Texas lawmakers are demanding answers from the federal government about a purported illegal immigrant accused of killing an American citizen while allegedly driving under the influence. The incident has sparked outrage and intensified the ongoing debate over immigration policy.
Jorge Peralta, 35, is accused of crashing into three vehicles on October 13, resulting in the death of 29-year-old Grayson Davis. According to CBS Austin, Peralta confessed to consuming five beers before driving and is currently being held as an ICE detainee. He is accused of fleeing the scene and resisting arrest.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas), and State Rep. Stan Gerdes are demanding information about how Peralta was able to re-enter the United States after being deported multiple times. They claim to have been informed that Peralta was deported under both the Obama and Trump administrations but returned illegally in 2021. The Bastrop County Sheriff’s office confirmed that they had reported the suspect to ICE and placed a hold on him.
“When ICE puts a hold on someone, it’s because that person is an illegal immigrant, and they have an interest in them,” Sheriff Maurice Cook stated.
The lawmakers are specifically asking for details on how Peralta re-entered the country, whether immigration authorities were aware of his presence, and what potential gaps in enforcement allowed him to return. While ICE has not yet responded to a request for comment, the lawmakers are placing blame for the suspect’s presence on the Biden administration.
“Another family’s worst nightmare has come to pass, and it’s directly because of the Biden-Harris Administration’s reckless, open-border policies,” Rep. Cloud said in a statement. “Their refusal to enforce our immigration laws has taken another innocent life. How many American citizens have to be killed by illegal immigrants before Joe Biden and Kamala Harris decide to act?”
“Yet another Texan is dead directly because of the Biden-Harris border crisis,” Cruz stated. “Texans deserve answers about why this illegal alien was allowed back into our country after being deported twice. This crime was both infuriating and avoidable, but the Biden-Harris administration has made a cynical decision to keep the border open for political purposes. The resulting crimes are avoidable, infuriating, and unacceptable.”
Gerdes expressed the community’s heartbreak over the tragedy and vowed to push for legislation to address illegal immigration at the state level. All three lawmakers are calling for a full investigation into the suspect’s immigration history.
The case has reignited the fierce debate over illegal immigration. Republicans have linked the border crisis and associated crimes to the rollback of Trump-era policies by the Biden administration, arguing that actions like ending border wall construction, terminating the “Remain-in-Mexico” policy, and narrowing ICE deportations have encouraged increased border crossings.
The Biden administration has countered by calling for the passage of a bipartisan border security bill introduced in January, which many conservative Republicans have opposed. The administration has pointed to a significant decrease in encounters at the border since President Biden signed an executive order in June limiting arrivals.
The administration claims that the number of encounters has plummeted by over 55% and that ICE has completed over 700,000 removals or returns for Fiscal Year 24, the highest number since 2010.
However, the tragedy in Texas has fueled concerns among Republicans that the Biden administration’s policies have failed to adequately address illegal immigration and the potential dangers it poses to American citizens. The case highlights the ongoing challenges facing the United States in balancing border security with humanitarian concerns and the need for comprehensive immigration reform.