House Democrats were caught on camera apparently downplaying the influence of illegal immigration in the murder of Jocelyn Nungaray, 12, in Houston, one of them telling FOX Business that “I don’t know who she is.”
The comments come after bail was set at $10 million each for Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, the two Venezuelan suspects who each face a capital murder charge. The two men entered the United States illegally near El Paso, Texas, before being captured by the Border Patrol and released. Nungaray was then strangled to death early last week in a case prosecutors say. bears traces of sexual assault.
When FOX business correspondent Hillary Vaughn caught up with Rep. Summer Lee to ask her thoughts on Nungaray’s killing, she interrupted, saying, “Oh, I’m sorry, I don’t talk to strangers – I don’t even know who. you are and I don’t know who she is, I’m out of Pittsburgh. ”
“I don’t know,” Lee added before disappearing into a Capitol Hill office.
JOCELYN NUNGARAY’S FAMILY ADVOCATES FOR STRENGTHENED BORDER SECURITY
Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., told FOX business correspondent Hillary Vaughn that she didn’t know who Jocelyn Nungaray was. (Fox News)
Rep. Robert Garcia of California, when asked by Vaughn if it was “time to rethink our parole policy if we release the people who murder our children,” called Nungaray’s killing “horrible” and said that “the people who committed the crime should be detained.” fully responsible for this crime. »
“I think that, generally speaking, what the country needs is broad reform on asylum, borders and immigration,” he continued. “I think we all know what the data says. We know that migrants are often, and according to the data, according to police departments, often less likely to commit crimes than natural-born citizens.”
Garcia then said: “We should not release anyone we consider a threat to the country. »
“We have problems with the judges. The courts are saturated,” he also declared. “We hear from people who are trying to bring people in and trying to interview them, see them and assess whether they are safe or not. With asylum procedures, there is not enough judges, not enough clerks So this must be reformed.
Jocelyn Nungaray, 12, was found strangled to death in a Houston creek this week. (Fox Houston courtesy of the Nungaray family)
Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington echoed the comments similar to his Democratic colleagues, telling Vaughn “these are horrible incidents and I think anyone who commits this kind of terrible act should be prosecuted. But as we know, research shows that undocumented immigrants commit far fewer crimes than anyone else.”
“But aren’t these crimes preventable if we didn’t grant them parole to enter the country?” Vaughn then asked.
Jayapal gave no response as she entered an elevator and its doors closed.
Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York also said he “can’t comment on parole policy” regarding migrants apprehended at the U.S. border, but added that “if you look at the statistics, the crime rate among immigrants is much lower than the crime rate. rate among native-born Americans.
Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, left, and Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel have been charged with the murder of Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston, Texas, on Monday, June 17. (Harris County Jail)
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“It’s unfortunate that someone is killed, obviously, but immigrants, legal or illegal, commit crimes at a much lower rate than native-born Americans,” he added. “That…those are the facts.”
