MONTEZUMA, Iowa — Attorneys in the case of a Mexican man accused of killing an Iowa college student sparred Wednesday over the suspect’s immigration status, and a defense lawyer lashed out at President Donald Trump for suggesting that his client is guilty in comments that he said would “poison” the entire jury pool.

So far, prosecutors are standing by their allegations that Cristhian Bahena Rivera, 24, was in the country illegally when he abducted and killed Mollie Tibbetts, a 20-year-old student whose body was found Tuesday. Prosecutors have charged Rivera with first-degree murder, and he’s being held on a $5 million bond.

But Rivera’s lawyer filed paperwork arguing that Rivera had legal status to be in the country, and he referred to comments by an employer that believed Rivera was able to work at a nearby dairy. In the documents, defense attorney Allan M. Richards noted Trump’s use of the case to rail against the nation’s immigration system.