Laken Riley was a bright and promising 22-year-old nursing student at the University of Georgia before she was brutally murdered while out for a jog in broad daylight. The man charged with her killing is an illegal immigrant who crossed the southern border in 2022, made his way to New York, was arrested in New […]
Laken Riley was a bright and promising 22-year-old nursing student at the University of Georgia before she was brutally murdered while out for a jog in broad daylight. The man charged with her killing is an illegal immigrant who crossed the southern border in 2022, made his way to New York, was arrested in New York City in 2023, but was released with no information provided to federal immigration officials. This horrific incident could and should have been prevented by New York State actively managing its migrant crisis and growing problem with crime.
America’s migrant crisis has been an unmitigated disaster for three years, and its impacts are felt nearly everywhere. The tragedy of Laken Riley is a painful reminder that innocent lives are at stake and our communities face increasing chaos and danger. She would still be alive today had border security and immigration enforcement been a true priority. Gov. Hochul and New York Democrats have failed Laken Riley and her family. How many more heinous crimes must occur before they take action?
It was just [a few] weeks ago [, Feb. 12], that the Assembly and Senate minority conferences proposed a bill (S.8533 Lanza/A.9167 Gandolfo) to restore cooperation between New York courts and law-enforcement agencies with federal immigration authorities in cases involving the arrest or conviction of illegal migrants. [On Feb. 28], the sponsors of the legislation have renamed it “Laken’s Law” in honor of the young woman from Georgia. It is critical to reinstate protocols like these, which have been in place to prioritize the safety of our citizens first.
Back in 2017, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed Executive Order 170, designating New York as a sanctuary state and setting the stage for a public-safety disaster. Part of a larger soft-on-crime narrative from New York Democrats, this order effectively ranked the protection of migrants over the safety of our own citizens and prevented law enforcement from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Rescinding this order should be the first step in addressing crimes associated with the migrant crisis. Sadly, individuals like Laken Riley and many others pay the price for these violent crimes, while state leadership remains silent. Simply put, Gov. Hochul’s failure to enact changes based on this legislation continues to endanger more lives throughout the state.
With nearly 200,000 illegal migrants coming to New York, this continuing crisis poses a threat to our communities, and the lack of action will only lead to further destruction. We cannot wait for someone else to lose their life before acting. New York has failed Laken Riley, and Joe Biden’s broken border policies have failed U.S. citizens. The time to act is now.
William (Will) A. Barclay, 55, Republican, is the New York Assembly minority leader and represents the 120th New York Assembly District, which encompasses all of Oswego County, as well as parts of Jefferson and Cayuga counties.
Will Barclay
