Clarke County

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene brings attention to Laken Riley at State of the Union

By WSBTV.com News Staff
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 07: U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) (R) and Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) attend President Joe Biden's State of the Union address during a joint meeting of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol on March 07, 2024 in Washington, DC. This is Biden’s last State of the Union address before the general election this coming November. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

President Biden’s State of the Union 2024 WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 07: U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) (R) and Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) attend President Joe Biden's State of the Union address during a joint meeting of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol on March 07, 2024 in Washington, DC. This is Biden’s last State of the Union address before the general election this coming November. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

By WSBTV.com News Staff

WASHINGTON, D.C. — For many Republicans at Thursday night’s State of the Union address, Laken Riley was on their minds.

Riley, a nursing student, was killed on the University of Georgia’s campus on Feb. 22. Police have arrested Jose Ibarra, who they say entered the country illegally, and charged him with her murder.

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Her death has become a focal point for several high-profile Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, critical of President Joe Biden’s “open border policies.”

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who represents parts of north Georgia, brought attention to Riley during the State of the Union in Washington, D.C.

Before the address, she posted a video of herself on her X account, formerly known as Twitter, in a t-shirt reading, “Say Her Name Laken Riley” along with a pin bearing Riley’s photo and a “Make America Great Again” hat, showcasing her loyalty to former Pres. Trump.

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“The State of the Union is Laken Riley. America is under attack because of Joe Biden’s open border policies with more than 10 million illegal aliens invading our country,” she said on X.

As Pres. Biden made his way into the U.S. House of Representatives Chamber to deliver his address, Rep. Greene handed him a pin with Riley’s photo on it and asked him to say her name.

In a separate video she posted on X, you can see Rep. Greene handing the president the pin and saying, “Laken Riley.”

“I know how to say the name,” he responds.

She goes on to encourage him to say her name out loud, but he continues down the aisle and onto the podium.

Several other Republican lawmakers could also be seen wearing pins with Riley’s photo in a show of support for her and her family.

During his address, Pres. Biden did say Riley’s name and said she was “killed by an illegal.”

“My heart goes out to her family, having lost children myself,” he said looking up into the gallery.

Riley’s family was invited to attend the State of the Union as guests of Rep. Mike Collins. They declined as they continued to grieve the loss of their daughter. Rep. Collins left a seat empty to honor Riley.

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IN RELATED NEWS:

Laken Riley Act, which would give ICE more tools, passes House ‘overwhelmingly’ in bipartisan vote

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