A Georgia sheriff who is accused of killing nursing student Laken Riley, a Venezuelan immigrant, ran a campaign to deny cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, a resurfaced interview reveals. Became.
Current Athens-Clarke County Sheriff John Williams said, “My intention as elected sheriff was not to work with these detainees.” said in a 2020 interview with Athens Politics Otaku.
He was referring to detainers placed by ICE on undocumented immigrants arrested on criminal charges.
“I believe it is the responsibility of the sheriff and the responsibility of law enforcement to protect and serve the community,” Williams continued.
“We cannot help a culture of fear in the community and expect the community to help us depending on the situation. In fact, many law enforcement agencies rely on community support. “Because it’s the foundation,” he explained.
“Building relationships is important, and if we are hostile to people because we are illegal immigrants, they are instilling that fear in people, and we They are less likely to come to us when they need our help, as well as when they need our help.”
“So that’s not what we’re going to do. We’re not going to do any roundups and we’re not going to be part of a culture of fear,” Williams vowed.
“We want people to respect the police, but we also want them to trust us.”
2020 interview resurface online Shortly after Athens Mayor Kelly Gertz was heckled over her soft stance on immigrants.
On Wednesday, the mayor defended his position against shouts of heckling and sought to dismiss his “sanctuary city concept.”
“There is no legislation from this government that establishes sanctuary city status,” Gertz said.
“Liar!” one man shouted back. As reported by Fox News Digital. “You’re the one who’s guilty of this murder and has blood on your hands, sir!”
Last week, Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan national, called an emergency helpline before dragging the body of Riley, 22, to a secluded area on the University of Georgia campus, according to police documents. He claims that he interfered with the
Riley was found hours later on the University of Georgia campus with a deformed skull. She died from blunt force trauma.
Ybarra is currently charged with malicious murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, interfering with a 911 call, and concealing the death of another person.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said he entered the country illegally in 2022 but was released pending “further proceedings.”
From there, he took a job delivering food in the Big Apple and was arrested on child endangerment charges in Queens on Aug. 31, but was released before immigration authorities could file a deportation claim, immigration officials said. Ta.
Ybarra later moved to Georgia to live with his younger brother Diego. The two brothers were arrested on shoplifting charges at an Athens Walmart in October and charged with stealing $200 in merchandise, but were released after being issued citations.
Diego Ybarra was later detained by ICE for using a fake green card to get a job at UGA.
Gertz said at a press conference Wednesday that the city “deeply regrets this tragedy.”
“The perpetrators alone are responsible for this crime,” he added.
