Protesters recently interrupted a news conference in Georgia as Athens Mayor Kelly Girtz defended the city's policies aimed at limiting cooperation with federal authorities enforcing immigration enforcement actions. These policies were scrutinized following revelations that the suspect in the tragic killing of nursing student Laken Riley was an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela. Riley's body was discovered after she didn't return from a jog on the University of Georgia trails, suffering blunt force trauma. Chief Jeff Clark described the killing as a "crime of opportunity."

Following Riley's death, Republican leaders have called for stricter immigration policies, while Democrats have criticized the connection between her murder and immigration as a political move. National research suggests immigrants are not more likely to commit crimes in the U.S. Amid the controversy, Latino students and Hispanic groups in Georgia have spoken out against hateful rhetoric towards immigrants.

In response to the tragedy, the Latino Community Fund Georgia highlighted immigrants' contributions in the state, emphasizing their importance in Georgia's workforce and tax system. The mayor of Athens clarified that their policies do not establish sanctuary city status, meeting state law requirements while maintaining local authority over law enforcement practices. As the community grapples with these complexities, the conversation surrounding immigration and crime continues to unfold in Georgia.