Texas Lawmakers Demand Answers to Fatal Accident Caused by Illegal Immigrant: ‘Infuriating’

ON FOX FIRST: Texas lawmakers are calling for additional information from the federal government about an alleged illegal immigrant accused of killing a U.S. citizen while allegedly driving under the influence.

Jorge Peralta, 35, is accused of crashing into three vehicles in a crash on Oct. 13 that killed 29-year-old Grayson Davis. Peralta is accused of running away and resisting arrest CBS Austin,

The outlet reported that he admitted to drinking five beers before driving, and that he is now being held as an ICE detainer.

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Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, along with state Rep. Stan Gerdes, say they were told Peralta is an illegal immigrant who was deported under the Obama and Trump administrations, but that he then returned illegally back in 2021.

The Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to their offices that it had reported the suspect to ICE and that they had arrested him.

“If ICE has someone in their custody, it’s because that person has a… illegal immigrant, and they have an interest in it,” said Sheriff Maurice Cook.

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Now lawmakers want to know how the suspect reentered after being deported multiple times, whether immigration authorities knew he lived in the country, and what possible gaps in enforcement allowed him to reenter the U.S.

ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but lawmakers pinned the blame for this presence of non-citizens in the country under the Biden administration.

“Another family’s worst nightmare has come true, and it’s directly due to the Biden-Harris administration’s reckless, open-borders policy,” Rep. Cloud said in a statement.

“Their refusal to enforce our immigration laws has cost yet another innocent life. How many more American citizens have to be murdered by illegal immigrants before Joe Biden and Kamala Harris decide to take action?”

“Another Texan is directly dead as a result of the Biden-Harris border crisis,” Cruz said. “Texans deserve answers as to why this illegal alien was allowed back into our country after being deported twice. This crime was both infuriating and avoidable, but the Biden-Harris administration has made a cynical decision to keep the border open for political purposes. crimes are avoidable, infuriating and unacceptable.”

Gerdes said the community was “heartbroken” by the tragedy and that he would push legislation to tackle illegal immigration at the state level. All three lawmakers say they want a full investigation into the suspect’s immigration history.

The case comes amid a fierce debate over illegal immigration. Republicans have made the decision border crisis and the crimes that have resulted from the Biden administration’s rollback of Trump-era policies.

They say ending border wall construction, ending Remain-in-Mexico and limiting ICE deportations have boosted border crossings. Former President Trump has promised that if re-elected, he will launch a mass deportation operation.

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The Biden administration has called for passage of a bipartisan border security bill, introduced in January and opposed by many conservative Republicans, to increase funding and restrict some entries into the US.

It has pointed to a sharp decline in encounters at the border since President Biden signed an executive order limiting arrivals in June. The numbers have since dropped by more than 55%. The agency also says it completed more than 700,000 moves or returns in FY24, the most since 2010.

Get the latest updates on the ongoing border crisis via the Fox News Digital Immigration Hub.