The murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley reveals how safety— the most fundamental of women’s rights— has become the forgotten right in leftist policies.
Democrats love to tout their compassion— compassion for migrants, compassion for the vulnerable. But who is more vulnerable than a young woman attacked during her morning jog on the University of Georgia’s Athens campus? Riley’s tragic death underscores the harsh reality of policies that prioritize ideology over protection, leaving women like her defenseless against violent offenders shielded by sanctuary laws and lax immigration enforcement.
The Left’s “Compassion” Kills
Since President Biden took office, there have been 7.5 million migrant encounters nationwide, including 6.2 million at the Southwest border and an additional 1.7 million known “gotaways.” In Fiscal Year 2023 alone, encounters at the Southwest border surged by over 40% compared to 2021. CBP arrested 35,433 individuals with criminal convictions or outstanding warrants nationwide, including 598 gang members— 178 of whom were MS-13 members.
Vice President Kamala Harris, tasked in 2021 with addressing the “root cause” of the border crisis, failed to curb the rise in illegal crossings, which reached 2.76 million in Fiscal Year 2023. Her approach, focused on foreign aid to Central America, delivered no measurable results, and her delayed visit to the border in September 2024— nearly three years after her assignment—exposed an administration indifferent to the human cost of its policies.
A Preventable Tragedy
The gruesome details of Riley’s murder are difficult to hear but impossible to ignore. Ibarra targeted Riley during his “hunt for females,” according to prosecutors. After approaching her during her morning jog, he attempted to rape her. When she resisted, he bashed her skull repeatedly with a rock, leaving her to die from blunt trauma and asphyxia. Evidence at trial revealed his DNA under Riley’s fingernails, a stark testament to her valiant fight for life.
This crime didn’t occur in isolation. It happened in tandem with policies that, while claiming to protect Americans, failed in their fundamental purpose, instead empowering criminals like Ibarra. He should have been deported the moment he was detained in New York City. Instead, he was flown to Georgia on public dime, revealing a policy system more concerned with accommodating migrants than protecting American lives.
The Real War on Women
The left often decries conservatives for waging a “war on women,” citing abortion laws and restrictions on so-called reproductive rights. Yet there is no federal abortion ban; these decisions have been returned to the states, where voters and legislatures now grapple with protecting life. Meanwhile, policies that fail to protect women from violence expose a far graver threat— one that undermines the very safety and dignity the left claims to defend.
Sanctuary laws, which block cooperation between local and federal law enforcement, allow violent offenders to remain in communities under the guise of compassion. Riley’s murder was entirely preventable, but the policies the Left championed allowed her killer to remain free to commit his heinous crime.
If the Left truly cared about women’s rights, they would prioritize protecting women like Riley. Instead, their policies sacrifice the safety of American women on the altar of progressive ideology and political correctness.
The Left often accuses conservatives of waging a “war on women,” citing abortion laws and restrictions on so-called reproductive rights. But what could be more anti-woman than policies that expose them to violence?
Say their names: Mollie Tibbetts, Kate Steinle, Sarah Root, Ruthie Lee, Chandra White, Diane O’Shea, Jami Lynn Fox. These women, among many others, were murdered by individuals who should not have been in this country. Their deaths are the direct result of policies that prioritize political correctness and open borders over the safety of American women. Sanctuary laws and lax immigration enforcement leave criminals free to harm, while American women suffer the consequences.
Riley’s murder was preventable, yet the policies championed by the Left allowed her killer to remain free to commit his heinous crime. If the Left truly cared about women’s rights, they would start by actively protecting and advocating for women like Laken, Mollie, Kate, Sarah, Ruthie, Chandra, Diane, and Jami. Instead, they sacrifice the safety of American women to maintain a “no-questions-asked immigration policy” that prioritizes unchecked borders over the lives of their citizens.
An Administration That Protects Americans First
The horrific events surrounding Riley’s death reveal the urgent need for a returning administration that puts Americans first. President-elect Donald J. Trump has made it clear that his administration will not repeat the mistakes of the Biden era. His reinstatement of the “Remain in Mexico” policy, incoming deportation program, and focus on cooperation between local and federal law enforcement are designed to stop tragedies like Riley’s before they happen.
To ensure these policies are implemented effectively, Trump has appointed Tom Homan as his border czar. Homan, a former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is known for implementing decisive reforms and prioritizing the removal of individuals who pose public safety threats demonstrating the tangible benefits of strong border enforcement.
Trump’s previous administration proved the effectiveness of such policies. In Fiscal Year 2019, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported over 267,000 individuals, many of whom posed significant public safety threats. These are not just abstract numbers— they represent thousands of crimes prevented and countless lives protected— a return to law and order.
Keeping Hope Alive
Riley’s sickening story spurred legislative action with the introduction of the Laken Riley Act, which the House of Representatives passed on March 7, 2024, in a bipartisan vote of 251–170. The bill, authored by Senator Katie Britt (R-AL), mandates federal detention of illegal immigrants who commit crimes like burglary or theft and empowers states to sue the federal government for failing to enforce immigration laws.
In the wake of her loss, Riley’s family established the Laken Hope Foundation to honor her memory and advocate for women’s safety and homicide awareness. The foundation also provides scholarships for aspiring nursing students.
Laken Riley’s death is not just a crime of depravity; it is a moral reckoning. It forces us to confront the consequences of policies that value virtue-signaling over vigilance. The Biden-Harris administration’s failures allowed a known criminal to remain in the United States, costing Riley her life.
We cannot undo this devastating loss, but as Christians, we are called to pursue justice and extend compassion to those who grieve (Matthew 5:4). Our prayers are with Riley’s mother and family, that they may find solace in God’s promises and strength in their sorrow.
Riley’s death exposes the hypocrisy of a party that claims to champion women’s rights while leaving them vulnerable through open-border policies. True advocacy for women begins with ensuring their safety through securing our borders. Until the left abandons its dangerous agenda and puts Americans first, their claims of defending women will remain a cruel deception. In the Left’s fight for women’s rights, safety has become the forgotten right.
