Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas alleged that authorities in New York and Athens, Georgia, did not notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the criminal history of José Antonio Ibarra, the Venezuelan migrant. accused of murdering college student Laken Riley in Georgia.
In an interview this Sunday with CBS’ “Face the Nation,” the secretary indicated that agency personnel work closely with state and local authorities to ensure that individuals who threaten public safety, which are their top priority, are detained and expelled from the country.
However, the secretary assured that they were not informed by the authorities in cities such as New York, where Ibarra was residing, of the criminal proceedings against him.
“There are several cities throughout the country that have different degrees of cooperation with immigration authorities. We firmly believe that if the city knows of an individual who represents a threat to public safety, we then ask that they provide us with information so that we can ensure that we stop them…,” she argued.
“It sounds like they’re not coordinating,” said interviewer Margaret Brennan.
“Well, different cities have different levels of cooperation. “We were not notified in that instance,” she added.
New York is a sanctuary city, which means that they establish their own policies to limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities in certain cases to avoid the detention or deportation of undocumented immigrants.
Athens, in Georgia’s Clarke County, where the murder occurred, is also a sanctuary jurisdiction.
On February 23, Ibarra, 26, was arrested on several charges, including kidnapping, aggravated assault and murder.
The Hispanic man allegedly fatally attacked the 22-year-old University of Georgia student.
The nursing student’s body was found in a wooded area near campus. A friend discovered the remains after Riley did not return from going for a morning run. The young woman died from blunt force trauma.
The suspect was also accused of dragging Riley to the secluded area.
Authorities have not established a motive for the crime.
José Ibarra’s criminal history
According to the information handled by the DHS, Ibarra and his wife entered the US illegally through El Paso, Texas, in September 2022. After being arrested, they were sent on a bus to NY, the woman told the New York Post. .
About a year later, police arrested Ibarra in Queens County for endangering the welfare of a child under 5 years old. Allegedly, the boy was traveling without a helmet in the back of a motorboat.
ICE indicated in written statements that, after the incident, the NYPD released the migrant before a detainer could be issued.
A month later, Ibarra and his brother were accused of shoplifting from an Athens Walmart.
The police report referred to by CBS indicates that they illegally appropriated bacon, smoked sausage, fresh cheese and clothing. Both were summoned to court on charges of misdemeanor theft. However, they were released again.
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