(This post may contain disputed claims. We make no assertions as to the validity of the information presented by our Opinion Columnist. We are an opinion blog, not a traditional news outlet, and this post should be treated as such. Enjoy.)Police had him in custody. ICE had placed a detainer on him. But, California’s sanctuary law set him free. Days later, several innocent people were forced to pay the price. Now, one California sheriff is rightfully pissed off.
A California sheriff is blaming the state’s sanctuary law — that forced him to release a twice-deported illegal immigrant — for the death of an innocent citizen. Not only was an American killed, but several others were also injured when, just days after being let go, an illegal alien went on a rampage of death and destruction.
Three people were shot, one fatally, and another four were injured all because law enforcement is forbidden from
Thirty-six-year-old Gustavo Garcia is an illegal immigrant with a lengthy rap sheet, including illegal firearm possession and drug charges. He has been deported twice, the last time being in 2014 when he is said to have had 3 separate immigration violations.
Garcia was arrested last week in Tulare County, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) placed a detainer on him. Because California is a sanctuary state, however, the sheriff had no choice but to ignore that detainer and release the violent criminal.
Fox News reports that, on Sunday, Garcia decided to show state lawmakers what a huge mistake it was to pass a sanctuary law. The illegal immigrant started the day by shooting a farm worker who was unpacking fruit in Exeter, California. Luckily the worker is expected to survive.
A few minutes later, Garcia robbed a convenience store, demanding $2,000 while firing shots into the ceiling. Police think the farm worker shooting was a way to distract from the robbery.
From there, Garcia shot a female guest at a Motel 6 in the arm and again, thankfully, the victim was not killed. “She had made eye contact with the subject and he had followed her to her parking spot, where he got out of the car and for an unbeknownst reason began firing at her vehicle,” said a police spokesman.
Then, Garcia went around shooting up gas stations. First, he fired shots at a Shell station, and an hour later, he opened fire on an Arco station. In the second gas station shooting, he killed 51-year-old Rocky Paul Jones. Police say that all of Garcia’s targets, up to that point, appeared to have been random.
Getting a little more focused, Garcia went to his ex-girlfriend’s house and fired shots from the backyard as she and her children slept inside. Luck was again in play, and no one was hurt in this particular attack.
Garcia started shooting at another random home when police finally caught up with him. The cops gave chase, and after a short pursuit, Garcia crashed his car.
He then engaged officers in a gun battle, but neither side was hit. The crazed illegal immigrant then carjacked a truck from 3 farm workers and led police on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds of over 100mph.
Garcia went barreling down State Route 65 the wrong way, intentionally trying to hit oncoming traffic. He managed to hit four cars, injuring 4 people, including one who was left in critical condition. The last crash killed Garcia, bringing an end to his violent rampage.
Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, who was forced to release Garcia, didn’t mince his words to Fox News as he slammed California’s sanctuary law. “We are very frustrated with the fact that the way the laws are set up currently that law enforcement hands are tied,” said Boudreaux.
“Gustavo Garcia, in times past, would have been turned over to ICE officials. Even though it was a misdemeanor charge, they placed a detainer on him. That detainer can no longer be recognized,” Boudreaux added.
“That’s how we did it in the past, and that’s how we had always done it. And, now, that tool has been taken from law enforcement. After [the passage of] SB-54, we no longer have that power,” he continued, referring to the law passed last year by California that forbids local law enforcement agencies from honoring ICE detainers.
“That tool has been removed from our hands, and because of that, our county was shot up by a violent criminal that could have easily been prevented had we had the opportunity to reach out to our fellow counterparts,” Boudreaux said.
Senate Bill 54, enacted in September last year by state Democrats on a party-line vote, was drafted on the premise that undocumented immigrants would feel safer going to police to report crimes and aid in investigations if they didn’t have the risk of detention…
The purpose of California’s sanctuary law is to make illegal immigrants feel safe. But, what about the legal residents and citizens of California? One of them is dead, 7 of them are in the hospital, and 4 of them were victims of violent robberies. As long as liberal laws and policies allow criminal immigrants to run wild in the streets, no one is safe.
