SE Illinois News

Former Illinois State Representative Darren Bailey commented on President Biden's apology to the illegal immigrant that murdered a University of Georgia student while she was out for a run. Laken Riley was killed on Feb. 22. 

"Let me be clear: Biden apologizing for calling the illegal immigrant who killed Laken Riley 'illegal' is pathetic and disgusting," Bailey said in a post on X. "If my daughter were murdered and someone apologized to her killer, I would punch them right in the mouth. The man needs to be moved out of the White House and into a nursing home if he's that oblivious."

"The victim always comes before the feelings of a murderer or criminals who break our laws," Bailey said. "It's time to fight back and take our country back from these radicals who are destroying it."

Laken Riley was a student studying nursing at University of Georgia. She was found dead in May of 2023 after going jogging near campus. According to a CNN article, police were able to identify her murderer using security footage from around campus. Riley was a dean’s list student and a member of UGA’s Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She was set to graduate in 2025. 

Murder suspect Jose Antonio Ibarra entered the United States illegally in September of 2022, according to the NY Post.

Ibarra was arrested by the NYPD in September of 2023 for failing to protect his child by carrying them without a helmet on his scooter, however he was released before ICE was able to step in. Yavapai News reported that Ibarra then separated from his wife, who claims they got married to improve their asylum applications, and moved to Georgia with his brother. 

During his State of the Union address on March 7, Biden referenced the murder, calling Jose Antonio Ibarra an "illegal immigrant." Later than night, Illinois Rep. Delia Ramirez criticized Biden on X, claiming that it was wrong to refer to a human as "illegal."

Darren Bailey served as an Illinois State Representative in District 109 from 2019-2021, and then as Illinois State Senator for District 55 from 2021-2023. Bailey ran for Illinois Governor in 2021, but lost to Democrat J.B. Pritzker. He is running for U.S. Representative of Illinois' 12th Congressional District in the 2024 election.