The trial of an illegal immigrant opens Friday in the southeast of the United States for the February murder of a student, a case extensively exploited by Donald Trump in his campaign to denounce, according to him, laxity at the borders.
José Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan, faces ten charges, including homicide and aggravated assault with intent to rape, and faces life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. He is accused of killing Laken Riley, a 22-year-old student who was jogging in Athens (Georgia), where the trial takes place, in February.
The affair shocked this student city and then took on a national dimension, when Republicans demanded that Joe Biden present an “apology” to the family of Laken Riley. They accused the Democratic president of having allowed this murder by adopting, according to them, a lax border control policy.
“Laken Riley would be alive today if Joe Biden had not deliberately and sneakily carved up the borders,” Donald Trump, his then presidential rival, said in a speech. The Republican candidate then met the victim’s parents and mentioned his name at the Republican Party convention.
During his campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly lashed out against illegal immigrants who, according to him, “poison the blood” of his country, and promised to once again introduce a policy of family separation the border.
Since his victory in the presidential election on November 5, the Republican has appointed several hard-liners on immigration to key positions, with a view to keeping his promise of mass expulsions.
