OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
A woman who says she voted for President Joe Biden is blasting him over his administration’s lax border enforcement policies after her 19-year-old daughter was killed by a drunk migrant illegally in the U.S.
In particular, Rhonda Exum told Fox News during a panel discussion on rising crime during Biden’s term she is “disappointed” that her daughter’s killer will be allowed to remain in the U.S. under current immigration policy though he’s not in the country legally.
“My message is, look out for the American people first,” Exum said. “Truth be told, this was literally my first time voting and I voted for you, and I feel disappointed right now.”
WATCH: Mother of a teen killed by an illegal immigrant says she is “disappointed” in Joe Biden.
“This was literally my first time voting and I voted for you, and I feel disappointed right now.”
Biden is refusing to deport the illegal immigrant. pic.twitter.com/Frp9UZ9KLb
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 1, 2022
The Daily Mail reports:
Heriberto Fuerte-Padilla, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was driving drunk in November 2020 when he caused a car crash in Texas, killing 19-year-old Adrienne Sophia. The accused tried to flee the scene but was caught by police.
While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initially wanted authorities to deport Fuerte-Padilla after Texas issued its punishment, the federal agency changed its mind because the individual does not qualify for priority deportation under Mayorkas’ new rules issued in September 2021 to try and lower the number of removals.
Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), the ranking member on the House Committee on Homeland Security, noted that the rule change is just one of many indicating how Biden’s “failed border policies” pose unnecessary dangers to Americans while proving his administration “incompetent.”
“From a gutted immigration enforcement system to strained frontline border security resources, this administration continues to ignore the rule of law,’ Katko noted in a statement to the Daily Mail.
“President Biden’s policies have sapped the morale of frontline Homeland Security personnel and undermined the security of American communities,” he added.
According to the Washington Times, under Mayorkas’ recently adopted policies, which naturally were first approved by Biden, a growing number of deportation requests have been canceled for illegal aliens accused of, charged with, or have pleaded guilty to felony charges of evading arrest, including others who have been convicted of violent crimes like domestic assault, drug possession, and drunk driving.
“Here we have a law enforcement agency handing ICE a criminal alien on a silver platter and ICE saying no thank you, and then the law enforcement agency saying really? And ICE saying no, we really don’t want to take this person,” said Jessica Vaughan, policy studies director at the Center for Immigration Studies.
The cases were exposed in documents filed in federal court by Texas and Louisiana attorney generals Ken Paxton and Jeff Landry, respectively, both of whom have filed lawsuits challenging Mayorakas’ rule changes.
For his part, the man charged with enforcing all immigration laws has said simply being in the U.S. illegally is not a reason in and of itself for deportation, despite federal statutes saying otherwise.
“The fact an individual is a removable noncitizen therefore should not alone be the basis of an enforcement action against them. We will use our discretion and focus our enforcement resources in a more targeted way. Justice and our country’s well-being require it,” Mayorkas has told ICE and CBP officers.
In recent days, video of frustrated Border Patrol agents exchanging heated comments with the agency’s chief surfaced, with some agents accusing Mayorkas of releasing criminals into the country.
The video, obtained by Fox News, shows Border Patrol chief Raul Ortiz exchanging heated words with agents as Mayorkas reportedly looked on.
“I get it,” Ortiz said. “You come to work, you’re frustrated. You’re upset because you didn’t get the desired outcome that you want. Doesn’t mean you give up.”
“We’re not,” one agent responded.
“I know you’re not,” Ortiz replied. “That’s why I’m saying, we don’t give up. We stay focused, we continue to do the job and the mission that we signed up for. We all signed up for it, we all raised our hand.”
But then the situation got more tense and heated words were exchanged.
“It’s kinda hard to say that when…” one agent began to say.
“It’s not hard to say it,” Ortiz fired back, as the video shows. “It may be hard for you to say it, I’ve been doing this for 31 years. It’s not hard for me to say it.”
Other agents then said, “you keep releasing criminal aliens into the country.”
Ortiz shot back: “You’re getting bogged down in the policies and the politics.”
