[ad_1]
The White House on Monday stated President Biden “absolutely did not apologize” for referring to the alleged unlawful immigrant killer of Georgia pupil Laken Riley as “an illegal” – the most recent flip in a spiraling controversy over an unscripted comment on the State of the Union.
“First of all, I want to be really clear about something: the president absolutely did not apologize,” White House spokesperson Olivia Dalton instructed reporters when requested about why Biden “apologized.” “There was no apology anywhere in that conversation. He did not apologize. He used a different word.”
Biden had been urged by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to say the title of Riley, who was killed final month, allegedly by a Venezuelan nationwide who entered the nation illegally however was paroled into the inside.
President Biden holds up a Laken Riley button as he delivers the State of the Union deal with on the U.S. Capitol, Thursday, March 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
“Lincoln Riley [sic],” he stated, holding up a badge together with her title on it. “An innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal, that’s right.”
The use of the time period “illegal,” even in reference to an alleged unlawful immigrant assassin, rankled some Democrats and immigration activists who take into account the phrase offensive.
“Let me be clear: No human being is illegal,” stated Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., on X, previously often called Twitter.
BIDEN, IN STATE OF THE UNION, USES TERM FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THAT HIS DHS WARNED AGAINST IN 2021
“As a proud immigrant, I’m extremely disappointed to hear President Biden use the word ‘illegal,’” Rep. Chuy Garcia, D-Ill., stated.
Suspect Jose Ibarra lived inside a five-minute stroll of the approximate scene the place he allegedly murdered 22-year-old nursing pupil Laken Riley on Feb. 22. (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital/ Laken Riley/ Jose Ibarra)
Biden was later requested about the usage of the phrase in an MSNBC interview and expressed remorse for the perceived fake pas, whereas additionally claiming that unlawful immigrants “built the country.”
“And I shouldn’t have used illegal, I should’ve… It’s undocumented. And look, when I spoke about the difference between Trump and me, one of the things I talked about on the border was his – the way he talks about vermin, the way he talks about these people polluting the blood. I talked about what I’m not going to do, what I won’t do. I’m not going to treat any, any, any of these people with disrespect. Look, they built the country. The reason our economy is growing, we have to control the border and more orderly flow. But I don’t share his view at all.”
When requested if he regrets his phrase alternative, Biden replied, “Yes.”
Biden’s response was savaged by many on the precise, who interpreted his remarks as an apology.
“The president is cowering to his base and showing deference to a man who deserves none. This man is an illegal immigrant who brutally murdered Laken Riley. President Biden should be apologizing to Laken’s family. What an embarrassment,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., wrote on X on Sunday.
The White House on Monday, whereas clarifying that Biden was not apologizing for his remarks, accused his critics of “playing politics” and renewed its calls for Congress to cross a bipartisan border settlement that will improve funding and staffing whereas limiting some releases into the inside. The proposal has confronted conservative opposition for what they are saying is a invoice that will regularize excessive ranges of unlawful immigration.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“I think it’s unconscionable that there are some people who are playing politics with this young woman’s tragic murder, and particularly at a time when, let’s not forget, House Republicans are standing in the way of a bipartisan border security agreement,” Dalton, the White House spokesperson, stated.
“That is the toughest bill we have ever seen in history. And they’re doing so because Donald Trump feels that the American people’s safety is less important than his personal politics,” she stated.
Fox News’ Joseph Wulfsohn, Joshua Comins and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
Source hyperlink