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Floor Speech
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Ms. ERNST. Madam President, today I rise to tell a preventable, horrific story: 22-year-old Laken Riley, a nursing student, was killed by an illegal immigrant. This bright, young woman had her whole life ahead of her. She represented what our country needs more of, a life dedicated to caring for others.
Like all Iowans, my heart goes out to her family and her friends who continue to grieve this tragic loss.
The reality is, Laken's heartbreaking story did not have to happen. In 2022, Jose Antonio Ibarra illegally crossed over the border into El Paso and claimed asylum. Instead of being detained while he was processed, he was released into our country, never to be heard from again; that is, folks, until he was arrested in New York City for endangering a child. Was he held to face trial for this crime in New York City? Nope. Nope.
Was he deported for this crime or even for coming here illegally? Nope.
New York officials released him so quickly that ICE couldn't even try to lodge a detainer, even if they wanted to. Meanwhile, Ibarra made his way to Georgia, where he disfigured and killed an innocent young girl who was simply out for a jog.
This could have been avoided, but Biden's failure to enforce the laws at our border allowed it to happen. How many young Americans must die? How many families must be ripped apart for this administration to wake up and take border security seriously?
For more than 8 years, I have warned against the dangers of letting illegal immigrants, who have already broken our laws--again, those who have broken our laws--roam the country and continue their lawlessness. I have repeatedly called on this body to step up and protect innocent Americans from criminals who are here in our country illegally and pass my bill, Sarah's Law.
Eight years ago, Iowans Michelle and Scott Root woke up to every parent's worst nightmare, their daughter Sarah--right here, beautiful Sarah Root--was killed by a drunk driver. Sarah, a 21-year-old from Council Bluffs, had just graduated from Bellevue University in Nebraska with a 4.0 GPA and a bachelor's degree in criminal investigations. She was headed home after celebrating her important life milestone with family and friends. She had her entire life ahead of her. But while she was stopped at a traffic light, Sarah was struck and killed by Edwin Mejia, an illegal immigrant.
His blood alcohol level was three times over the legal limit. One would think her killer would clearly meet Immigration and Customs Enforcement's ``enforcement priorities.'' But no--nope. Citing the Obama administration's November 2014 memo on immigration enforcement priorities, ICE declined--declined--to take custody of Mejia, despite his repeated driving offenses and history of skipping court dates.
Before the Root family could even lay their daughter to rest, Mejia posted a $5,000 bond--5,000 bucks. He was released, and, just like in the past, folks, he disappeared never to be seen again.
Now, here we are, folks. We are over 8 years later. Sarah's killer is still at large, after that 5,000 bucks, and able to carelessly harm others. To rub salt in the wound, the Biden administration has removed Mejia from ICE's Most Wanted list.
No big deal, right?
No parent should have to endure the pain of losing a child, like the Root family did--and I know them personally--but, unfortunately, the Riley family is experiencing this same heartbreak. A loophole in our law means Sarah's killer escaped justice, but, today, we can do something to ensure no other family has to go through the pain Sarah's parents have felt every day for 8 long years.
My bill, named in Sarah's honor, would close the alarming loophole that let Sarah's killer go free. It would just require ICE to detain-- just to detain--otherwise deportable illegal immigrants charged with killing or seriously injuring another person.
Is that too much to ask? To detain someone who has killed another American?
It also requires ICE to inform victims and family members of critical information pertaining to the investigation. Right now, family members are left in the dark. Had Sarah's Law been enacted at the time of her death, law enforcement would have detained her killer instead of allowing him to flee from justice. The Root family would have been kept up-to-date on his status and Federal immigration authorities' efforts to remove him from the country.
Simply put, this should be an easy one, folks. Sarah and Laken's deaths are both tragic and, unfortunately, are doomed to be repeated, thanks to this administration's broken and ill-informed policies.
Those who come here illegally and harm our citizens should, without question, be a priority for removal. It is just common sense, folks.
Otherwise deportable illegal immigrants who commit violent crimes-- they commit them here. They should face justice. We can no longer prioritize illegal immigrants over public safety. We must pass Sarah's Law to send this message loud and clear--for Sarah's family, for Laken's family, and for the countless American families that Sarah's Law would protect.
160 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration; further, that the bill be considered read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
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Ms. ERNST. Madam President, I am very sad that we are on the floor today and that Sarah's Law has been objected to. We have been down this road before, many times over, through the years since Sarah Root's death.
Now, I do understand that ICE has discretion, and that is what we are discussing today. It is the fact that ICE had discretion and chose to allow Edwin Mejia to post bond of $5,000 to disappear into the night. Before Sarah was even laid to rest, Edwin Mejia was long gone, and he has yet to face justice for Sarah's family.
In July 2020, a Mexican national was drunk-driving in Texas and struck and killed a Chicago resident and two retired U.S. Army officers. All were part of a pro-law enforcement motorcycle club. The Mexican national was out on bond and awaiting trial for allegedly striking a man with his truck in 2018, biting the victim's back, and biting off a portion of his ear. If Sarah's Law had been on the books, he would have been detained in 2018 to await trial.
In June 2011, a Chicago resident was killed in a drunk-driving accident. The driver, a Mexican national, was driving with a blood alcohol level four times over the legal limit. He struck and killed a Chicago resident, dragged the victim's body 300 feet, and then attempted to run away on foot. He was bailed out--again, bailed out, not held. He bailed out and fled to Mexico. He was extradited back to the United States in 2022.
If Sarah's Law had been on the books, he would have been detained and not been able to flee to Mexico.
In March 2021, a Mexican national shot and killed his next-door neighbor in Chicago. He then injured the three officers attempting to arrest him. The Mexican national was arrested in 2011 for driving with an open container. In 2015, he was arrested again for aggravated assault. In 2012, he attempted to lie his way into a visa reserved for victims of criminal activity. And he also twice unsuccessfully applied for the DACA Program in 2014 and 2015.
If Sarah's Law had been on the books, he would likely have been detained after the aggravated assault in 2015, and, again, we would have another innocent who was killed still alive today.
So these are just a handful of examples of where Sarah's Law would have made a difference.
I do understand that there is an objection to the discretionary part of this bill, and the example that was given is of those who are being trafficked for sex-type operations. Sex trafficking is very real. Because I have worked in this space of domestic violence and violence against women, I do and have heard from those who have been sex- trafficked that sometimes the only way to break away from those who are trafficking them is actually to be arrested and pulled away from those johns or those sex traffickers. So maybe to put them in an area of safety would be the right thing to do.
So I appreciate having been heard. I will continue to work on behalf of the Root family, on behalf of the Riley family, and others who have lost loved ones to those who should not be here in our country.
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