Laken Riley's Dad Says Daughter's Death Started Political 'Storm'

The father of Laken Riley said on Monday that his daughter's death sparked a political "storm," as many have criticized President Joe Biden's immigration policies.

"I'd rather her not be such a political, how you say, it started a storm in our country," Jason Riley said in an interview with NBC News that aired on the TODAY show. "It's incited a lot of people."

He added that he feels his daughter's death is "being used somewhat politically," adding that it makes him angry. "She should be raised up for the person that she is."

The Context:

Last month, Laken Riley, a 22-year-old student at the Augusta University College of Nursing, was found dead near the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens (UGA). She was first reported missing by friends after they said she did not come home after a morning run, prompting police to begin a search. Her body was later found in a wooded area.

Shortly after police discovered her body, Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan national was arrested in connection with her death. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) later said that Ibarra had illegally entered the country at a crossing near El Paso in September 2022 and was previously arrested in New York.

Ibarra was hit with an array of charges, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and concealing the 22 year old's death. UGA Police Chief Jeffrey Clark said that the determined cause of Laken Riley's death was blunt force trauma.

What We Know:

Many Republicans have claimed Biden's border policies were to blame for Laken Riley's death.

While visiting Brownsville, Texas, last month, Biden was questioned about it when someone asked if he had "any responsibility for Laken Riley's death." The president walked away from the podium, with it being unclear whether or not he heard the question.

During Biden's State of the Union (SOTU) address earlier this month, he faced calls to say Laken Riley's name by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican.

"Laken Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal. That's right. But how many thousands of people being killed by legals? To her parents, I say, my heart goes out to you, having lost children myself. I understand," Biden said during his address.

Laken Riley's mother and stepfather also recently attended a rally for former President Donald Trump in Rome, Georgia, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Illegal immigration is among the top issues ahead of the 2024 presidential election, with polls showing doubts over Biden's handling of the situation, on which Trump has promised tougher action. There were more than 2.4 million encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border during the 2023 fiscal year, up from roughly 1.7 million in 2021, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.

Views:

During the rally in Georgia, Trump criticized Biden for backtracking comments he made about calling Ibarra an "illegal."

"Joe Biden went on television and apologized for calling Laken's murderer an illegal," the former president said. "Biden should be apologizing for apologizing to this killer."

Shortly after his SOTU address, Biden spoke with MSNBC's Jonathan Capehart in which he said, "I shouldn't have used illegal, it's undocumented."

What's Next?

Biden has repeatedly called on Congress to pass a bipartisan border security bill. However, the legislation has faced heavy criticism from House Republicans and has yet to move forward in Congress.

Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment.

Update, 3/18/24, 10:05 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with further information.

Update, 3/18/24, 10:59 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with further information.