'You stand for them': Katie Porter slammed for saying Laken Riley killing shouldn’t shape immigration policy

WASHINGTON, DC: The 'terrible' killing of a nursing student on the University of Georgia campus should not guide US immigration policy, claimed Rep Katie Porter (D-Calif) in a statement on Monday, February 28.

During an interview on CNN’s 'Erin Burnett OutFront', Porter, who’s running for Senate in California, said, "I think whenever we’re dealing with violent crime, there is a sense of outrage, of sadness and loss. "

Katie Porter states 'one instance shouldn’t shape our overall immigration policy'

Porter added, "But I think the important thing to focus on is any one instance shouldn’t shape our overall immigration policy, which has so many different facets, including economic choices about what workers to allow and how to create prosperity in America."

Outrage and calls for immigration reform have increased in response to the death of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, who was discovered dead last Thursday after her roommate reported she had not returned after an early run on the University of Georgia campus.

Jose Ibarra, the 26-year-old suspect in Riley's killing, is a citizen of Venezuela who, according to US authorities, entered the country illegally in 2022, reports The Associated Press. He was apprehended after he crossed the border, according to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and then released for additional processing.

As per ICE, Ibarra was apprehended by local authorities in New York and accused of causing harm to a kid under the age of 17 as well as violating the licensing requirements for a motor vehicle.

Ibarra was set free before ICE's ability to step in and request that New York police detain him until immigration authorities could pick him up. The AP said that New York officials claimed not to have any documentation of the arrest.

Republicans have taken advantage of the murder to criticize Democrats and President Joe Biden over immigration. Porter advised against taking this action.

She said, "The situation is tragic, and it’s a loss, and it’s important to acknowledge that, but also to recognize all the other how all the other parts of immigration policy fit together."

Internet stays divided after Katie Porter's statement

People on the internet had mixed reactions after Katie Porter's statement about how the Georgia killing ‘shouldn’t shape our overall immigration policy’.

A user posted on X, "If it was her she’d probably feel differently " while one added, "You stand for them and not your own". A person also said, "What immigration "policy"?"

A person mentioned, "Then I suppose one criminal drug addict overdosing in Minnesota shouldn’t shape our law enforcement policies either then, huh?" while one stated, "Mass deportations is the only solution. These people are not asylum seekers, they are leaches that are moving from host to host. Enough already."

A person also said, "Spoken like a true Democratic from California, bet the story would be different if it was her daughter."

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.