U.S. President Joe Biden recently expressed regret for referring to an undocumented immigrant involved in a homicide case as “illegal” during his State of the Union address.
The incident in question involves the alleged murder of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia, by an undocumented immigrant previously released on parole.
The use of “illegal” by Biden, particularly when prompted by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican aligned with Trump, sparked criticism from within his own party and among immigration advocates who argue that the term is dehumanizing.
Republicans have criticized Biden and his administration’s immigration policies, linking them to crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.
They have highlighted Riley’s death as indicative of Democratic policy failures.
Greene’s confrontation with Biden during his speech, which included pressing a button into his hand and urging him to acknowledge Riley’s death, led Biden to describe Riley’s killer as “an illegal.”
In a subsequent interview with Jonathan Capehart on MSNBC, Biden acknowledged his mistake, stating, “I shouldn’t have used ‘illegal,’ it’s undocumented,” and confirmed his regret over the choice of words.
He further commented on the issue the following day, clarifying, “technically he’s not supposed to be here.”
Biden has criticized Republicans for obstructing a comprehensive bipartisan border bill, suggesting that political motivations, especially from former President Donald Trump, are hindering progress.
He contrasted his stance with that of Trump, condemning the former president’s derogatory comments about migrants and emphasizing his refusal to disrespect the immigrant community.
Biden underscored the significant contributions of immigrants to the country’s development and economic growth, advocating for controlled borders alongside a more orderly immigration process, clearly distancing his views from those of Trump and emphasizing a respect for all individuals regardless of their immigration status.