Federal officials will deport two brothers of José Ibarra, the Venezuelan man convicted of murdering Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, after they pleaded guilty to carrying bogus passports. A former roommate of the Ibarra brothers, also found with fake identification, will be deported as well.
Diego Ibarra, 29, was arrested as part of the Riley murder investigation after presenting authorities with a fraudulent green card. He was sentenced to four years in federal prison for holding counterfeit documents and will be transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody for deportation after serving his term, according to the Department of Justice.
According to The Associated Press, a third brother, Argenis Ibarra, 25, and former roommate, Rosbeli Flores-Bello, 29, have been sentenced to time served for similar offenses and will be turned over to ICE immediately.
Federal agents uncovered bogus green cards and Social Security cards in Argenis Ibarra and Flores-Bello’s residence, which they shared with Diego and José Ibarra. The Justice Department reported that officials think Diego Ibarra is a member of the Venezuelan gang “Tren de Aragua,” noting his tattoos and social media posts featuring gang-related emblems.
José Ibarra, 27, was found guilty in November 2024 of the murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley, who was attacked while jogging on the University of Georgia campus in February 2024. He was condemned to life in jail with no hope of parole.
The death of Laken Riley sparked a nationwide discussion about immigration enforcement. In response, President Donald Trump signed the Laken Riley Act, the first piece of legislation passed during his second term.
The law broadens the federal government’s jurisdiction to imprison undocumented immigrants, even for minor offenses like stealing, and requires detention for individuals accused of assaulting police or causing death or serious injury.
Republicans have suggested that Riley’s murder may have been avoided if the statute had been in place earlier, citing Ibarra’s previous shoplifting arrest in New York, where he was not detained by immigration officials. “If this act had been the law of the land, he would never have had the opportunity to kill her,” Georgia Representative Mike Collins stated in January.
The Laken Riley Act received broad support, including votes from 46 House Democrats and 12 Senate Democrats.
