#BREAKING Multiple DHS sources confirm the suspect in UGA student, Laken Riley’s murder—José Antonio Ibarra is here illegally from Venezuela. CBP documents show he crossed in September of 2022 into El Paso, Texas and was released due to lack of detention space.
The 26 year old from Venezuela was arrested today by ICE-ERO Atlanta. He is being charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call and concealing the death of another— According to UGA Police Chief Jeffrey L. Clark.
Officials say Riley went for a run on the University of Georgia's Athens campus yesterday and was later found dead.
#BREAKING DHS sources confirm that Jose Antonio Ibarra was arrested 5 months ago in New York.
Records show he was arrested on 9/14/23 in Queens, NY for injury to child less than 17 and no license.
According to CBP documents obtained from sources—The sponsor address Jose Antonio Ibarra provided after crossing illegally in El Paso was The Covenant House in New York— Their website says they are a youth homeless shelter.
NEW: Jose Antonio Ibarra’s booking photo via the Clarke County Sheriff's Office.
The other photo obtained from DHS sources is from when he crossed into El Paso, Texas illegally back in 2022.
Clarification: Red shirt is current booking photo.
This is what was happening back when Ibarra crossed into El Paso in September of 2022, “U.S. Border Patrol has been so overwhelmed in the region and the shelters are at capacity — One processing center is three times above its normal capacity, nonprofit shelters are starving for beds and volunteers, and a sudden surge of arrivals from Venezuela is ineligible for expulsion, the @BorderReportcom reported…”
NEW: Judge denies bond for UGA murder suspect José Antonio Ibarra in first court appearance—Ibarra’s public defenders requested he not be shown on camera in his jail clothing. The judge allowed video of judge/attorney only—According to the media outlet approved to film the hearing (pool camera).
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SCOOP: More than 1,000 known Tren De Aragua (TdA) members are in the U.S. and have been given the “green light” to fire on and attack law enforcement according to an internal bulletin that went out across Border Patrol—The agency has encountered nearly 70 TdA members since October of 2023—TdA is the largest criminal organization in Venezuela and its membership has spread throughout the Western Hemisphere and into the U.S.
The officer safety bulletin cites that Denver and New York received credible information on the threats. This morning sources within New York State police confirmed they have been alerted of the potential for “green light” attacks on law enforcement. Officers in New York are being told to remain vigilant and to reach out to their Strategic Criminal Intelligence Unit Detective or GANG Detective if contact is made with an individual associated to TdA.
One alert says that “TdA is known to exploit immigrant populations and carry out acts of violent crime.”
The Border Patrol bulletin reminds agents/officers to remain cognizant of their surroundings, maintain a heightened sense of awareness, and always wear their body armor.
This as Venezuela is dealing with unrest following President Maduro’s “victory” —Riots and protests are filling the streets.
@DenisseGomez48 and I reached out to Denver PD who pointed us back to HSI.
I reached out to CBP for comment—I haven’t heard back. The agency doesn’t typically comment on “leaked” information.
.@RepTroyNehls has sent 3 letters now to @DHSgov @SecMayorkas regarding violent criminals reportedly being released from Venezuela from prisons and traversing into the United States:
“This threat is real… Everyone thinks it won’t happen to them. It can and will and it is happening to you…”
We have been talking about the TdA threat for months now… @RepTonyGonzales took some time to discuss the “green light” alert and where we go from here with a country that won’t play ball with the U.S.:
#BREAKING Case against George Alan Kelly is dismissed—The state will not retry the case against the 75-year-old Arizona rancher.
Producer on the ground says, “A very full courtroom today drawing people from both the defense and Cuen-Buitimea. Santa Cruz County Office does not want a Retrial. Case will be dismissed.”
When I talked with him last week he said God spoke to him and said that all will be well. After 14 months—It is over for the Kelly family.
“The nightmare is over… God will look after me…” Alan Kelly briefly addresses cameras outside the Santa Cruz County courthouse in Nogales after prosecutors decide not to retry the case against him:
AZ: Protesters were there today demanding justice in the death of 48-year-old Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea—Calling for a retrial. The prosecution opting not to retry the case against 75-year-old George Alan Kelly.
