That driver. Edwin Mejia. was allegedly drag racing with a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit when he crashed into the back of Sarahs vehicle. Edwin Mejia is also an illegal immigrant. After causing the death of an American citizen and being charged with motor vehicle homicide. one would think he would clearly meet U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements socalled enforcement priorities. But no. citing the administrations November 2014 memo on immigration enforcement priorities. ICE declined to lodge a detainer and take custody of Mejia. During a recent Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing. ICE Director Sarah Saldana actually suggested that ICE neglected to issue a detainer because at the time they were contacted. Sarah Root was seriously injured. not dead. How twisted and convoluted has our immigration system become that an illegal immigrant who. while driving drunk and drag racing. hits and either seriously injures or kills an American citizen is not considered a priority for deportation? In fact. only after a floor speech. multiple letters. and hearing questions from Senators from Nebraska and Iowa. as well as media attention and concerns raised by the Root family. did ICE finally acknowledge that they should have taken Mejia into custody. It should not take all of those actions for ICE to determine that an illegal immigrant who kills an American citizen should be removed from our country. Tragically. after ICE declined to file a detainer against Mejia. he posted a $5.000 bond. was released. and has since disappeared. This is so despite the fact that he had a history of skipping court dates related to prior driving offenses.
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illegal immigrant immigration Immigration deportation