Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy directly confronted White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday about the alarming number of illegal immigrants with prior murder convictions roaming freely throughout the United States.
As authorities continue to grapple with the ongoing crisis at the southern border, the shockingly high number of convicted criminals crossing into the country poses a significant threat to American communities.
“Doocy began by stating the staggering statistic, ‘Thirteen-thousand people who’ve been convicted of murder have crossed the border illegally and are now living among us’,” reported Fox News. The correspondent then asked, “So how much danger are U.S. communities in right now because of this?”
In response, Jean-Pierre dismissed the number as a “false representation.” She claimed that the data provided by ICE has been “fact-checked” and “debunked by multiple outlets.” However, this assertion was quickly challenged by the Department of Homeland Security, who stated that the data is being misrepresented as it dates back four decades and is not reflective of current trends.
Despite Jean-Pierre’s attempts to downplay the danger posed by these illegal immigrants, the reality is that over 13,000 individuals with prior murder convictions are freely roaming the streets of America. This is not just a statistic, but it represents real lives at risk. Among these criminals are also 15,811 convicted of sexual assault and 14,301 convicted of burglary.
Furthermore, as stated in the letter from ICE, there are over 662,566 non-citizens with criminal histories currently on their national docket, including 435,719 convicted criminals and 226,847 with pending criminal charges. This is a disturbingly high number that cannot be ignored or brushed off as a “false representation.”
Not only is the number of illegal immigrants with prior murder convictions alarming, but it is also deeply concerning that sanctuary cities are actively hindering law enforcement from arresting these criminal aliens. By refusing to cooperate with ICE and ignoring detainer requests, these cities are putting their own communities at risk.
Two recent cases serve as tragic examples of what can happen when illegal immigrants with criminal backgrounds are allowed to roam freely in our country. In February, 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley was tragically murdered outside of the University of Georgia’s campus by an illegal immigrant from Venezuela named Jose Ibarra. In June, 37-year-old Rachel Morin was raped and murdered by 23-year-old illegal immigrant Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez.
These heinous crimes could have been prevented if our immigration laws were properly enforced and if sanctuary cities did not exist.
It is evident that the current administration’s lax immigration policies and disregard for the safety and security of American citizens have created a dangerous environment.
As the crisis at the southern border continues to escalate, it is imperative that the Biden administration takes action to secure our borders and hold accountable those who have entered the country illegally and have committed heinous crimes. The safety and well-being of our citizens must come first and it is clear that this is not a priority for the current administration.