'It's ridiculous': Internet and critics slam Democrats for lax NYC sanctuary policy as they weigh in on 22-year-old Laken Riley's murder

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Murdered Georgia nursing student Laken Riley might still be alive if it wasn’t for sanctuary city policies pushed by former New York City mayor Bill de Blasio and left-wing extremists on the City Council, who have “blood on their hands,” critics told the New York Post.

Nearly six months before Riley, 22, was found dead on February 22, 2024, on the campus of the University of Georgia, her alleged killer Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, was arrested in Queens, New York City, on August 31, 2023, in connection with endangering a child.

Why are critics slamming the Democrats? 

Catering to the migrant-friendly changes made to the sanctuary city policy in both 2014 and 2017 by Mayor de Blasio and the Melissa Mark-Viverito-led City Council, the NYPD had no choice but to cut the Venezuelan-born Ibarra loose rather than turn him over to federal immigration officials. 

Ibarra comes from Venezuela and is not a US citizen. Additionally, he has no known connection to the student and no known violent criminal history. Police have reportedly described Riley’s violent death as a “crime of opportunity".

Critics slam NYC authorities for laws that 'protect criminals'

Queens Councilman Robert Holden said, "The situation in New York City is outrageous, and any laws that protect criminals at the expense of New Yorkers must be repealed."

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement “was formed as a result of what occurred during 9/11, and preventing local law enforcement from communicating with the feds is lunacy,” the centrist Democrat added.

"The nursing student in Georgia would be alive today if we weren’t a sanctuary city, and the blood is on the hands of Bill de Blasio and Melissa Mark-Viverito," he added. 

Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli said that he believes there’s a good chance Riley’s death could have been avoided.

"I can’t be certain that Ibarra would have been detained and deported [before Riley’s death], but I can say for certain that he wasn’t because of a series of laws the previous City Council and de Blasio signed into law,” he said.

De Blasio disputed that the NYPD had previously encountered Ibarra. "But it’s sickening that a young, promising life was cut short,” the former mayor said, before adding, "Any way you slice it, we need tougher border policies and comprehensive immigration reform.”

Mark-Viverito said, “The same reasons the law was put in place in the first place and there is plenty of reporting on it still are valid today, and I stand by the law as is.”

Borelli told the New York Post that they plan to introduce legislation to repeal the sanctuary city rules.

"You have to start with introducing the bill, and then it is up to the public to remind Council members that they should prioritize the general public over repeat and violent criminals,” said Borelli.

Internet expresses outrage over Laken Riley's murder

Social media users took to Facebook to express their outrage over Riley's brutal murder. One wrote on Facebook, "A secure border would also be a great start."

Another user wrote, "Prayer's for "Laken Riley "God Bless Her and her family. REMEMBER HER NAME. Killed by an illegal migrant released multiple times for crimes committed." 

One said, "Yes, it's ridiculous and this criminal should have never entered the country." Another user wrote, "You better remove all the democrats and Soros judges before anything will happen."

One user said, "So sad she was killed by someone who should not be out on bail or no bail. She should still be to run safely."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.