Editor’s note: A Georgia judge on Wednesday morning found Jose Antonio Ibarra, an illegal alien from Venezuela, guilty of all 10 counts. the killing of nursing student Laken Riley. Ibarra, who faces life in prison, waived his right to a jury trial.

The trial of the man accused of the brutal murder of the 22-year-old Laken Riley serves as a harrowing reminder of the failures of the criminal justice and immigration systems. These systems, if they work as they should, protect the most vulnerable among us.

Laken should be alive today, but a combination of misguided policies and systemic failures led to this preventable tragedy. Every level of government that was supposed to protect Laken and countless others has failed us, especially our daughters who deserve to feel safe on college campuses.

We need to get back to basics and common sense so that this kind of nightmare doesn’t happen again. Let’s look at three major issues.

First, we need to address the problem open borders. The monster accused of Laken’s murder, Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, should never have been allowed into this country in the first place.

Ibarra, an illegal alien from Venezuela, was not supposed to be released by authorities after committing crimes before Laken’s murder. Who thought that was a good idea?

Second, we must recognize and admit it the leftHis version of “bail reform” was and continues to be an abject failure. It only put the residents of America’s biggest cities at risk.

Ibarra had been arrested on two felony charges – one for operating a scooter without a license and the other for endangering the welfare of a minor.

These allegations alone should have prompted a more serious consideration of the risk he posed to others despite being in this country illegally.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, a Democrat, had the opportunity to prosecute Ibarra. However, due to New York’s bail reform laws, Ibarra was issued “office appearance” tickets, making it easier for prosecution to be denied.

At the very least, Ibarra should have been prosecuted for driving a scooter without a license, which was a major quality of life issue for Katz’s constituents. It is vital that we demand accountability from our prosecutors, who are elected to uphold the law.

When Ibarra received a simple citation for theft in Athens, that meant no one was monitoring compliance with the conditions of his release due to the absence of surety bond.

What kind of bail reform is that when someone like Ibarra is allowed to walk free and prey on innocent victims? No bail, no bail bondsman, no liability.

Third, we must face the fact that Funded by George Soros “progressive” prosecutors have become a cancer on the body politic.

The move, exposed by Heritage Foundation researchers and former prosecutors Cully Stimson and Zack Smith in their must-read book “Rogue prosecutors”, was the most dangerous social experiment launched on society in modern times.

The image of Laken Riley’s mother standing in court, grappling with the evidence of her daughter’s horrific murder, should stir a deep sense of urgency in all of us. How many more lives must be lost before we take a stand against policies that put our daughters at risk? Does that put each of us at risk?

Knowing that the nation’s borders will be secured through the incoming Trump administration, we must consider how to implement safeguards in cities and states that embrace the reckless policies led by the far left.

The solutions are simple in kindergarten. The next United States attorney general must enforce the country’s criminal laws at the federal level, encourage the 2,300 elected prosecutors to do so at the local level, and put the needs of victims first. Period.

America’s next Attorney General needs to visit the crime pits of New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and other places that have funded Soros. dishonest prosecutors and call them by name.

He must unleash his U.S. attorneys in those cities, directing them to prosecute every felon in possession of a firearm and work closely with immigration authorities to ensure that convicted criminal aliens are promptly deported from our country. He must stand by victims and victims’ rights organizations and never give up.

We need leaders who are willing to fight for justice and ensure that our legal system serves the interests of the community rather than helping criminals.

In the current landscape of our justice system, there is an alarming disparity between the rights of victims and the rights of offenders. Crime victims they should have an equally robust mechanism to voice their grievances and seek justice when they feel wronged by the system. However, as it stands, such a platform is largely absent, leaving individuals and families to navigate their trauma without the support they deserve.

When a prosecutor chooses not to pursue a case, or when a judge acquits a dangerous person who later commits further violence, victims are in a vulnerable position. They are left to pick up the pieces while the systems designed to protect them fail. This is a profound injustice that needs to be addressed.

In stark contrast, criminals have the ability to challenge convictions, challenge evidence, and challenge the actions of law enforcement and the judicial system. This imbalance raises critical questions: Why do victims lack a similar avenue of redress? Why are their concerns sidelined while criminals have more opportunities to fight the consequences of their actions?

As we reflect on the tragic case of Laken Riley, let’s not forget that the fight for accountability and reform is also about the safety and well-being of the wider community.

We must support policies that prioritize public safety, hold perpetrators accountable, and ensure our legal system is equipped to protect the most vulnerable. The time for change is now, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that tragedies like Laken’s never happen again.

We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written herein should be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal.