Illegal Immigrant Accused of Murdering Laken Riley Took Taxpayer-Funded ‘Humanitarian’ Flight to Georgia
Jose Ibarra’s partner says he acquired taxpayer-funded plane tickets at New York City.
The illegal immigrant accused of murdering college student Laken Riley, Jose Ibarra, flew to Georgia on a flight from New York City paid for by taxpayers.
On the second day of his murder trial, a woman identified as the alleged killer’s partner, Rosbeli Floresbello, shared details about how the pair arrived at Athens, Georgia, before the slaying of Riley.
Ms. Floresbello testified Monday that she has been in America for about a year and a half. Before moving to Athens, Georgia, Ms. Floresbello said she lived at Queens, New York, where she met Mr. Ibarra.
She explained that the defendant convinced her to travel to Georgia to look for work.
When asked how she traveled to Georgia, Ms. Floresbello testified that she and Mr. Ibarra went to the Roosevelt Hotel at Manhattan, which has become a clearinghouse for migrants to get connected with shelters or have transportation arranged so they can connect with friends or family members in other states.
New York City started purchasing plane tickets to transport migrants to other parts of the country in 2023, arguing it is cheaper to use taxpayer dollars to buy tickets than to pay to house the migrants.
Ms. Floresbello testified that she and Mr. Ibarra requested a “humanitarian” flight to Atlanta from New York City in September 2023. They were then driven to Athens by Mr. Ibarra’s brother.
Riley, who was a nursing student at Augusta University’s Athens campus, was jogging on the morning of February 22 when prosecutors say Mr. Ibarra attacked and killed her after he went “hunting for females.”
Prosecutors say Riley fought off her assailant for 18 minutes, and when she “refused to be his rape victim, he bashed her skull in with a rock repeatedly.”
Mr. Ibarra has pleaded not guilty in the case and waived his right to a jury. The trial is instead being presided over by a judge.
The murder of Riley became a flashpoint in the debate over immigration laws as Mr. Ibarra, who is a Venezuelan citizen, entered the country illegally in 2022 and was released into America by immigration officials.
After that, he made his way to New York City. About a year after he arrived at New York City, he was arrested for endangering his then-wife’s five-year-old son, who was riding on the back of a moped without a helmet. However, he was “released by the NYPD before” ICE could issue a detainer to take him into custody.
About a month after that incident, Mr. Ibarra was at Athens and accused of stealing from a Walmart, but he was given a misdemeanor citation and released.
The Athens-Clarke County police department told WXIA-TV that officers did not check Mr. Ibarra’s immigration status, which could have led to him being deported, because he was not arrested.
An account for President Trump’s campaign shared the details of Mr. Ibarra taking a “humanitarian” flight to Georgia and wrote on X, “On January 20th, the protection of criminal illegal aliens in America ENDS once and for all.”
Earlier on Monday, Trump confirmed he plans to declare a national emergency to carry out mass deportations. And his so-called “border tsar,” Tom Homan, says illegal immigrants with criminal records or who are seen as national security threats will be prioritized for deportation.
