Former President Bill Clinton stirred controversy during a campaign tour in Georgia by attempting to blame former President Donald Trump for the death of Laken Riley, a nursing student from Georgia killed by an illegal migrant.

Clinton argued that Trump’s actions blocking an immigration bill in Congress were connected to Riley’s death, a claim that quickly backfired, and though it was intended to support Vice President Kamala Harris, it instead provided ammunition for the former president's campaign, as the Washington Examiner reports.

Speaking in Fort Valley, Georgia, Clinton cited Riley’s death, linking it to an immigration bill that Trump had opposed earlier this year.

He claimed that Trump “killed the bill,” which had been drafted by senior Republicans, and argued that had the legislation passed, Riley’s death might have been avoided.

“If they’d all been properly vetted, that probably wouldn’t have happened,” Clinton said, referring to the immigrant accused of killing Riley.

Trump Campaign Seizes on Clinton’s Remarks

Clinton’s comments were quickly picked up by Trump’s campaign. The team shared a video of Clinton’s speech on social media, framing it as support for Trump’s stance on illegal immigration. The clip, posted on X, was accompanied by the caption: “He was supposed to be campaigning FOR Kamala. YIKES.”

This exchange highlighted a central theme of Trump’s campaign: the need for stricter immigration policies. The case of Jose Antonio Ibarra, the immigrant accused of killing Riley, was particularly contentious.

Ibarra crossed the border in September 2022, and his arrest in February 2023 came just as the immigration bill was under consideration in the Senate.

Questions Arise Over Clinton’s Timeline

Despite Clinton’s attempts to link the timing of the bill’s failure to Riley’s death, many questioned whether the legislation would have had any impact. The timeline of events cast doubt on Clinton’s assertions, as Ibarra had already crossed the border before the bill was even up for a vote. This raised skepticism about whether the bill, even if passed, could have changed the outcome.

Nonetheless, Trump’s team continued to use Clinton’s words to assert that Trump’s immigration policies were necessary. The National Republican Congressional Committee also weighed in, with spokesman Will Reinert criticizing Democrats for failing to support border security measures.

“Swing-district House Democrats voted against every reasonable border security bill this Congress that could have saved Laken Riley’s life,” Reinert said.

Clinton Expands on Immigration Debate in Georgia

While in Georgia, Clinton also discussed broader immigration issues. He emphasized the need for increased immigration to offset low birthrates and sustain economic growth, a viewpoint he shared during a speech in Columbus, Georgia. Clinton argued that the U.S. birthrate, at its lowest in over a century, requires immigration to maintain a growing economy.

“I don’t think Americans are anti-immigration, they’re anti-chaos,” Clinton said. He explained that most people recognize the need for new workers, but they want the process to be orderly. He even joked about artificial intelligence, quipping that unless AI could solve the problem, “we’ve got to have somebody come here if we want to keep growing the economy.”

Trump Allies Use Clinton’s Words to His Advantage

Trump allies quickly responded to Clinton’s speech. Former Trump adviser Steve Cortes shared the clip of Clinton’s remarks, interpreting them as an indication that Democrats were more focused on immigration than the concerns of American citizens. Cortes went as far as to claim that Democrats aim to “replace American citizens with migrants,” a common criticism from conservative circles.

Clinton’s comments in Georgia, meant to bolster support for Vice President Harris, instead sparked a renewed debate over immigration and border security. Harris, who is trailing Trump in Georgia by 0.5 percentage points, faces a tough political landscape in this key swing state, especially as Republicans continue to frame immigration as a central issue.

Conclusion

Bill Clinton’s attempt to pin the death of Laken Riley on Donald Trump’s immigration policies has reignited the political debate over border security.

Though Clinton aimed to support Kamala Harris, his comments were seized upon by Trump’s campaign, which turned them into a defense of Trump’s anti-immigration stance.

The controversy has complicated Harris’s efforts in Georgia, a crucial state where the political stakes are high, as both parties continue to grapple with the contentious issue of immigration.