A.J. Delgado, a former adviser to Donald Trump’s campaign, is pointing fingers at the ex-president, suggesting his policies contributed to the circumstances leading to the tragic murder of nursing student Laken Riley in Georgia.
Delgado’s comments come in the wake of the arrest of a Venezuelan immigrant, Jose Antonio Ibarra, in connection with Riley’s murder. Delgado highlighted the Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) program, initiated by Trump in January 2021, which offered temporary legal status to Venezuelans fleeing the crisis under Nicolás Maduro’s regime, as a potential factor in the case, per Raw Story.
Delgado criticized the rationale behind the DED program, suggesting it was politically motivated to appeal to anti-socialist sentiments, particularly among Republicans in Florida. She argued that this policy made it highly attractive for Venezuelans to come to the U.S., with Ibarra reportedly entering the country in September 2022, around a year after the DED was signed.
The backdrop of Delgado’s remarks is a broader debate on immigration policy and border management, with Republicans criticizing President Joe Biden for the ongoing challenges at the U.S.-Mexico border. Delgado, however, emphasizes that Trump’s decisions, influenced by obligations to affluent Venezuelans in Florida, also bear significant responsibility, per Newsweek.
Laken Riley, 22, was found deceased in a forested area in Athens, Georgia, on February 22, with Ibarra facing multiple charges related to her murder. The case has sparked political debate, with some attempting to link it to broader immigration policy issues. NewsNation’s Ali Bradley reported that Ibarra entered the U.S. illegally and was released due to detention space constraints, although this has not been officially confirmed.
Georgia State Senator Jason Esteves, a Democrat, called for respect for the grieving family and criticized the politicization of the tragedy. He urged those concerned with border security to consider Trump’s role in the current situation, especially in light of recent political maneuvers that blocked a bipartisan border security bill.