During Thursday’s State of the Union address, Biden appeared to go off script in response to heckling from Republican members on the House floor.
Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene yelled “Say her name” – referring to murdered Georgia college student Laken Riley – several times at Biden before he stated,“THOUSANDS of Americans are being Killed by ILLEGALS.”
Both mainstream and progressive Democrats were quick to combat Biden’s rhetoric. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told CNN that Biden should have referred to Riley’s killer as “undocumented.”
Progressive members were also quick to call out Biden’s rhetoric, including Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas.
Congressman Chuy Garcia of Illinois was another member who expressed his disappointment with Biden.
Laken Riley was a nursing student, murdered while going for a run by Jose Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan citizen who authorities said had entered the country illegally.
