(DailyAnswer.org) – In September 2023, federal officials arranged a “humanitarian flight” for Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan immigrant accused of murdering 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley. When pressed for details about this unusual move, officials kept silent.
During Ibarra’s trial in Georgia on Monday, prosecutors presented a photo of his Delta Air Lines boarding pass for a flight from New York City to Atlanta on September 28, 2023. The boarding pass was retrieved from a WhatsApp account linked to Ibarra, according to FBI Special Agent Jamie Hipkiss.
The story began earlier in 2023 when Ibarra, along with his former roommate, Rosbeli Flores-Bello, traveled to Manhattan’s Roosevelt Hotel. Testifying in court, Flores-Bello explained that the two Venezuelan nationals sought a “humanitarian flight” to Georgia, lured by promises of work from Ibarra’s brother in Athens. The Roosevelt Hotel, located near Grand Central Station, had been converted into a migrant processing hub earlier that year. Dubbed a “reticketing center,” the facility assisted migrants, many of whom were asylum seekers, with transportation to other U.S. cities.
This reticketing program is part of New York City’s efforts to manage the influx of migrants. Since spring 2022, over 223,000 migrants have passed through the city’s shelters. Mayor Eric Adams’ office acknowledged the devastating nature of Riley’s murder but defended the system as a necessary tool amid what they call a national crisis. Adams’ press secretary, Kayla Mamelak Altus, pointed out that cities like New York have borne the brunt of this responsibility, urging for broader solutions.
Despite these explanations, critics argue that such programs can have dangerous consequences. President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming border czar, Tom Homan, has vowed to dismantle policies that he says enable such tragedies. Homan, who previously led U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is doubling down on stricter border enforcement.
As for Ibarra’s case, both the FBI and Delta Air Lines declined to provide additional comments, and the White House has yet to address questions about the flight. Meanwhile, Riley’s family and community await justice, haunted by a system that seems to have failed them at every turn. For more on Laken Riley’s life and legacy, additional details are available.
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