Amidst the tragic murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has denounced the politicization of the crime and urged officials to refrain from blaming immigrants for the actions of a "few evil individuals." The alleged perpetrators, two illegal immigrants from Venezuela, have drawn attention to the ongoing debate over immigration policies, but Hidalgo maintains that the motive behind the crime is unrelated to their immigration status.
The murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston has sparked a heated debate over immigration policies, with some blaming the Biden administration's approach for the tragedy. However, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has strongly condemned such scapegoating, emphasizing that "evil happens regardless of immigration status."
Politicization of Immigrant Crime: Hidalgo Condemns Blame-Shifting over 12-Year-Old's Murder
Nungaray's alleged killers, Johan Jose Rangel Martinez and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, both illegal immigrants from Venezuela, met in the United States while en route from their home country. According to prosecutors, they lured Nungaray under a bridge, sexually assaulted her, and then strangled her to death, leaving her body in a creek.
Amidst the public outrage over the crime, Hidalgo has urged leaders to resist the temptation to malign entire communities based on the actions of a few individuals. She pointed out that the vast majority of immigrants are law-abiding citizens who contribute positively to society.
Politicization of Immigrant Crime: Hidalgo Condemns Blame-Shifting over 12-Year-Old's Murder
"It's very easy to malign entire communities when tragedy happens, and that's always an easy political strategy," Hidalgo said. "But the fact that two immigrants committed this terrible crime does not mean that they committed the crime because they are immigrants."
Hidalgo also criticized former President Trump and Republicans in Congress for creating the conditions that allowed Martinez and Ramos to enter the U.S. illegally. She blamed the Trump administration's dismantling of refugee resettlement programs and the lack of comprehensive immigration reform for exacerbating the situation.
Politicization of Immigrant Crime: Hidalgo Condemns Blame-Shifting over 12-Year-Old's Murder
"The current immigration policy is a result of decades of inaction and failed policies by both political parties," Hidalgo said. "Blaming things on the current immigration policy is absolutely political, and it really breaks my heart that people would politicize the sadness of that tragedy."
However, some officials, such as Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, maintain that Harris County has become a haven for illegal immigrant criminals due to its sanctuary county status. Ramsey believes that migrants with ill intentions are aware that they can come to Houston and commit crimes without fear of repercussions.
Politicization of Immigrant Crime: Hidalgo Condemns Blame-Shifting over 12-Year-Old's Murder
"Based on those policies, based upon our unwillingness to engage, I believe it is," Ramsey said. "I think people know that they cross that border with ill intent ... and are coming here to do bad things."
Hidalgo countered Ramsey's argument by suggesting that Congress should make it a crime for employers to hire illegal immigrants if they are so concerned about the flow of undocumented migrants. She emphasized that immigrants are essential to the U.S. economy and that scapegoating them is both unjust and ineffective.
Politicization of Immigrant Crime: Hidalgo Condemns Blame-Shifting over 12-Year-Old's Murder
"It had nothing to do with why they committed this crime," Hidalgo said of Nungaray's murder. "Evil happens regardless of immigration status."
As the investigation into Nungaray's death continues, the debate over the role of immigration policies in crime is likely to intensify. While some seek to blame immigrants for the actions of a few individuals, others argue that comprehensive immigration reform is necessary to address the root causes of illegal migration.
