Murder of student in Georgia intensifies criticism of undocumented immigrants

On X, formerly Twitter, and other social networks, the label “illegal alien” has become a trending topic.in reference to an undocumented immigrant accused of murdering a 22-year-old nursing student after leaving the University of Georgia.

Laken Hope Riley found dead around 12:30 pm on Friday. by university police in a wooded area, behind Lake Herrick, local media report.

Their search occurred after friends called authorities to report that Riley had not returned home.

The suspect in the crime, José Antonio Ibarra, 26, was arrested. Initially, the head of the university police, Jeff Clark, indicated that he was a foreign citizen, but did not give details about his immigration status.

“They had no relationship. He didn’t know her at all. “It was a crime of opportunity,” Clark said at a news conference.

Riley was a third-year student at Augusta University College of Nursing and attended its satellite campus for one semester in the spring. She was originally from Woodstock, Georgia.

Reports indicate that the student had gone jogging on the university campus, but did not return to her residence, so a friend called the police, who found her with “visible injuries”; Doctors who responded to the emergency call certified her death.

Ibarra is in prison without bailwaiting for a judge to read the charges and decide whether or not to plead guilty.

Ibarra is not a US citizen, but his immigration status remains unconfirmed, although several journalists on Twitter claim that he does not have residence documents.

The suspect is originally from Venezuela, it was indicated.

The immigration situation has contributed to those who criticize undocumented immigrants in the United States, such as the Republican representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (Georgia), who called on Platform X to end Athens’ “sanctuary city” statusthe city where the crime was committed.

“Athens, Georgia, is a sanctuary city that provides a safe harbor for illegal aliens. “There should be no sanctuary cities in the state of Georgia!” Greene said. “I call on our Republican-controlled state legislature and our Governor Brian Kemp to end sanctuary cities in Georgia.”

In New York, criticism of immigrants has also increased, after the beating of NYPD officers by a group of foreigners of Venezuelan origin in Times Square.

There are other cases at the national level that involve immigrants and have led to criticism.

Republican Representative Derrick Van Orden (Minnesota) defended having voted for a federal law that would order the immediate deportation of undocumented immigrants who are caught driving under the influence (DWI).

“I voted to deport illegal aliens with DWIs. This is the reason. Three kids would still have their dad if this guy had been kicked out of the country. How do you think the Democrats who ran against me would have voted? I already know it and so do you,” the Republican wrote.

A family with legal problems

Ibarra’s relatives also face other problems, as his brother Diego Ibarra, 29, was questioned in the death of Laken Riley, the Justice Department revealed.

During his interrogation, it was discovered that he had a false Green Card, for which he will face federal prosecution.

Ibarra’s father, the Justice Department said, also has prior arrests in Georgia.