Progressives Go After Biden Over Calling Laken Riley’s Alleged Killer an ‘Illegal’

President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address during a joint meeting of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol on March 7, 2024 in Washington. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Progressive Democrats are unhappy with President Joe Biden for describing the person allegedly behind the murder of a college student as an “illegal.”

Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at the University of Georgia, was allegedly murdered on Feb. 22 by 26-year-old Jose Ibarra, who entered the United States from Venezuela illegally.

During the immigration part of President Biden’s State of the Union address on March 7 before a joint session of Congress, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) heckled him and told him to “say her name,” referring to Ms. Riley.

On his way to the podium, Ms. Greene had handed Biden a badge with the words “Laken Riley.”

President Biden picked up the badge when Ms. Greene shouted, but botched the victim’s name as “Lincoln Riley.”

“Lincoln Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal,” he said.

“That’s right. But how many thousands of people are being killed by illegals?” he continued. “To her parents, I say, my heart goes out to you having lost children myself.”

Lincoln Riley is the head coach of the football team at the University of Southern California.

Progressives were less than thrilled over President Biden using the word “illegal” to describe Ms. Riley’s alleged killer, who faces murder, kidnapping, and false imprisonment charges.

“As a proud immigrant, I’m extremely disappointed to hear President Biden use the word ‘illegal,’” posted Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.) on X, formerly Twitter.

“No human being is illegal,” posted Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) on X.

Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) echoed those words in a post.

“No human being is illegal. Just like we should not be implementing Republican policy, we should not be repeating Republican rhetoric,” posted Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) on X.

“Let me be clear: No human being is illegal,” posted Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) on X.

“No human being is illegal. We must create a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. Americans support Dreamers. Dreamers support America,” posted Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) on X.

“No human being is ‘illegal.’ President Biden used that word during his speech last night. That is wrong. Change starts with the words we choose,” posted prominent Spanish-speaking journalist Jorge Ramos.

“Very disappointing to hear Biden use the hateful right-wing slur ‘illegal’ tonight. And just before pledging never to demonize immigrants. Maybe he was thrown off by the interruption.

“Regardless he should apologize and disavow the term. No human being is illegal. Ever,” posted Kai Newkirk, founder of the activist group For All, on X.

The controversy came hours after the House, where President Biden delivered his speech, passed the Laken Riley Act, which would require the Homeland Security secretary to detain illegal immigrants who have been charged in the United States with theft-related crimes.

The bill passed on mostly party lines, 251–170, with 37 Democrats joining all of the Republicans who were present when the House reconvened to vote at 1:30 p.m.

The legislation puts a spotlight on the chaos surrounding the southern border, an issue of growing national concern.

It would require the Homeland Security chief to issue a detainer for any illegal immigrant charged with theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting if that person is “not otherwise detained by federal, state, or local officials.”

The legislation also allows state attorneys general or “other authorized state [officers],” to bring an action against the secretary if there’s a violation of “detention and removal requirements.”

If a state attorney general believes that an illegal immigrant was charged with theft and was not detained by federal authorities—and that detention violation harmed the residents of the attorney general’s state—he or she can bring action against the secretary and the U.S. Attorney General under the bill.

Among harms to the state and its residents, “financial harm in the excess of $100” is included.

Jacob Burg and Joseph Lord contributed to this report.