Biden Campaign Co-chair Says President Should've Used Different Word Than 'illegal'

Mitch Landrieu, the national co-chair of Joe Biden's reelection campaign, said Friday that Biden should have used a different word than “illegal” during his State of the Union address when describing the undocumented immigrant who allegedly murdered a Georgia medical student last month.

Biden’s off-the-cuff remark during the address Thursday caused backlash from several Democrats, including lawmakers who posted “no human being is illegal” in response on social media.

“He probably should’ve used a different word and I think he would know that. But what you should notice about that is not that he made a small mistake,” Landrieu said on CNN Friday morning. “The big thing that he didn't write, and this is what this president always does, is express empathy to people, he expressed kindness to people. He understands because, as you know, he lost a number of children in his life.”

Biden was interrupted during his address by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who was shouting the name of the Georgia medical student, Laken Riley. Biden pulled out a pin that Greene had appeared to hand him when he entered the chamber that had Riley’s name on it.

“Lincoln Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal,” Biden said, mispronouncing her first name. “To her parents, I say my heart goes out to you.”

Several Democrats took issue with Biden’s use of the term “illegal,” calling the word “dehumanizing” language directed toward undocumented immigrants.

Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) said it was “dangerously close to language from Donald Trump that puts a target on the backs of Latinos everywhere” and Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.) said he was “extremely disappointed.”

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said on CNN Thursday night that Biden “should have said undocumented,” though “it’s not a big” issue.

"I don't think it's a big deal because his focus was on the sympathy of the family, which was a terrible tragedy,” Pelosi said.