The murder of Laken Riley – Is there more to the case?

By Lena Garrard | Staff writer

Disclaimer:
The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publication, its staff, or its affiliates. This article is intended to encourage thoughtful discussion and does not serve as a definitive statement on the legal or political matters referenced.

Laken Riley’s tragic death last year shook the country — but not solely because of the injustice committed against her and the loss of human life.

Seemingly bigger issues crept into the public’s hearts and minds as news of Riley’s death spread across the nation during a pivotal election year. What began as a horrific tragedy suddenly turned into a political game piece, fueling hate toward immigrants.

Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University, was murdered on Feb. 22, 2024, while jogging on Forest Park Trail in Athens, Georgia, near the University of Georgia. The alleged perpetrator was Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan native.

The national debate over immigration began after federal authorities revealed Ibarra had entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 and was allowed to stay in the country while pursuing his immigration case. Instead of coming together to seek justice for Riley, the nation divided over Ibarra’s legal status in the U.S.

While it’s true that some violent crimes, including murders, could be prevented if people in the country illegally weren’t in the U.S., making this the sole focus of a case like Laken Riley’s ignores the larger issues at play.

Violence against women, regardless of the legal status of the perpetrator, is the real threat.

According to the World Health Organization, one in three women will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.

And the reality is, most violent crimes in the U.S., including the murder of women, are committed by men who are U.S. citizens or legal residents — not immigrants — according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

This is why our nation, and specifically the Laken Riley Act — which mandates the federal detention of people in the U.S. illegally who have committed certain crimes — misses the mark when it comes to protecting women and human rights.

While the tragic death of Laken Riley deserves justice, it is crucial to refocus the conversation on the countless other women who are brutally murdered by men who have every legal right to live in the U.S.

Moreover, making illegal immigration the sole focus of this case paints a false narrative about immigrants, perpetuating harmful stereotypes.

By defining Ibarra by his immigration status, we associate his crime with immigration, unfairly painting all immigrants — particularly those undocumented — as the threat.

This is far from the truth.

The murder happened to be carried out by an immigrant, but the issue isn’t only about immigration; it’s about violence as a whole.

Unfortunately, naive generalizations of people groups — particularly minorities — are all too common.

For instance, regarding the Laken Riley case, President Donald Trump stated, “It is time to secure our border and remove these criminals and thugs from our country so nothing like this can happen again.”

In this statement, Trump generalizes Ibarra’s actions, applying them to all immigrants. It is this kind of stereotyping that breeds hate, racism and injustice — and it must stop.

It’s time for us to stand with the people of color who have been fighting this fight for centuries. It’s time for us to stand up to ignorance, to injustice and to call out harmful generalizations for what they are: hateful and racist. We need to continue to educate ourselves, to speak the truth and to learn to love people who are different from us.

The murder of Laken Riley is about more than Ibarra’s legal status. It's about fighting violence against women, no matter who the perpetrator is.

Painting immigrants as the primary threat to women only breeds hate while ignoring the broader issue. It’s time to combat these harmful stereotypes, refocus the conversation and shift the narrative

Contact Lena Garrard at legarrard@augusta.edu.