President Biden expressed regret on Saturday for using the term “illegal” during his State of the Union address when referring to the suspected killer of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley.
After facing criticism from some within his party for using the term to describe individuals who arrived or are residing in the U.S. without legal documentation, Biden apologized, stating that he did not intend to belittle any group and wanted to distinguish himself from former President Donald Trump.
During an interview with MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart, Biden acknowledged his mistake, saying, “I shouldn’t have used illegal, it’s undocumented.” The term was once commonly used but is now less prevalent, especially among Democrats who have embraced immigrant rights more fully during Trump’s presidency.
The incident took place on Thursday night when Biden urged Republicans in his address to approve a bipartisan border security agreement that collapsed after opposition from Trump. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a staunch ally of Trump, interrupted the president, demanding that he mention Laken Riley, the Georgia woman who was killed last month, stating that she was killed “by an illegal.”
“By an illegal, that’s correct,” Biden responded immediately, before questioning how many people are being killed by “legals.”
Riley’s death, a nursing student, has become a focal point for Republicans, portraying it as a tragic example of the Biden administration’s management of the U.S.-Mexico border amidst a surge of immigrants entering the country. An immigrant from Venezuela who entered the U.S. unlawfully has been apprehended and charged with her murder.
During his conversation with Capehart, Biden emphasized, “When I spoke about the distinction between Trump and myself, one of the things I highlighted regarding the border was his rhetoric towards immigrants, dehumanizing them. I discussed what I will not do. I will not disrespect any of these individuals.”
This seemed to reflect a change from the previous day, when Biden hesitated when asked by reporters if he regretted using the term, initially saying, “well I probably,” before pausing and stating, “I don’t,” and beginning to say the word “regret.”
