Washington DC - The trial of an undocumented migrant from Venezuela charged with murdering a US nursing student, a case cited as evidence of lax borders by Donald Trump during his presidential campaign, began Friday in Georgia.

The body of Laken Riley, who had gone on a morning jog, was found in a wooded area near a lake on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens in February.

Jose Antonio Ibarra (26) is facing 10 counts including murder and aggravated assault with the intent to rape Riley, a student at Augusta University in Athens.

He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted in the trial, which is taking place in Athens.

The killing shocked the university town and made national headlines when Republicans said President Joe Biden had Riley's blood on his hands due to what they call his lax policy on border control.

"Laken Riley would be alive today if Joe Biden had not willfully and maliciously eviscerated the borders of the United States," Trump, who then was running against Biden for the White House, said in March.

Trump then met with Riley's parents and mentioned her at the Republican National Convention.

Throughout his campaign, Trump repeatedly railed against undocumented migrants, blaming them for "poisoning the blood" of the country, and pledged to crack down on border crossings and deport criminals upon taking office.

Trump defeated Kamala Harris, who replaced Biden on the Democratic ticket, in the November 5 presidential election. He will take office in January.

He has named veteran hardline immigration official Tom Homan as his "border czar."