President Joe Biden “did not apologize” during last week’s State of the Union address for calling Jose Antonio Ybarra, the man accused of killing 22-year-old Laken Riley, an “illegal alien.” ” said White House press secretary Olivia Dalton. . The clarification came after Biden suggested the word “should not have been used” to describe brambles.
Pressured to admit to Laken Riley’s murder, Biden, in his SOTU speech, responded to a gift from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.): “Say Her Name: Laken Riley.” He held up a pin that read “Riley.”
“Lincoln, Lincoln Riley” Biden Said, I got the name wrong. “Innocent young women killed by illegal aliens. That’s right. But how many of those thousands are killed by law enforcement?”
US House of Representatives
The off-script comment prompted Democrats and open border activists to condemn Biden for calling Ybarra an “illegal” in his SOTU speech.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Mr. Biden should have used the word “undocumented,” and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) tweeted, “Humans are illegal.” Not,” he wrote.
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) said Biden’s description of Ybarra was “inflammatory and wrong,” while Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) called it “‘illegal.’ I wouldn’t have used that word.”
And in an interview with MSNBC over the weekend, Biden suggested he regrets using the word “illegal” to describe Ybarra.
I shouldn’t have used “illegal” Should have — it’s not documented.
[Emphasis added]
On Monday, Mr. Dalton told reporters in Manchester, New Hampshire, that Mr. Biden has never apologized for calling Mr. Ybarra a “trafficker” and that former President Donald Trump “played politics” when it came to Mr. Riley’s killing. “I am,” he said.
of exchange It proceeded as follows.
Reporter: In an interview with Jonathan Capehart, President Biden has apologized for calling Laken Riley’s killer “unlawful.” Does he feel the need to apologize for referring to illegal immigrants as they, or for using the word “illegal”? [Emphasis added]
Dalton: Well, first of all, I want to make something clear. The president never apologized. There was no apology anywhere in that conversation. he didn’t apologize. He used another word.
[Emphasis added]I think what we really need to clarify is what it is and what it is. As you know, in addition to that, The president did not apologize, but I would like to make one more thing clear.The president spoke about this directly in his State of the Union address Four nights ago, he spoke passionately about what it means to lose a child and expressed his deepest sorrow and condolences to Laken Riley’s family on the House floor. [Emphasis added]
And beyond that, I find it unconscionable that some people are taking political advantage of this young woman’s tragic murder. And especially, let’s not forget, at a time when House Republicans are blocking the bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest bill in history. And they do so because Donald Trump feels the safety of the American people is more important than his personal politics. That’s the fact.
[Emphasis added]
Last weekend, President Trump visited Rome, Georgia, on the campaign trail, and visited with Riley’s family and friends. President Trump said Biden and his border policies were responsible for the killing of the young woman as Ybarra was released into the United States from the southern border.
One of Riley’s friends, Carrie Irvin, Said of new york post Ybarra said she and others are “angry” because “that should not have been allowed to happen.”
“He shouldn’t have been here,” Irvin said.
Prosecutors allege that Riley was kidnapped and murdered by Ybarra on February 22 while she was out for a morning jog on the University of Georgia (UGA) campus. Her body was found that day, brutally deformed after being bludgeoned to death.
On February 23, police arrested Ybarra in run-ins with the law in New York City and Athens, Georgia, but it appears he was not turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Ybarra remains in the Clark County Jail.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Please email jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
