LANSING, Mich. — State Sen. Lana Theis, R-Brighton, issued the following statement on Thursday, in response to the death of Ruby Garcia, a Grand Rapids woman who was found shot to death along U.S. 131 on March 22. The alleged killer is reported to be Brandon Ortiz-Vite, an illegal immigrant with a prior arrest record.
“Ruby Garcia’s death breaks my heart, and I grieve with her family, friends and all who knew and loved her. Her loss is another tragic case of senseless violence, allegedly killed by a man with a criminal past who is in our country illegally.
“Ruby’s family would not be facing this sad reality had the system not failed to ensure an illegal immigrant with an arrest record couldn’t enter the country. For the sake of all Michiganders, law enforcement and the judicial system need to act to protect our citizens. Crimes committed by illegal immigrants are regularly in the news and their frequency is growing across the United States. The federal government must close the border and vet those coming across.
“For the safety of our citizens, we simply must do better.”
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