How the Murder of Laken Riley has changed Politics
By Ellie Long ‘25
On the morning of February 22nd, 2024, 22-year-old Laken Riley was out for a run on the campus of Augusta University, located in Athens, Georgia. The nursing student began her run at about 9:03 am, but quickly ended when her Garmin watch captured her heart stopping at 9:28 am. The reason: Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan man who targeted and killed Laken in broad daylight. Ibarra had encountered Laken while she was running on the public trails and proceeded to follow her into a forested area where he then murdered her. Dr. Michelle DiMarco, who conducted the autopsy report, revealed that Riley's death was caused by significant blunt force trauma to the head as well as asphyxia. Ibarra was brought in for an interview the next day after he was identified on a trail camera discarding a bloodied jacket and gloves the morning of the murder. Upon arrival, there were visible scratches along Ibarra's forearms. The suspect's DNA was also recovered from under Riley’s fingernails, and DNA matching Riley was found on Ibarra’s jacket and gloves.
The Trial
Ibarra made the decision to waive his right to a jury trial, so Judge Patrick Haggard alone heard and decided the outcome of the case. Prosecutors for this case also agreed before trial that they would not seek the death penalty. Ibarra was charged with one count of malice murder; three counts of felony murder; and one count each of kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, aggravated battery, obstructing an emergency call, evidence tampering and voyeurism. Judge Haggard found Ibarra guilty of all ten counts against him and sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The Aftermath
Following the death of Laken Riley, there was a massive uprising in the political discussion regarding immigration. Jose Ibarra had illegally immigrated to the United States from Venezuela and committed numerous crimes before the killing of Riley. This sparked a debate between Democrats and Republicans about who was at fault for Riley’s murder. President Donald Trump and other Republicans blamed former-President Joe Biden, stating that if Ibarra had been denied entry to the U.S., then he never would have had the opportunity to kill her. Biden was also criticized by South Carolina State Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene during his State of the Union Address last year when he mentioned Riley during a discussion about border security. Trump started his second term in office by signing the Laken Riley Act into law to ensure that no more innocent lives are lost due to a fractured immigration system. This law expands the type of offenses that will result in an undocumented immigrant being detained in federal custody. These offenses include misdemeanors such as theft and shoplifting. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is now required to detain any undocumented persons who have been arrested or charged with an offense of any type. Mike Collins, a Georgia State Representative who wrote the bill, explained how this law will help to keep American communities safe. The law also empowers state attorneys general to sue the federal government for harm caused by their decisions in immigration enforcement that harm people or the states. Overall, this new rule gives states significantly more power in setting immigration policies. However, there is still much criticism, especially from the Democratic Party. Many people have raised concerns that this bill will strip migrants of their due process rights, such as minors or recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program. Others argue that the bill is unrealistic because there is a lack of funding and it will not solve immigration problems, but rather create new requirements for federal authorities. New York State Representative and Democrat, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, criticized the law by explaining if a person is so much as accused of a crime, then they will be sent to a private detention camp and deported without a day in court. The bill has been officially signed into law, but these debates will continue, and only time will tell if it prevents more murders of innocent citizens.
The death of Laken Riley shook the Athens community as well as the entire country. Riley’s case will not be forgotten as it enacted a new law designed to keep our country safe. The debate regarding this law will also remain significant because of the sensitive topic of immigration in the United States. Keeping our citizens protected is important, but it is also crucial to remember that people have rights and we must know how to protect those too.
Ellie is a senior majoring in political science.
Sources
Brumback, K. (2024, November 20). Man convicted of killing Laken Riley sentenced to life in prison without parole. https://apnews.com/article/georgia-nursing-student-laken-riley-immigrant-d8d75ccc6d81e7a88eb7890829d9fc9c
Cruz, M. 2025, (February 22). Laken Riley Act expands scope of offenses that require ICE to detain undocumented immigrants. https://www.onlineathens.com/story/news/state/2025/02/22/laken-riley-act-expands-ice-responsibilities-to-detain-undocumented-people/78606323007/
Deliso, M. (2024, November 20). Timeline: Laken Riley’s last moments retraced during trial on Georgia nursing student’s murder. https://abcnews.go.com/US/laken-riley-case-murder-trial-texts/story?id=116009547
Gomez Licon, A. (2025, January 29). What is the Laken Riley Act? A look at the first bill Trump just signed. https://apnews.com/article/what-is-laken-riley-act-trump-immigration-2667d626139ddf5a16d1533516eab18f
