Illegal immigration is a major topic at CNN Presidential Debate due to recent tragedy.
Illegal immigration and the ongoing crisis at the southern border are poised to take center stage at this week’s presidential debate between President Biden and former President Donald Trump. This comes in the wake of a series of horrific crimes committed by illegal immigrants, including the brutal murder of a 12-year-old girl in Texas.
Two Venezuelan illegal immigrants have been charged with capital murder in the death of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston, Texas. One of the accused individuals had his bail set at a staggering $10 million on Monday. Authorities revealed that Jocelyn was “lured” under a bridge in Houston, where she was subsequently tied up and killed.
These arrests occurred around the same time as the apprehension of an Ecuadorian national who is in the U.S. illegally for a brazen daylight sex attack. Reports indicated that a man armed with a machete raped a 13-year-old girl at a park. Additionally, law enforcement announced the arrest of an illegal migrant from El Salvador for the murder of Rachel Morin, a mother of five in Maryland. These appalling incidents are part of a disturbing trend of crimes committed across the U.S. by individuals who are in the country illegally.
The wave of crimes by illegal immigrants adds more fuel to the already heated debate on immigration, which is expected to be a pivotal issue at the upcoming CNN presidential debate between Trump and Biden.
The U.S. has witnessed a surge in migrant crossings at the border, with over 2.4 million recorded in FY 23 alone, on top of three consecutive years of record-high crossings. Republicans and Trump have criticized Biden for the crisis, attributing it to his policies and the reversal of Trump-era measures.
Trump has pledged to implement the largest domestic deportation operation in U.S. history if elected, vowing to eliminate every Open Border policy of the Biden administration. He has also promised to deploy special forces to the border and reinstate his 2017 travel ban.
President Biden, on the other hand, has called for Congress to pass immigration reform to address what he deems a “broken” immigration system. While his administration introduced a bill on day one, Republicans pushed back against the provision for a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants already in the country.
Despite Biden’s efforts, a bipartisan Senate bill put forth earlier this year has made little progress in the upper chamber. Biden has pointed fingers at Trump for obstructing the bill, which included increased funding for border operations and a protocol to halt crossings after reaching a certain threshold.
Biden recently made two significant immigration moves as congressional action remains at a standstill. One of these steps was to further restrict asylum claims by migrants once daily border encounters exceed 2,500. Additionally, he announced a deportation protection for some illegal immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens. However, Biden insists that more action is needed and has emphasized the importance of Congressional intervention to revamp the immigration system.
As Biden heads into the debate armed with data indicating a downward trend in border numbers, Trump is likely to highlight the crimes committed by individuals released into the U.S., particularly those under Biden’s administration – such as the tragic murder of Jocelyn Nungaray.
