Senator Ted Cruz and Rep. Troy Nehls are advocating for the implementation of the “Justice for Jocelyn Act” in Texas. The proposed bill seeks to enforce stricter immigration laws in the state, prompted by the tragic murder of a 12-year-old Houston girl. According to prosecutors, the perpetrators were two undocumented immigrants from Venezuela.
The loved ones of Jocelyn Nungaray, who tragically lost her life and was discovered in a creek on June 17 after she went missing while walking to a nearby convenience store, are backing a proposed legislation. This legislation, if passed, would significantly restrict the power of federal immigration authorities to release detained immigrants.
The “Justice for Jocelyn Act” proposes a regulation that would require detention beds to be filled before releasing migrants. In addition, migrants would be subjected to continuous GPS monitoring and a nightly curfew if all available detention beds are filled. Any violation of the release terms would lead to immediate deportation.
According to the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested them, but they were later released with orders to appear in court at a later date. Senator Cruz pointed out that these illegal immigrants committed crimes and were apprehended, but the Biden-Harris administration chose to release them.
Alexis Nungaray, the mother of Jocelyn Nungaray, expressed her outrage at a news conference, stating that the two men responsible for taking her daughter away from her should never have been present in their community, let alone roaming the streets freely. “They should not have had the freedom to do what they did,” she said firmly.
Republicans have been using recent cases of immigrants who entered the country illegally and were charged with crimes to criticize what they perceive as President Joe Biden’s ineffective immigration policies. According to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll conducted in March, Biden’s handling of immigration only received approval from around 3 in 10 Americans.
According to Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, a Democrat, the proposed act by Sen. Cruz and other Republicans has the potential to enhance safety and security. Ogg emphasized that crime is an issue that transcends political affiliations stating, “If Justice for Jocelyn had already been the law of the land, it is highly likely that Jocelyn would still be with us today.”
Migrant advocates are urging federal authorities to find more humane and cost-effective alternatives to detention, which they argue are inefficient and ineffective. According to Nayna Gupta, director of policy for the National Immigrant Justice Center in Chicago, the proposed legislation is attempting to take advantage of a terrible situation.
According to various studies, immigrants are less likely to be involved in violent crimes than citizens born in the country. Gupta believes that the bill is a political move to instill fear and demonize immigrant communities by exaggerating the need for increased immigration enforcement in response to a tragic incident.