House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan is taking a firm stance against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. He’s considering issuing a subpoena due to what he sees as a failure to be open about the case of a migrant linked to the murder of Laken Riley, according to information obtained by The Post.
In a letter sent on Thursday, which The Post had access to, it’s clear that the DHS Secretary hasn’t replied to a request made on February 27. This request was for documents detailing the immigration history of Jose Ibarra.
Ibarra is accused of a brutal attack on Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student. The attack happened four days before the request, as she was running on the University of Georgia campus. Authorities say Ibarra hit her with a blunt object, causing severe injury and disfiguring her skull.
Following this, Ibarra faces several serious charges. These include felony murder, malice murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery, all related to Riley’s death.
Jim Jordan emphasizes that the lack of information from DHS hinders the Committee’s ability to oversee constitutional obligations effectively.
In his correspondence, Jordan, alongside Representatives Tom McClintock and Ben Cine, stresses the urgency of their request. They’ve asked for the requested information to be provided by March 28, 2024, at 5:00 p.m., warning that they might resort to compulsory measures if their request is not met.
Jose Ibarra, 26, was reported by The Post as being associated with the dangerous Tren de Aragua gang. His first arrest for illegally entering the US was in September 2022 at El Paso, Texas.
Despite spending less than 24 hours in custody, federal authorities released him into the US on parole. This decision allowed him freedom in the country until October 2024, as shared by insiders from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
After being released, Ibarra moved to New York. There, he lived with Layling Franco, the woman he crossed the border with, and her son. The couple eventually married and then separated. Ibarra then moved to Georgia to join his brothers Diego and Argenis.
All three brothers were arrested on the same day. Legal actions against Diego highlight his gang-related tattoos, linking him to Tren de Aragua. He could face up to 10 years in prison for possessing a fake green card.
As of now, Jose and Diego have not responded to the charges against them. Argenis is being held in custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as reported on March 8 by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.