Family of Laken Riley endorses Rep. Mike Collins for Senate
Representative Mike Collins, a Republican from Georgia, from left, Allyson Phillips, mother of Laken Riley, Senator John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, and Senator Katie Britt, a Republican from Alabama, watch as US President Donald Trump signs
GEORGIA - The family of slain college student Laken Riley endorsed Mike Collins for U.S. Senate on Monday.
What we know:
Allyson and John Phillips, the mother and stepfather of Riley, said they're supporting Collins because he helped bring justice for Riley after she was killed by an undocumented immigrant in 2024.
What they're saying:
The family released a statement on their support of Collins. It read, in part, "There is simply no one else in this race who deserves to be in the U.S. Senate more than Mike Collins. He is someone who says what he means, means what he says, and actually delivers results that matter."
After Riley was killed, President Donald Trump and other Republicans blamed former President Joe Biden for her death. They pointed to the fact that Jose Ibarra had been arrested for illegal entry in September 2022 near El Paso, Texas, but was released while his case moved through immigration court.
The Phillips echoed that sentiment in their release.
"The Biden Administration and our current senators voted for open borders that allowed Laken's killer to come to the United States. They were looking out for illegal immigrants instead of looking out for their own constituents," the statement said. "Next November, please join us in supporting our friend Mike Collins and give him the ability to create policies that will ensure the safety and protection of all Georgia’s sons and daughters."
Dig deeper:
Collins authored legislation known as the Laken Riley Act. It requires federal officials to detain any immigrant arrested or charged with crimes such as theft, assaulting a police officer, or causing injury or death. The law also gives state attorneys general the power to sue the federal government for harm caused by immigration policy decisions.
The bill was the first piece of legislation signed by Trump at the start of his second term.
What's next:
Collins is running against multiple other Republicans, like Rep. Buddy Carter and football coach Derek Dooley, to be the nominee who takes on Senator Jon Ossoff next November.
The primary election is set for May 19, 2026.
The backstory:
Riley, 22, was found dead on Feb. 22, 2024, after going for a run on the University of Georgia campus in Athens and never returning.
Laken Hope Riley
Authorities said she was attacked and killed before being discovered later that day.
Jose Ibarra, an undocumented immigrant, was arrested and later convicted of her murder. He is serving a life sentence but has since requested a new trial.
The Source: Information in this article came from a release by the Phillips and past reporting by FOX 5 News.