Former President Donald Trump warned of an illegal immigrant crime wave on Wednesday, slamming President Joe Biden for his handling of the border and illegal immigration.
Trump’s comments come ahead of a visit to the southern border and amid a string of arrests of illegal immigrants for violent crimes. In a video posted to Truth Social, Trump blasted the Biden administration for the September 2022 release of Jose Ibarra, an illegal immigrant who would go on to be charged with the murder of 22-year-old Georgia nursing student Laken Riley.
“Migrant crime is taking over America. From his very first day, Joe Biden allowed an invasion of our country, resettling dangerous illegal aliens from all over the world into American communities to prey on our people,” Trump said. “The latest victim of Joe Biden’s premeditated border invasion is Laken Riley. Last week, Laken went out for her morning jog and never came back home. A Biden migrant has been charged with brutally attacking her, beating her, kidnapping her, and murdering her.”
Last week, Riley was found dead after going out on a morning run on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens. After she was reported missing, police found her body in a wooded area. Police soon arrested Ibarra, a Venezuelan who illegally crossed into El Paso, Texas in September 2022 before he was released by federal authorities because they didn’t have room to detain him. He was later arrested in New York for harming a child before being released over those charges as well.
“This monster never should have been allowed in our country. He was released at crooked Joe’s orders and set loose into our country,” Trump added. “How many more innocent victims must be harmed? How much more innocent blood must be spilled until we stop this invasion?”
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Trump promised to enact a large-scale deportation operation if elected and secure the border.
In the days following the murder of Riley, other reports emerged of illegal immigrants who had been arrested for serious crimes. An illegal alien in Maryland was arrested this week in connection to the murder of a toddler, while another illegal alien was arrested for allegedly raping a minor in Louisiana.
Both Trump and Biden have visits to Texas scheduled for Thursday, with Trump heading to Eagle Pass and Biden headed for Brownsville. Under Biden, record numbers of illegal immigrants have crossed into the United States and he has faced increasing political pressure to address the issue.