Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy pressed White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on why illegal immigrants who commit “serious crimes” have been released on bail.
Cases of crimes committed by illegal immigrants have come to light ahead of the 2024 presidential election, in which immigration has turned into a top issue for voters. Illegal immigrants have continuously been released into the U.S. by overwhelmed agencies, leading to a variety of murders, robberies, and sexual assaults.
“And why isn’t federal immigration law tougher on border crossers who come here and are accused of serious crimes?” Doocy asked during Wednesday’s press briefing, pointing to a crew released on bail after allegedly being caught with guns and drugs. “Does President Biden think policies like that are making the country safer?”
“So I want to be very careful. That’s an active case,” the press secretary replied. “I don’t want to comment on an active case, but anyone found guilty — and we’ve been very clear about that — anyone found guilty of a crime should be held accountable. We’ve been very, very clear about that, and if a person poses a danger to a community, they should be detained pre-trial.”
“So, more generally then, do you guys think that some big cities in this country have liberal DA’s that are too soft on crime?” Doocy asked.
“Look — what I will say that I am not going to speak to every state or city here. That’s not for me to speak to,” she answered. “We have been very clear about this. Anyone who commits a crime and is found guilty needs to be held accountable. That’s what this president believes and we are certainly — very much, we welcome local law enforcement support and cooperation in apprehending and removing individuals in this country who pose a risk to our national security or also public safety. If they are found guilty, they should be held accountable. That’s our — that’s where we stand on this.”
The most notable incident revolves around the death of 22-year-old Laken Riley, a nursing student who allegedly died at the hands of Jose Antonio Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela. Ibarra had previously been arrested for illegally entering the U.S. in September 2022 before being released by Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement confirmed. He was later arrested for allegedly acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 years old in New York City, the agency said.
A Mexican illegal immigrant named Brandon Ortiz-Vite is charged in the murder of Ruby Garcia, a 25-year-old woman from Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a firearm, officials said, according to WWMT. A separate case involved a Venezuelan migrant named Renzo Mendoza Montes in Virginia who is charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, the New York Post reported. (RELATED: ‘Biden’s Border Bloodbath’: Peter Doocy, John Kirby Spar Over Illegal Migrant Crimes, Tanked Border Bill)
A group of young illegal immigrants allegedly beat two New York Police Department (NYPD) officers in late January. Four of them were released without bail Feb. 1 and were believed to be on the run to California after giving false names and getting on a bus associated with a church-affiliated non-profit.
Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens warned the 140,000 “got-aways” at the border pose a “national security threat” for the U.S., CBS News reported in March.
“That number is a large number, but what’s keeping me up at night is the 140,000 known got-aways,” Owens reportedly said.
“Why are they risking their lives and crossing in areas where we can’t get to?” Owens asked, according to CBS. “Why are they hiding? What do they have to hide? What are they bringing in? What is their intent? Where are they coming from? We simply don’t know the answers to those questions. Those things for us are what represent the threat to our communities.”