Former President Bill Clinton took a critical stance on the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the southern border, suggesting that the tragic death of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley might have been prevented with better migrant vetting. Clinton’s comments came during a speech in Fort Valley, Georgia, where he was campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris at a local fish fry. He pointed to the administration’s rollback of Trump-era immigration policies as a contributing factor to the border issues that have allowed dangerous criminals to enter the U.S.
Riley, an Augusta University nursing student, was allegedly killed by an illegal migrant who had been released into the country. The migrant had not been properly vetted, according to critics, before being allowed to stay in the United States. Clinton, 78, emphasized the importance of vetting migrants in order to prevent such tragedies, saying, “Well, if they’d all been properly vetted, that probably wouldn’t have happened.”
Since taking office in 2021, the Biden-Harris administration has undone several key immigration policies put in place during the Trump administration, notably the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which required asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while their cases were being processed in the U.S. The Biden administration suspended this policy on its first day in office, leading to a significant increase in migrants crossing the border.
Clinton’s comments highlighted how the changes in border policies have impacted national security and public safety. He tied the failures of the current administration directly to Vice President Kamala Harris, who has faced mounting criticism for her role in overseeing the border crisis. Clinton’s remarks add to the growing concerns about the consequences of lax border control.
“You had a case in Georgia not very long ago, didn’t you?” Clinton asked the crowd. “They made an ad about a young woman who’d been killed by an illegal immigrant.” He continued, “If they had been properly vetted, that probably wouldn’t have happened.”
Clinton’s pointed remarks come as the U.S. grapples with a historic surge in illegal immigration. According to data released by Republicans on the House Committee on Homeland Security, nearly two million known “gotaways”—migrants who evade U.S. Border Patrol—have entered the U.S. under the Biden-Harris administration. This figure underscores the scope of the border crisis, as many of these individuals remain unaccounted for and pose potential security risks.
In addition to the gotaways, an alarming number of criminal migrants and suspects have been allowed to enter American communities. Data shows that up to 650,000 migrants with criminal records, including 13,099 convicted murderers and 222,141 migrants facing other criminal charges, have been permitted to remain in the U.S. These numbers fuel the growing outrage over the administration’s handling of border security.
Critics argue that these policies have led to a surge in violent crime committed by illegal immigrants, and Riley’s case has become a tragic symbol of what can go wrong when proper screening and enforcement are lacking.
The illegal migrant population in the United States continues to grow under the Biden-Harris administration. A report from the Pew Research Center estimated that the population of illegal immigrants in the U.S. was around 11 million in 2022, though some critics believe that figure may be significantly higher due to the number of unaccounted-for gotaways and the increase in border crossings.
This growing population, coupled with the lax enforcement of immigration laws, has raised concerns about the impact on public safety, the economy, and local communities. Many Americans are demanding stronger border controls and more rigorous vetting of migrants entering the country, citing cases like Riley’s as evidence of the need for reform.
Clinton’s criticism of the Biden-Harris administration comes at a time when public opinion on immigration is becoming increasingly divided. Many Democrats have defended the administration’s more humane approach to border control, arguing that Trump’s policies were too harsh and inhumane. However, Clinton’s comments signal a shift within some factions of the Democratic Party, as more centrist voices call for a balance between compassion and security.
While Clinton did not go into detail on how the vetting process should be improved, his statement that Riley’s death could have been avoided has intensified the conversation around border security. It also reflects growing frustration with the Biden-Harris administration’s approach to managing the border, an issue that could have serious implications as the 2024 elections approach.
As the debate over immigration policy continues, Clinton’s remarks add another layer of scrutiny to the current administration’s handling of the border crisis. For families like Laken Riley’s, the question remains: how many more tragedies will it take before the U.S. enacts stronger, more effective border policies?
