In a symbolic gesture during President Joe Biden's State of the Union address, Georgia Rep. Mike Collins will leave a guest seat vacant in honor of Laken Riley, the 22-year-old University of Georgia student whose life was tragically cut short. Collins, a Republican, has chosen this method as a silent protest against Biden's immigration policies which he blames for Riley's death. "As Joe Biden attempts to paint a rosy picture of the crime-ridden country he has created, he will look up at an empty seat that memorializes those we've lost because of his open borders policies," Collins said in a post shared on X, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
I invited Laken Riley’s parents to the State of the Union address, but understandably, they have chosen to stay home as they grieve the loss of their daughter.
— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) March 6, 2024
Therefore, the seat reserved for my guest will remain vacant to honor Laken and all American victims of illegal alien…
According to the New York Post, the congressman had initially extended an invitation to Riley's parents to attend the event, but they opted to decline. "I invited Laken Riley’s parents to the State of the Union address, but understandably, they have chosen to stay home as they grieve the loss of their daughter," Collins stated. The empty seat is meant to represent not only Riley but all American victims of crimes committed by individuals who are in the country illegally.
Laken Riley was out for a morning run last month when she was murdered, a crime for which Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old undocumented Venezuelan migrant, has been charged. Ibarra had been released on parole by US Border Patrol on Sept. 8, 2022, according to authorities and subsequently had at least two run-ins with law enforcement. Collins and other conservatives have pointed to this case as evidence of the need for stricter border security and immigration reform.
The debate over immigration is expected to be a hot-button issue in the upcoming November presidential election, where Biden will likely face off against former President Donald Trump. With a series of polls indicating that immigration could be a liability for Biden, both parties have been vocal in the discourse surrounding the State of the Union. This comes in the wake of Republicans' decision to derail a bipartisan border reform package last month—an act Democrats argue was to bolster Trump's position. Biden's address to the joint session of Congress is set to be one of his most significant national platforms ahead of the election, according to political analysts.
Meanwhile, protests have been taking place in Athens, where two separate groups voiced their opposing views on the matter. One side accused local officials and the Biden administration of facilitating such tragedies through lenient immigration policies, while the other condemned Republicans for politicizing Riley's death during a time of mourning. "Totally inappropriate. This should be a time of mourning. Showing respect to the family and to support each other," one protester was quoted in an interview with FOX 5 Atlanta.
