GOP senator says Biden better 'pray' for presidential immunity over border policies
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 20: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) speaks alongside Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on June 20, 2024 in Washington, DC. The senators held the news conference to introduce their legislation
Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said President Biden should "pray" for presidential immunity over his border policies that Graham said have opened the doors to violent illegal immigrants to carry out rapes and murders against Americans.
"Joe Biden better hope and pray there's presidential immunity, because when he allowed the killer of Laken Riley to be released on parole because [of] lack of capacity, I think he's subject not only to lawsuit, but criminal prosecution – if there's not presidential immunity," Graham said on "Fox News Sunday."
Graham's comment came amid discussion about the Democratic Party's increased criticism of the Supreme Court, including Biden saying earlier this month that the "Supreme Court has never been as out of kilter as it is today," and the Senate possibly enforcing an ethics code on SCOTUS.
US President Joe Biden speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Biden is announcing a streamlined path to legal status for more than 500,000 immigrants, marking his administration's broadest effort
The Republican senator argued that Democrats are attacking the high court to protect Biden's record in office, including immigration policies that have led to more than 7 million illegal immigrants crossing the border.
"The border is beyond broken. You have wars in Ukraine. You have the Mideast on fire. When it comes to enforcing the law, Joe Biden has been beyond reckless. He's taken a parole statute that's limited in nature and has given a million people parole," Graham said.
Laken Riley
Graham cited the murder of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was discovered beaten to death in February after going for a run on the University of Georgia campus. The Augusta University student crossed paths with illegal immigrant Jose Antonio Ibarra, according to authorities, and died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Follow FOX 5 Atlanta's coverage on Laken Riley's UGA death:
- Collins calls Laken Riley Act 'good policy,' wants Georgia senators to get on board
- DA not seeking death penalty for accused Laken Riley killer Jose Ibarra
- Illegal immigrant suspect in Laken Riley's murder indicted, accused of 'peeping' on UGA staff member
- Laken Hope Riley: Run-walk planned for murdered nursing student
- Read more here
JOSE ANTONIO IBARRA
"Laken Riley's murderer was paroled because they had lack of capacity in El Paso. They let him out under the parole statute because they were full. There's nothing in the statute that says you can go cause you're full. And he killed this lady. On and on and on. All of these women who've been raped and murdered have one thing in common. The people that killed them, raped them and murdered them were in our custody and let go, I think, illegally," he continued before suggesting Biden could face prosecution over his border policies.
RELATED NEWS: Presidential debate, Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity may coincide this week
Presidential immunity has become a hot topic this election cycle, as former President Trump faces a bevy of court cases ahead of the 2024 election. The Supreme Court is expected to issue an opinion regarding whether Trump is immune from prosecution in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s election interference case, which is currently postponed indefinitely.