Trump is using the murder of a woman to further his anti-immigration agenda. Here’s what to know
In a rally speech on Tuesday afternoon in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Donald Trump is expected to use the recent murder of a young woman to criticise President Joe Biden’s border policies.
As part of his campaign for president, Mr Trump has used incendiary rhetoric about the US-Mexico border, migrants and crime to promote his anti-immigration border policies and stoke fear about the current state of the border.
In doing so on Tuesday, Mr Trump will speak about Ruby Garcia, a 25-year-old Michigan resident who law enforcement officials say was murdered by 25-year-old Brandon Ortiz-Vite, a man from Mexico who Garcia was romantically involved with.
Ortiz-Vite was in the United States illegally, a fact that several conservatives have used to broadly claim that the people crossing the US-Mexico border are dangerous and blame President Biden for allowing them in.
But several politicians are criticising Mr Trump and his allies for appearing to capitalise on the death of a young person to make a political point.
Even Garcia’s sister posted on social media asking reporters to stop using Garcia’s story to turn it into “political bull****”.
On 22 March, Garcia was found dead on the shoulder of US-131 at Leonard Street in Grand Rapids having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. State troopers said a preliminary investigation indicated foul play was suspected.
Garcia’s family told local news outlet News 8 Wood TV that her death was shocking because she was a peaceful and private person.
They described her as someone who always made other people laugh, was passionate about travelling and who loved plants. The 25-year-old worked at a local greenhouse and was one of five siblings.
During the investigation, law enforcement officials tracked Garcia’s stolen vehicle to a residential area north of South Haven and determined the man she was romantically involved with, Brandon Ortiz-Vite, was a person of interest.
Ortiz-Vite, 25, contacted police the day after to set up questioning. He told police he shot Garcia multiple times during an argument and dropped her body on the side of the road, driving away in her vehicle.
He was charged with felony murder, open murder, carjacking, carrying a concealed weapon and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and is currently being held at the Kent County Jail.
Ortiz-Vite is a Mexican citizen and had entered the United States unlawfully sometime before May 2019 but received approval for deferred actions under the DACA programme, a spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said in a statement.
His status under DACA expired in May of 2019 but after he was arrested on charges related to driving while intoxicated in August of 2020 he was arrested by Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and in September 2020, an immigration judge ordered his removal.
- For more: Elrisala website and for social networking, you can follow us on Facebook
- Source of information and images “independent”“
