President Joe Biden was on the receiving end of anger and disappointment from his democrat allies after he called Laken Riley’s killer an “illegal” in a public address.
During his State of the Union speech, Biden pressed Republicans to pass a bipartisan border security deal that fell apart after Trump opposed it.
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Trump ally, then shouted at Biden asking him to mention the Georgia nursing student who was killed last month.
She said Riley was “killed by an illegal”.
Biden responded by repeating the term, “By an illegal, that’s right,” he said, before asking how many people are being killed by “legals.”
Describing individuals who entered or reside in the U.S. unlawfully as “illegals” was once prevalent but has become less common, particularly among Democrats who have prioritised immigrant rights issues more prominently during Trump’s presidency.
Four years ago, Biden campaigned against many of Trump’s immigration policies and took steps to discontinue the use of the term “illegal aliens” in official guidelines.
However, he is now advocating for new border restrictions in response to the surge in people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, which has strained federal authorities and led Democratic-run cities to open emergency shelters.
Biden has adopted certain phrases used by Trump, such as stating he would “shut down the border,” a sentiment he reiterated in a recent address.
Despite criticism for his use of the term, Biden’s campaign maintains that the incident will not hinder his efforts to engage Latino voters and other communities of color within the Democratic base.
Some allies in Congress have defended him while acknowledging the poor choice of words.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, described it as an unfortunate choice of words but expressed confidence in Biden’s ability to address it. She appreciated the inclusive vision he presented regarding immigration.
César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández, chair of civil rights and civil liberties at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, characterised Biden’s use of the term as a “off-the-cuff moment” reflective of his extensive experience in public office and recent shift on immigration policies.
He noted that Biden’s administration has leaned towards more conservative immigration policies in an attempt to counter Republicans and their language tactics.
