The former administration led by Donald Trump has been accused of quietly releasing a man whose record indicates him to be a thrice-convicted murderer. Instead of addressing the issue, the administration purportedly focuses on expelling those who have no criminal charges or convictions. In terms of the dissemination of information, local news is often vital, however, it may be larger national events that exert the most pronounced effect at the local level. For instance, consider Trump’s hardline stance on immigration which was heavily publicized and served as a pillar of his presidential campaign.
The platform Trump championed promised strict border control, a vision that has largely become reality, and the deportation of immigrants with criminal histories, an accomplishment that remains ambiguous in its execution. His stern approach to dealing with undocumented immigrants has raised many questions. At what expense has this been enforced? It has resulted in the fragmentation of families and communities, violation of civil liberties, and the detention of individuals for their lack of specific documentation.
Encroaching on the monetary aspects, Trump’s tariff regulations have strained vital segments of the economy. The worrisome removal of immigrant labor from farms and industries portends a potential subsequent impact on us all. The local grocery stores we frequent might soon present us with limited choices and even risk closure due to gaps in supply and inventory.
New Jersey has often found itself at the forefront of ICE activities with reports of encounters in Newark and proposals of using the city as a detention center. With a quarter of its population being immigrants as per data from the American Immigration Council, and being a politically liberal ‘blue’ state, it is no surprise that New Jersey feels the impact of these immigration policies strongly.
Until this point, Trump’s objectives in this realm are argued not to have been fully realized and instead, are overshadowed by the arguably more defensible standards pursued by predecessors like Obama and Biden. Their policies generally didn’t attract as much controversy or negative attention.
The recent incident of American civilians being held in Venezuela throws light on a pertinent issue. Only a fraction of this group was officially recognized as ‘wrongfully detained’ by the U.S. State Department despite statements suggesting that all individuals released in the exchange fit this category.
The fact that a man with a record of multiple homicides is now free possibly due to Trump’s approval of an exchange with Venezuela for gang members is indeed mind-boggling. There was a glaring mistake in this recent exchange. The Trump administration seems to be doubling down on deporting people who don’t have any proven criminal records, while simultaneously welcoming an individual with an extended record of criminal activity into the country.
Hamid Ortiz, one of the exchanged individuals, reportedly poses a threat to the U.S. citizens. He previously attempted to murder someone in Spain, who survived and expressed fear for his life now that Ortiz is free in the U.S. The survivor’s plea for amendment was clear, stating, ‘A correction may be necessary if this was an oversight. The error does not just pose a threat to me but to all Americans who may now have to live with a killer who unremorsefully took the lives of three innocent people.’
It appears that the Trump administration is not expelling people primarily because of their criminal conduct. A handful might indeed have criminal histories, but the larger focus seems to have been on statistics and meeting certain ‘numbers’. Therefore, there are now ongoing attempts to apprehend individuals at courthouses, who are in the process of legally cementing their immigration status. This extensive process which can span several years greatly heightens their vulnerability in the face of a currently inadequate number of immigration judges.
Regarding Ortiz’s release, it is believed that members of Trump’s administration were aware of his criminal past. Yet, perhaps indifference took precedence. We, as citizens sharing this nation, certainly have a reason to be concerned about such decisions.
The post Trump’s Administration Accused of Quietly Releasing a Homicide Convict appeared first on Real News Now.
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