Laken Riley’s distraught father delivered a heartfelt and urgent message to the Georgia Senate on Wednesday. His daughter was brutally murdered on the University of Georgia campus last month where she was studying to be a nurse.

The suspect is an illegal migrant from Venezuela.

Jason Riley told lawmakers Wednesday that Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp should declare an invasion of illegal migrants in his state. He called on every senator in the chamber to “protect citizens from this illegal invasion.”

Riley explained to the gathering, “I stand before you, a heartbroken man. Part of my purpose has been taken. God gave me a beautiful daughter to father, protect, provide for and nurture. A man with an evil heart stole her life.”

The father added, “He was in this country and this state illegally.”

Suspect Jose Ibarra entered the U.S. illegally from Venezuela in 2022. He was detained by Border Patrol that September on criminal charges but was released while the investigation was conducted.

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He is now held on numerous charges, including felony murder, kidnapping and false imprisonment. The crime Ibarra is accused of became the center of the nation’s fiery debate over President Joe Biden’s open border policies and the subsequent influx of millions of unvetted illegal aliens.

Jason Riley said the fact that Athens-Clarke is a so-called “sanctuary” city and the subsequent lack of action “led to the murder of my daughter.”

His 22-year-old daughter’s death is a rallying cry for Republicans who sharply criticize releasing illegal migrants into unsuspecting U.S. communities. 

Laken Riley grew up in the suburban Atlanta area and was known as a bright scholar-athlete. She embarked on church mission trips and was an avid runner.It was during a jog on the UGA campus last month when she disappeared. An alarmed friend called authorities to report that she had not returned as expected, and an extensive search was launched.

Police found her body near campus running trails and a lake that was frequented by students in the college town. Riley suffered severe blunt force trauma, and the investigation quickly led authorities to arrest Ibarra.

There was no connection between Riley and her accused attacker other than proximity. University of Georgia Police Chief Jeff Clark told a news conference that it was merely a “crime of opportunity.”

Clark said the suspect “saw an individual and bad things happened.”