#BREAKING A Texas National Guard soldier deployed from McAllen to Eagle pass under Operation Lonestar was busted for attempting to smuggle an illegal immigrant in a government vehicle on Sunday.
Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe says the soldier turned around when he approached a pop-up tactical Border Patrol checkpoint off 674 in Kinney County that had only been operational for a few days—The behavior alerting agents who attempted to stop the suv—The sheriff says Texas DPS got involved with the pursuit and used spike strips which ultimately stopped the vehicle.
KCSO assisted in the stop—TX DPS is currently investigating but sources tell me the soldier did not have access to the license plate readers or other technology that would have aided him in his efforts. He was armed so that escalated the smuggling charge. Sources say he was promised $5-6k to transport that one individual.
I have reached out to DPS and Governor Abbott’s office for comment but have not heard back.
🎥 #EXCLUSIVE via KCSO
TX: Kinney County Sheriff’s Deputy’s dashcam video showing the moments he arrives and pulls the Texas State Guard soldier from the government vehicle and puts him under arrest for human smuggling.
Sources say he is expected to be released from jail today.
🎥 #EXCLUSIVE via KCSO
NEW: Just received a statement from @GovAbbott office saying “If the allegations are true, the accused is a traitor and criminal…” adding that he deserves more than the 10 year minimum sentence that would come alongside SB4:
“It’s very clear what needs to be done… It’s demoralizing and disheartening that the political system is so broken that we can’t just get a clean bill that says, ‘here’s what we’re gonna do, we’re gonna complete the infrastructure, we’re gonna start enforcing the laws that forbid people from coming across and we’re gonna send everybody back—If you want to get asylum in this country you come through a legal port, you don’t come across illegally.”
@RobertKennedyJr reacts to the Senate #BorderBill during our @NewsNation #Exclusive interview and says Republicans should draft a “clean bill” instead:
“I’m not gonna need legislation. I’m gonna do this by executive order and I’m gonna do it on day one.”
@RobertKennedyJr says @POTUS could stop the #bordercrisis overnight if he wanted to:
“I would make an announcement on day one that it’s over and I would then begin enforcing the law so nobody gets across…”
@RobertKennedyJr reacts to our exclusive reporting on internal CBP documents showing DHS is aware that migrants coming through the Darién Gap are not asylum seekers—He says he would enlist the help of leaders in Central American countries to solve the ongoing issue:
TX: Like clockwork— Every morning over the last few weeks, law enforcement at the border in Eagle Pass say hundreds of migrants surge across the Rio Grande into Texas— We watched through the thick fog as chaos unfolded— @TxDPS warning the migrants that they can’t cross there saying it’s illegal and unsafe.
Grown men, battling the swift current, nearly swept away—FWC Officers deployed by @GovRonDeSantis in coordination with @GovAbbott efforts to secure the border, have been down here for months assisting.
In the mornings, they take the high ground and call out to the airboats when a child is coming across or when someone is struggling in the water.
Once the migrants crossed, there was no clear entry through the area so they were advised to walk down the riverbank to meet up with Border Patrol where they would be apprehended, transported and processed.
Roughly 200 people crossed into Eagle Pass successfully while we were there.
TX: Watch as @TxDPS and FWC officers rescue a young man—A toddler is also in the boat watching as the Trooper works to revive him—You even see the toddler at one point tell the other man trying to help to stay back.
We asked them why they were crossing this way and if they knew it wasn’t legal and they said yes, but it was their only option.
Law enforcement say the #cartels control the southern border and that includes who crosses where.
TX: Migrants carry an unconscious man across—They circle around and lie his naked body down—You seem them trying to resuscitate him. Moments later they erupt in applause—He’s alive.
You then see a man come over, clearing the way—He embraces and cradles the man, clearly grateful that he was ok.
This is all unfolding just down river from a legal port of entry.