Five families testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, retelling the stories of loved ones who lost their lives to an illegal alien who was set free by a sanctuary jurisdiction or Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the direction of the Obama Administration. Laura Wilkerson, whose son was tortured and burned to death by an illegal alien, best summed up the panel's message by saying, "I don't want your sympathy. I want you to do something about it."
The hearing was scheduled by Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) as a response to the tragic shooting death of Kathryn Steinle three weeks ago at the hands of a five-times deported and seven-times convicted illegal alien. Kate Steinle's father, Jim also testified, but it was Ms. Wikerson's message at the end of her statement that caught everyone's attention and earned a standing ovation from some in attendance.
Josh Wilkerson was killed on November 16, 2010 by Hermilo Moralez in Pearland, Texas just outside of Houston. Moralez was 19 years old at the time of the murder and was illegally brought to the United States at the age to 10 by his illegal-alien parents. He had been charged with harassment in a separate case and was before a judge 10 days before Josh's murder.
Ms. Wilkerson read the horrifying details of how Josh was beaten, tortured, and then burned, including details from the autopsy report. But she told the Senate Judiciary Committee that she didn't want their sympathy; she wanted their action.
This was our family’s 9/11 terrorist attack by a foreign invader, whether you want to recognize it or whether you do not. This government continues to fail or even recognize that we have an issue. Americans are dying daily at the hands of criminals that we don’t even know are here.
You’re officially notified today there’s a problem when this happens. You can’t deny it any longer. You cannot stand by and ignore our families — our American families. You’re elected by Americans, not any other country. You should be for Americans. If you want to sit quietly on the sidelines, you’ve thrown your hat into the ring already. Your silence speaks volumes. You’re either for Americans, or you’re not.
Since Josh was killed almost 5 years ago, Ms. Wilkerson is familiar with the statistics and has told her story countless times along with The Remembrance Project -- a group that remembers victims of illegal-alien violence. But Mr. Steinle was not aware of how common it is for an American to be killed by an illegal alien until his daughter was gunned down in San Francisco earlier this month.
It is unbelievable to see that so many innocent Americans have been killed by undocumented immigrant felons in recent years. In fact, we recently came across a statistic that says between 2010 and 2014, 121 unique criminal aliens who had an active deportation case at the time of release were subsequently charged with homicide related offenses. Think about that, 121 times over the past 4 years the administration has released an illegal immigrant with prior criminal convictions that later went on to be charged with a murder when they should have been deported. That’s 1 every 12 days.
Kate's story has been well-documented thanks to the attention that 2016 Presidential Hopeful Donald Trump has brought to the issue. In fact, Ms. Wilkerson thanked Trump during her testimony for finally bringing attention to it.
Kate was killed by Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez who had been arrested seven times and deported five times. He admitted during an interview with local television that he went to San Francisco because of its sanctuary policies. The county was asked to notify ICE when they released him from prison back in April, but they refused to comply with the request.
Mrs. Susan Oliver also testified at the hearing, retelling the story of her husband, Sacramento Deputy Sheriff Danny Oliver who was shot in the forehead by an illegal alien. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) have named their interior enforcement/sanctuary cities legislation after Oliver and Deputy Sheriff Michael Davis. Danny was working his beat when he approached a vehicle to see what the occupants were doing. When he got to the vehicle, the occupants opened fire, killing Danny with a shot to the forehead.
Mrs. Oliver came armed with the statistics showing the government's lack of enforcement.
Every single day, law officers at the state, local, and federal level are forced to release criminal aliens who pose a threat to community safety—in violation of current laws that require deportation. Additionally, in the last two years, ICE released back onto the streets 76,000 convicted criminal aliens. There are 169,000 criminal aliens at large in the United States right now who have criminal convictions and were formally and lawfully ordered deported. The Administration’s tolerance of sanctuary cities has also resulted in another 10,000 potentially deportable arrested aliens being released by local law agencies since January of last year. And, 121 of the criminal aliens who’ve been ordered deported in the last few years were released by ICE have now been charged with additional homicide offenses. The man that killed my husband, Danny Oliver, was deported several times for various felonies. However, due to the lack of coordination between law enforcement agencies, he was allowed back into this country.
