Skip to content
LPBN-Icon-v1
ImmigrationProf Blog
A Member of the Law Professor Blogs Network

Immigration Prominent in Biden’s State of the Union Speech

By immigrationprof

Eo_1-1-1200x1200

Official White House Photo

In a fiery State of the Union address last night, President Joe Biden flatly rejected concerns over his age and drew a sharp contrast with former President Donald Trump (without mentioning him), on issues like abortion, immigration and the economy. Here are NPR’s six key moments and five takeaways from his speech,

As reported by NPR, 

“President Biden continued to attack Republicans for playing politics with the border during his State of the Union address, as Republicans in the House gallery heckled him back.

He pointed his finger and blasted Republican leaders for bowing down to former President Donald Trump and walking away from the “toughest set of border security reforms we’ve ever seen” in the country.

`I’m told my predecessor called members in the Senate Congress and demanded they block the bill,’ Biden said. `”He feels it would be a political win for me and a political loser for him. It’s not about him or me. It’d be a winner for America!’

As he spoke, some Republicans screamed at Biden to `say her name,’ referring to Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student who was killed last month. An undocumented immigrant has been charged with the crime.

The speech — as well as the response — reflect how difficult the border issue has become ahead of the 2024 presidential election.”

In responding to heckling on the Laken Riley killing, Biden referred to the accused as an “illegal,” a striking reference that caught peoples’ attention.

The Republican rebuttal by Alabama Senator Katie Britt was memorable.   My read is that we will see the rebuttal featured on the next episode of Saturday Night Live.  Watch the clip below and judge for yourself.  Senator Britt started off her remarks by focusing on the border as part of the “American nightmare.”  As CNN reported, “[i]n her speech, Britt focused heavily on immigration and the border, calling Biden’s border policies `senseless’ and `a disgrace.’ Referring to Laken Riley, Britt said, `tonight, President Biden finally said her name, but he refused to take responsibility for his own actions.’”

Riley was found dead last month after jogging near a lake on the University of Georgia campus. Police say she was killed by a man who illegally crossed the border. The 22-year-old died from blunt force trauma to the head, according to Athens-Clarke County Coroner Sonny Wilson.

KJ

Posted in:
Current Affairs