Appearing to go off script, President Joe Biden sparred with Republican hecklers during the State of the Union address.
Goaded by Trump-allied Republican US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Biden went off script to address the case of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia, who was allegedly murdered last month by an undocumented immigrant who had been released on parole.
Republicans, who blame Mr Biden and his administration’s border policies for the deaths of Americans killed by illegal migrants, have seized on Ms Riley’s death as a symbol of Democrats’ failure.
“It’s about Laken Riley,” shouted Ms Greene during the speech, interrupting Mr Biden as he talked about the border. “Say her name!”
Mr Biden repeated her name, saying she was an innocent woman killed by “an illegal.” But he said thousands are killed by “legal” US residents, before sending his condolences to Ms Riley’s family.