Mr. Michael Ronnebeck also testified and told the story of his nephew Grant who was gunned down near Phoenix, Ariz. by an illegal alien while working at a convenience store.
At 4:00 a.m. on January 22, 2015, just six months ago, while working the overnight shift at his Quiktrip store, Grant assisted a man buying cigarettes. The man dumped a jar of coins on the counter and demanded cigarettes. Grant tried explaining that he needed to count the coins before he could give the man the cigarettes. The man then pulled a gun, and stated “you’re not gonna take my money”, and “you’re not gonna give me my cigarettes.” Grant immediately offered up the cigarettes to the man, who shot him in the face point blank, killing him. Seemingly unaffected, the man coldly and callously stepped over Grant’s dying body, grabbed a couple of packs of cigarettes, and then left the store.
Mr. Ronnebeck's story stuck out among the rest because Grant's murderer was on the streets not because of a sanctuary city, but because Immigration and Customs Enforcement let him go even though he was considered a threat to public safety.
Apolinar Altamirano, the alleged murderer, is an illegal alien. According to a news article detailing his 2012 arrest, he is a self-proclaimed member of the Mexican mafia, and says he has ties to the Sinaloa drug cartel.
The news article states that in August of 2012, he was arrested with two others after kidnapping, and sexually assaulting a woman and burglarizing her apartment. She was allegedly held naked and against her will for a full week prior to escaping. He took a plea deal, and pled guilty to a charge of felony burglary for that incident. He was sentenced to two years of probation and turned over to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency due to his undocumented status in the United States. He never served any time in custody related to that offense!
ICE, “The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency” released the now convicted felon Altamirano on a $10,000 bond pending a deportation hearing.
In the two years since then, while awaiting his deportation hearing, Altamirano has had two orders of protection filed against him, including one from a woman who claimed he threatened to kill her, and pointed a gun at her boyfriend. ICE was reportedly notified of the protection orders by a Mesa Superior Court judge.
Altamirano was still allowed to remain free in our Country.
Stories like Mr. Ronnebeck's is why NumbersUSA has been critical of the House of Representative's response in bringing H.R.3009, Rep. Duncan Hunter's (R-Calif.) sanctuary cities bill, to the floor. The Hunter bill would only address sanctuary cities without addressing the federal government's release of more than 70,000 criminal aliens over the last two-plus years.
Brian McCann of Chicago, Ill. also testified and told the story of his brother, Denny, who was killed by an illegal alien drunk driver.
Denny was crossing Kedzie Avenue on a marked crosswalk four years ago and was violently struck by a drunk driver who dragged Denny under his car for a block in an attempt to flee before Denny died. The family was notified by the Chicago Police and the killer was placed into custody and charged with Aggravated DUI causing death. Two days later ICE issued a detainer because the young man was an illegal alien with a prior felony. The family was assured by the Cook County prosecutor that the defendant would not be allowed to post bail and be released. Three months later the Cook County Board passed the ordinance that effectively requires the Sheriff to ignore detainers. During the intervening weeks after Denny’s violent death Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle and former mayoral candidate and Commissioner Jesus Garcia pushed for the ordinance and rammed it through on September 7, 2011. Two months later the killer made bail and absconded to Mexico.
Mr. McCann fought tirelessly to change the sanctuary policies in Cook County, Illinois, including with some help from NumbersUSA members in the county, but nothing changed. After a long effort, the McCann family finally decided to sue the County for its sanctuary policies, and that lawsuit is still being litigated. He made it very clear where he places the blame for sanctuary cities.
[DHS] Secretary [Jeh] Johnson has stated that he does not think that the federal government should try to discourage sanctuary policies.
To watch the hearing in its entirety or to read the testimony of these five families, click here. To learn more about the Davis-Oliver Act, click here, and our opposition to the Hunter bill, click here.
