President Biden says the border is secure, the federal government has processes in place to process immigrants, and that deporting the suspect in last week’s brutal University of Georgia murders was unjust after he entered the country illegally in September 2022. did.
President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre all praised the administration’s efforts to secure the southern border and deal with the flow of migrants at the time. However, it was revealed that Jose Antonio Ybarra, the man accused of killing former University of Georgia student Laken Riley, entered the United States illegally on September 8, 2022 after traveling from Venezuela. , their comments took on new meaning.
On September 12, 2022, four days after Ybarra crossed the U.S.-Mexico border, Harris said in an interview with NBC News, “We have a secure border, and that includes us and our administration. “This is a priority for every country.”
Harris added that immigration-related issues remain, including the need for a “path to citizenship.”
Associated Press report on Laken Riley murder omits suspect’s immigration status, focuses on dangers for women jogging alone
University of Georgia murder suspect Jose Ybarra lived within a five-minute walk of the scene where he allegedly killed 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley on February 22nd. (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital/Laken Riley/Jose Ibarra)
A day after Harris’ remarks, Jean-Pierre reiterated at a news conference that the border is secure.
“When it comes to borders, we are taking unprecedented action,” she told reporters. “We needed to fix what was broken, especially by the previous administration. We secured record levels of funding for the Department of Homeland Security. This is what we were able to accomplish. .”
Two days later, Jean-Pierre said at a press conference on September 15, 2022, that the Biden administration was taking “unprecedented actions” to secure the border and “rebuild a safer and more orderly procedural system.” he repeated. She also boasted that Border Patrol agents have arrested 3,000 people in connection with human trafficking operations.
President Trump condemns ‘Biden’s border invasion’ that killed Laken Riley, vows ‘largest deportation operation’ if elected
Later that same day, the president echoed Jean-Pierre’s comments in his annual felicitation speech for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Biden also accused Republicans of “playing politics”, citing governors sending buses full of illegal immigrants into sanctuary cities.
“I’m proud of the Obama-Biden administration for standing up for DREAMers,” Biden said. “While my predecessor sought to repeal DACA, the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to preserving and strengthening DACA. And with Secretary Mayorkas’ leadership, we remain committed to fixing our immigration system. is.”
“Instead of working with us to create solutions, Republicans are using human beings as props and toying with human beings in their politics. What they’re doing is simply wrong. It’s un-American. It’s reckless. ” he added. “And we have processes in place to manage migration at our borders. We are working to make sure our borders are safe, orderly and humane.”
Laken Riley case: Georgia authorities identify murder suspect in custody for killing of nursing student
Then, on September 20, when a reporter asked Biden why the border had become so crowded during his presidency, he said there had been an increase in migrants from certain countries, including Venezuela, where Ybarra had been traveling for several weeks. Stated. The president then quickly ruled out deportation.
“My focus right now is Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua. And the ability to send them back to those countries is not reasonable,” he commented. “We can send them back and pick them up. We’re working with Mexico and other countries to see if we can stop that flow. But that’s the difference.”
President Biden said on September 20, 2022 that deporting illegal immigrants who traveled from Venezuela is “not reasonable.” (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
Biden, Harris and Jean-Pierre’s comments come amid a surge in illegal immigration that began shortly after Biden took office in early 2021.
In September 2022, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported 227,547 cases, an 18% increase from the previous year. This number is much higher than those reported during the Trump administration, when agents generally reported fewer than 58,000 encounters in September.
Chris Magnus, then CBP commissioner, noted that this number was driven by migrants traveling to the United States from Venezuela.
Jose Ibarra, the suspect in the Laken Riley murder, lived within a five-minute walk of the crime scene in Uga.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Mr. Ybarra admitted to illegally entering the United States in September 2022. ICE confirmed in a statement to Fox News Digital that he was encountered by CBP after entering near El Paso, Texas, and was “released on parole for further processing.”
President Biden walks along the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, near where Ybarra entered the country several months ago. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
ICE also confirmed that Ybarra was arrested by police. new york city police One year later, on September 14, 2023, he was “charged with causing injury to a child under 17 years of age and a motor vehicle license violation.”
Police in Georgia have charged Ybarra with murdering 22-year-old UGA nursing student Riley, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, interfering with a 911 call and death of another person. He was charged with concealment. , authorities announced on Friday.
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Riley, a nursing student at neighboring Augusta University, was found dead Thursday after leaving her dorm and running away.
“We would like to express our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Laken Hope Riley,” the White House press secretary told Fox News Digital. “If found guilty, people should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Given that this is an ongoing case, referrals should be made to state law enforcement and ICE.” Let’s go.”
The White House did not respond to a request for comment regarding the border becoming secure in September 2022.
