Republican Makes Demand for Biden's State of the Union Address/

Republican Makes Demand for Biden's State of the Union Address/

r epresentative Jim Banks, an Indiana Republican, has called on President Joe Biden to mention Laken Riley in his State of the Union address.

Riley, a 22-year-old student at the Augusta University College of Nursing, was found dead late last month near the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens. Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Athens resident, was later arrested and charged in connection with her death. Authorities said Ibarra had entered the country illegally in 2022, and they described his alleged crime as an "isolated incident" and a "crime of opportunity, [with] no motive."

Because of Ibarra's immigration status, Riley's death has become a rallying point for Republicans in their calls for stricter border policies. GOP lawmakers have long highlighted the crimes committed by undocumented immigrants as cause for such policies, though research has shown that native citizens and legal immigrants commit a range of felonies at greater rates than illegal immigrants.

Republicans have focused on Biden not publicly addressing Riley's death. In a letter to the White House on Monday, Banks, who has represented Indiana's 3rd District since 2017 and is running for U.S. Senate, called on Biden to talk about her in his State of the Union address on Thursday night.

"Your failure to publicly acknowledge this tragedy is unacceptable," Banks wrote. "You have a great opportunity to respect the wishes of Laken Riley's mother by breaking your silence and saying her name at the upcoming State of the Union address on Thursday, March 7, 2024."