Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) has recently declared that it is “racist” to assert that migrant crime is on the rise, particularly in light of the tragic killing of nursing student Laken Riley. This statement was made during a press call organized for President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign, where Garcia refuted the narrative that immigrants are more likely to commit crimes, stating, “This immigrant crime narrative is racist. It is not true.” He emphasized that immigrants are, by and large, committing less crime and that the narrative suggesting otherwise is unfounded.
The Biden administration is currently facing criticism over its immigration policies amidst high-profile violent crimes linked to migrants, such as the murder of University of Georgia student Laken Riley by Venezuelan national Jose Antonio Ibarra. Additionally, New York City authorities are addressing the activities of a Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, whose members are accused of assaulting police officers and committing a series of robberies.
One challenge highlighted in managing border security is the limited resources available for conducting background checks on individuals arrested for crossing illegally. According to Chris Cabrera, vice president of the National Border Patrol Council, the U.S. only runs fingerprints against its records, and not all countries share their criminal records with the U.S., making it difficult to screen for known criminals.
Despite these issues, President Biden highlighted his administration’s efforts in reducing the national homicide rate through investments in local police and cities plagued by crime, as part of the American Rescue Plan. The White House has not specifically commented on Riley’s death, citing the ongoing investigation, but expressed that the situation is “heartbreaking.”
As President Biden plans to visit the southern border in Brownsville, Texas, the administration aims to discuss the urgent need for passing bipartisan border security agreements, including over $20 billion for border security to fund more Customs and Border Protection agents, additional asylum officers, and immigration judges.