ATLANTA – Today, Speaker of the House Jon Burns (R-Newington) issued the following statement on the tragic death of Laken Riley:
“We continue to mourn Laken Riley’s tragic death, and lift up her family in our prayers. A precious young lady with a bright future appears to have lost her life because of the failures of so many to secure our border and end the mass influx of illegal immigrants.
“Let me be clear—this tragedy was created by the inaction of politicians to fix our broken immigration system, and it has been exacerbated over the past three years by an administration that has refused to secure our southern border.
“But there are certainly also questions surrounding the administration of justice at the local level, and House leadership will be pressing for answers over the coming days as to why exactly the suspect and his brother continued to roam freely in the Athens area.
“This tragedy is as lamentable as it is maddening – and while our state continues to mourn Laken’s loss, over the coming days, the Georgia House will be looking at ways to strengthen the security of our state, enhance public safety, and act where the federal government has failed to do so. At every step, we will be guided by the facts, do what’s right for the people of Georgia, and work to deliver justice to a family whose light was taken far too soon.”
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