The Republican Recap: Week of January 6, 2025
Protecting Our Communities from Biden’s Border Crisis ✅
On Thursday, February 22, 2024, Laken Riley, a Georgia college nursing student with a promising future and loving family, was brutally murdered by a Venezuelan illegal immigrant while she was on a jog. The suspect, Jose Ibarra, had been paroled and released into the United States after crossing the border illegally in August 2022 – one example of how the Biden Administration has abused “humanitarian parole” to allow the mass release of illegals into our country with tragic consequences. Ibarra was later arrested in New York for “acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17,” and in October 2023, Ibarra and his brother were arrested for shoplifting – both times he was released.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t an isolated incident. In the past few years, we’ve seen several stories come out about the victims of Biden’s open border, including Jocelyn Nungaray and Rachel Morin. Between Feb. 5 and Feb. 16, Enforcement and Removal Operations officers arrested 275 illegal immigrant sex offenders nationwide. This is unacceptable. These criminals should not be allowed to enter our country, and especially should not be released from custody after committing horrific crimes here.
Under the Biden Administration, more than 8.8 million illegal immigrants have been encountered at the southern border. As our communities continue to suffer under the weight of Biden’s dangerous open border policies, it is more critical than ever that we stop allowing criminals to flood into our country and put American lives at stake.
H.R. 29, the Laken Riley Act, sponsored by Rep. Mike Collins, holds the Biden Administration accountable for their role in these tragedies through their open border policies, requires detention of illegal aliens who commit theft and mandates ICE take them into custody, and allows a state to sue the Federal government on behalf of their citizens for not enforcing the border laws, particularly in the case of parole.
“Last year, evil struck Athens, Georgia when 22-year-old Laken Riley was kidnapped and murdered at the hands of an illegal alien. This legislation, which was supported by 48 Democrats and every Republican, gives local law enforcement and ICE more tools to fight illegal immigrants who commit crime in the United States,” said Rep. Mike Collins.
“Laken Riley was a University of Georgia nursing student who was on one of her daily runs when she was violently kidnapped and murdered by Jose Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela who had previously been arrested for child endangerment and shoplifting. With the passage of the Laken Riley Act through the House of Representatives, we are one step closer to delivering justice and ensuring that the pain the Riley family experiences every day is not felt by a single family again.”
What Members Said:
“For the past four years, the American people have suffered under the Biden Administration's disastrous open border policies that have allowed millions of illegal aliens to flood our communities. One of those illegal aliens was Jose Ibarra. In 2023 he was caught shoplifting, and despite multiple arrests on his record, in addition to his illegal status, he was released under the Biden Administration. Months later, as we all know, he murdered 22 year old nursing student Laken Riley,” said Rep. Mark Harris. “There's just no other way to put it: her death is a direct result of President Biden's deliberate refusal to enforce our laws. It is a federal government's job to defend our borders and protect our citizens, and our government has failed us. Fortunately, a new leader is taking office soon.”
Opposing Unjust ICC Warrants for Israeli Leaders ✅
On May 20, radical International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan announced he was seeking warrants for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza. The ICC issued the arrest warrants in November. This is absurd. Hamas’ barbaric October 7th attacks on Israel claimed the lives of over 1,200 Israelis and was the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. Additionally, Hamas took over 240 hostages that day – 96 of which they still hold.
Let’s be clear: Going after a terrorist group that brutally slaughtered innocent Israeli civilians and still holds many hostage is not a “war crime” – it’s defending Israel’s right to exist and ensuring a vicious attack like October 7th never happens again. Hamas started this war and is wholly responsible for the death and pain that has come as a result. America stands with Israel against terrorists—and the International Criminal Court should, too.
If the ICC insists on targeting Israel, a democracy defending itself against evil, the U.S. must stand against them and ensure there are consequences for these international bureaucrats.
Rep. Chip Roy’s legislation, H.R. 23, the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, would impose sanctions on the ICC or any foreign actor who supports their effort to arrest, detain, or prosecute protected persons of the United States and its allies, including Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant.
“The ICC is an illegitimate body that has no business interfering with our sovereignty or that of our allies. Now it is engaged in a shameful lawfare campaign against Prime Minister Netanyahu for doing his duty to protect his fellow citizens from Hamas in the wake of the barbaric October 7th attacks. But let’s be clear, this isn’t just about Israel, this is about ensuring that our nation's sovereignty is protected, as well as the American servicemembers. If we do not check this rogue, leftist 'court' now, we can rest assured that our military leadership and troops will be the next targets of its political attacks,” said Rep. Chip Roy.
“While I have full confidence that President Trump will stand for Israel with the strength and moral clarity that Biden has sorely lacked, this bill will ensure that no future administration after him will be able to give the ICC a free pass to attack our allies like this.”
What Members Said:
“The Israeli government has taken unprecedented steps to minimize civilian harm during conflicts, a commitment that's unparalleled by any other nation facing terrorists. The accusation that Israel uses starvation as a weapon of war is a blatant lie, ignoring the immense humanitarian aid Israel has proven and provided to Gaza despite ongoing attacks. This illegitimate attack on Israel emboldens terrorist organizations like Hamas,” said Rep. Max Miller. “This critical legislation which has previously passed this body with strong, strong, bipartisan support sends a clear and unequivocal message: the United States will not tolerate the ICC abuse of power against our allies or our citizens. Once again, the ICC has no jurisdiction over the United States of America or the people of Israel. They need to call this what it is: antisemitism. That's what this is. That's what the ICC is going after.”
Distribution channels: U.S. Politics
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