals for a period of 18 months, enabling them to work during this time. In a memo issued shortly before leaving office, Trump emphasized the deteriorating situation in Venezuela as justification for the delay.
What’s Next?
Ibarra faces multiple charges including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, and concealing the death of another individual. He is currently held in the Athens-Clarke County jail.
As the November presidential election approaches, Riley’s death and the broader issue of immigration are expected to remain prominent in U.S. political discussions. Republicans contend that Biden’s policies have led to a surge in illegal border crossings and assert that there has been an increase in crime attributable to migrants. However, data indicates that undocumented migrants actually have lower crime rates compared to native-born citizens and legal immigrants.
Democrats have accused Trump of deliberately exacerbating the situation for his own political gain. They highlight that the former president urged Republicans to obstruct the bipartisan border security bill, claiming it would be advantageous to the Democrats.
