Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said Thursday that the brother of the suspect accused of killing Georgia student Laken Riley was arrested multiple times in Athens, Georgia in 2023, but his requests for detention were ignored. announced that it had been done.
Diego Ibarra, a Venezuelan national, was arrested last week and charged with green card fraud.
His brother Jose is charged with the crime malicious murder, felony murder, felonious assault, felonious assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, interfering with a 911 call, and concealing the death of another person in the murder of 22-year-old nursing student Riley.
Laken Riley murder suspect’s brother fired from Uga restaurant job after presenting fake green card
Diego Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, allegedly gave police a fake green card in the search for his brother Jose, who is accused of killing Georgia nursing student Laken Riley. (Clark County Sheriff’s Office)
Jose Ibarra is accused of killing Riley on February 22 while jogging on a popular pedestrian loop around Herrick Lake on the University of Georgia campus in Athens. Two brothers from Venezuela were living in the United States illegally. ICE confirmed Jose was in the country illegally earlier this week.
ICE said in a statement Thursday that Diego Ybarra first entered the United States on April 3, 2023 near Eagle Pass, Texas, but was allowed into the country through the coronavirus-era Title 42 process. He re-entered the country on April 30 and upon his release was enrolled in the Alternative to Detention System, which monitors migrants through GPS tracking.
Uga murder suspect’s brother charged with green card fraud
He was released on May 12, 2023, but was determined to have left the program by May 25 due to an issue with his GPS tracking device. Registrants can be tracked in a variety of ways, including bracelets and mobile phone apps. Last year, the administration called for fewer ICE detention beds and more funding for ATD, but now it is calling for more detention beds.
He has several arrests in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, and ICE detainers’ requests to notify ICE when illegal immigrants are transferred to ICE custody have not been honored, according to an ICE statement. It is said that there was not.
Laken Riley poses for a photo to post on Facebook. Riley, a nursing student, was found dead near a lake on the University of Georgia campus on February 22, 2024. (Alison Phillips/Facebook)
The Athens-Clarke County Sheriff’s Office told FOX News Digital that they are not responsible for ICE notifications and do not have access to immigration status. The department said the Clark County Jail would respond instead and directed Mr. Fox to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment on why the detainees were not respected.
The revelation came a day after Athens Mayor Kelly Gertz repeatedly rejected the characterization of Athens as a “sanctuary” city.
“There is no legislation coming out of this government to establish sanctuary city status,” he said.
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Fox reported this week that Diego Ybarra was fired from the University of Georgia after it was discovered he presented a fake green card to work in the school’s cafeteria.
“Diego Ibarra presented a fake green card “He has been assigned to the recruiting department to begin a temporary position as a dishwasher at the University of Georgia’s Bolton Dining Hall on February 6, 2024,” UGA spokesperson Greg Trevor told FOX News Digital in a statement.
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Trevor added that Diego was then “fired” because he “failed to submit further documentation required to continue working and did not receive payment from the university.”
The White House released a statement to FOX News Digital on Wednesday urging local governments to work with ICE on deporting violent criminals.
“We welcome the assistance and cooperation of local law enforcement in apprehending and removing individuals who pose a risk to national security or public safety,” the White House press secretary said Wednesday in response to questions about the administration’s stance on sanctuary cities. he told Fox News Digital.
“When local governments have information about individuals who may pose a threat to public safety, we ask them to share that information with ICE.
“Since May 12, DHS has deported or returned more than 565,000 people, the majority of whom crossed the Southwest border. exceeded all fiscal years.”
FOX News’ Audrey Conklin and Michael Lewis contributed to this report.
