In a series of X posts, American political activist and swimmer Riley Gaines has expressed her anger and distress over Laken Riley’s murder after her killer, Jose Antonio Ibarra, was sentenced to life without parole. In one particular post, Gaines accused United States Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas of being as responsible for Riley’s death as Ibarra.
“Alejandro Mayorkas should share a prison cell with Laken Riley’s murderer. They’re equally responsible,” Gaines wrote on X, sharing a photo of Mayorkas.
Alejandro Mayorkas was accused of releasing Jose Antonio Ibarra
Back in April, Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley alleged that Mayorkas released Ibarra, citing that there was no space to hold him. The 26-year-old killer is an undocumented migrant from Venezuela. He was convicted on 10 charges, including murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and tampering with evidence.
Appearing before the Senate, Hawley read parts of Ibarra’s confidential immigration file and exposed the fact that Homeland Security released him on parole. “Now we all know that the reason he was paroled into this country is because of lack of detention capacity, which you and I both know is not a valid reason,” Hawley told Mayorkas at the time.
Later, Hawley also took to X to blast Mayorkas, saying, “Here’s the truth. Mayorkas illegally paroled Laken Riley’s killer into the US. He had a criminal record. He then committed a crime against a child in New York. No prosecution. In fact, HE GOT A WORK PERMIT. And then he killed Laken. Mayorkas knew *all* this. He lied about it”.
Meanwhile, Gaines shared more posts about Riley. In one post, she addressed the fact that Ibarra avoided the death penalty. “Taxpayers will fund this monster’s existence for the rest of his life,” Gaines wrote. “He lives off the hard work of Americans from a prison cell, while Laken Riley’s family has an empty seat at their kitchen table. I’m sick.”
On X, Gaines also reposted Donald Trump’s post about the sentencing, where the president-elect wrote, “We love you, Laken, and our hearts will always be with you. It is time to secure our Border, and remove these criminals and thugs from our Country, so nothing like this can happen again!”
