Laken Riley’s Dad: “She Might Have Been Here” if Borders Were Secured; Upset His Daughter’s Death Was “Politicized”

Laken Riley’s dad, Jason Riley, spoke with NBC’s Priscilla Thompson, which aired on Monday, to discuss his thoughts on his daughter’s murder.

Laken’s father expressed worries that her death was being politicized by government officials amid the worsening border woes.

Laken went out for a morning jog at the University of Georgia last month when an illegal immigrant beat her to death.

When asked if “a difference in immigration policy would have made a difference,” Riley’s dad replied, “We have no idea if that would’ve changed anything.”

“But he’s here illegally; he might not have been here had we had secure borders.”

Jason added, “I wish I would have been there to protect her.”

“I wish it would have been me.”

The murder of the Georgia University student raised further criticism of Joe Biden’s open border policy and gained further backlash as he botched Laken’s name during the State of the Union.

Jason told NBC that this made it difficult for him to grieve.

“It was really surreal. I just didn’t want to believe it—iit’s still hard to believe,” Jason Riley said while choking back tears.

Despite raising concerns that the death of his daughter became so “political,” he also believed this had paved the way for important conversations regarding the border and violence against women.

“Laken has been a rallying cry for secure borders and for the illegal immigration policies of this current administration, but there are many women we don’t get to hear about,” he said.

Before publicly paying tribute to Laken, former President Donald Trump met backstage with her mother, father, sister, and closest friends.

President Trump’s campaign on March 11 confirmed this when they released a statement and photos of the event, which happened hours before the scheduled MAGA rally in Rome, Georgia.

Through them, the former President learned how Laken wanted to be a nurse since she was in the first grade, that it was her dream to care for others, and that “she was the brightest light in every room,” which he mentioned during his speech.

Earlier this month, hours before President Biden’s SOTU, the House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act, intended to require federal officials to detain illegal immigrants such as Mr. Ibarra.

In October, the suspect in Laken’s murder, Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, and his brother were arrested for shoplifting from a Walmart in Athens, Georgia.

The Senate has yet to approve the bill.

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