Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul on Thursday scolded Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for his unwillingness to answer questions about why the illegal immigrant charged for the murder of Laken Riley was paroled.
Venezuelan illegal immigrant Jose Ibarra allegedly killed Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student, with Mayorkas on Tuesday saying he would be “pleased” to explain why he was paroled into the United States after reviewing the details of the case when Republican North Carolina Rep. Dan Bishop pressed him. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina announced on Tuesday that DHS informed him Ibarra got paroled “due to detention capacity at central processing center in El Paso, Texas,” which Paul questioned the secretary about, but he refused to address the circumstances of the alleged killer’s parole. (RELATED: House Passes ‘Laken Riley Act’ To Crack Down On Illegal Immigrant Criminals)
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“For what reason was the alleged killer of Laken Riley, Jose Ibarra paroled and allowed to come into this country?” Paul asked.
“Ranking member Paul, first and foremost, all our hearts break for the family of Miss Riley,” Mayorkas answered. “Secondly, the perpetrator of this heinous criminal act needs to meet justice to the fullest extent of the law, and I will not comment on the particulars of the case because the matter is being prosecuted by authorities now.”
Mayorkas on Tuesday told Bishop he did not have the details of the case on hand but that he was willing to share them after the hearing.
“This isn’t on the case of whether or not he murdered her. This is on the case of why you paroled him,” Paul said. “Why was he paroled?”
Mayorkas said his answer remained the same and would not elaborate.
“You’re refusing to answer the question?” Paul asked. “You’re refusing to give any specifics about Jose Ibarra.”
Paul then reiterated the documentation Graham announced on Tuesday.
“Ranking member Paul, there are different bases for parole. I am not a legal expert in this regard, but let me assure you that when an individual is encountered at the border and they are deemed to be, at the time of encounter, a threat to public safety or national security, they are a priority for detention,” Mayorkas said. “If not, they receive a notice to appear and are placed in immigration enforcement proceedings. The number of individuals encountered at the border exceed the number of beds available in our detention facilities. That is not something specific to this administration. That is something that has been true.”
Paul also asked Mayorkas why he won’t bring back former President Donald Trump’s policies because he said they worked better.
“I respectfully, ranking member, disagree with the premise of your question,” Mayorkas said.
Paul listed other cases of illegal immigrants allegedly killing Americans.
“I’m just so sickened and sad by the families that have lost loved ones from this,” Paul said. “I don’t see real remorse. I don’t see your willing to answer the questions I mean, if it were me, I would be so upset by this I’ll be doing everything possible to make sure that another Jose Ibarra doesn’t get in. But apparently his brother’s got a rap sheet ten times longer than Jose does.”
“All I can express is disappointment and bewilderment that the Democrats let you get away with it,” Paul concluded.
The Democratic-held Senate quickly voted on Wednesday to reject both articles of impeachment against Mayorkas along party lines after the House voted to impeach him on Feb. 13 over his handling of the border crisis.
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