NEW: Laken Riley’s Illegal Immigrant Murderer Was RELEASED By Biden’s DHS

New evidence in the death of University of Georgia student Laken Riley has surfaced, revealing that the illegal migrant who allegedly killed the 22-year-old was previously released by the Department of Homeland Security.

The disclosure came as part of a hearing by the U.S. Senate into the agency’s handling of the southern border. During questioning by a Senate committee, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) asked DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas why his office chose to release Jose Ibarra, a migrant who entered the U.S. in September of 2022 and was quickly released on parole.

“Now we all know that the reason he was paroled into this country is because of lack of detention capacity, which you and I both know is not a valid reason,” the senator said according to the Washington Times.

DHS guidelines allow for the release of migrants when detention centers are beyond capacity. Under the power of parole, Mayorkas may order releases based on urgent humanitarian needs or a significant benefit to the public. Neither of those applied in Ibarra’s case, Sen. Hawley charged.

The Missouri Republican added that Ibarra’s file shows “a criminal history” which should have prompted DHS to second-guess his release. Less than a year after being paroled, Ibarra was picked up by New York City police on charges of injuring a child. He was never prosecuted, ABC7 reported, because the city’s sanctuary city policies required NYPD to refuse cooperation with U.S. Immigrations and Customs enforcement.

“He had a criminal record to start with, he’s in the country on illegal grounds, you have falsely and illegally allowed him in, he commits a crime against a child, it’s expunged,” Mr. Hawley said.

Mayorkas replied that his “heart breaks” for Riley and her family, but would not comment further.

“I do not want to speak to the particulars of the case, given the pending prosecution,” replied President Biden’s top immigration official.

But stonewalling by Mayorkas didn’t stop Sen. Hawley from asking why he allegedly changed his story about Ibarra’s case file on two separate occasions in the past month while testifying before other committees.

“Why did you change your story so often?” Mr. Hawley challenged.

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“I’m confident that justice will be vindicated in the criminal prosecution,” Mr. Mayorkas replied.

Ibarra is charged in the February killing of Riley, who was reported missing after a morning run around her university’s campus. Less than an hour after a roommate reported her disappearance, police located the girl’s body at Oconee Forest Park behind Lake Herrick.

Other Republicans like Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) have gone so far as to allege President Biden broke the law when DHS made the decision to parole Ibarra.

“He wasn’t granted parole because he provided a significant benefit to the country or that he had a humanitarian need, as the law requires,” Graham wrote on X. “The Biden Administration is breaking the law at the expense of innocent Americans.”