Illegal migrant arrested for murder of Loyola student sparks sanctuary city debate
New York Assemblyman Matt Slater condemns sanctuary city policies following the murder of 18-year-old Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman by an illegal Venezuelan migrant, Jose Medina-Medina. Slater highlights the family's statement blaming policy failures and criticizes Chicago Alderwoman Maria Hadden for suggesting Gorman was in the "wrong place, wrong time." He argues the broken immigration system endangers innocent U.S. citizens.
An illegal immigrant from Cuba with multiple prior convictions is in federal custody after spending decades evading deportation due to relaxed sanctuary city policies, federal authorities announced Tuesday.
Eledoro Valenzuela Rodriguez was taken into custody from the Miami-Dade Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Florida last month, according to officials.
At the time, Rodriguez was awaiting trial on charges of cocaine possession with intent to sell, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and trespassing, officials said.
SLEDGEHAMMER MURDER SPURS ICE MANHUNT FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECT
Eledoro Valenzuela Rodriguez, a Cuban national, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Miami-Dade Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Florida last month, officials said. (ICE)
He previously had a final removal order lodged against him in 1980, but remained in the United States after "lenient sentences from sanctuary states New York and Maryland allowed this serial offender to keep preying on innocent people," ICE said in a statement.
Rodriguez was awaiting trial on charges including cocaine possession with intent to sell, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and trespassing at the Miami-Dade Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami, Fla. (Google Maps)
"Sanctuary policies protect criminals like Valenzuela Rodriguez and enable them to prey on generations of innocent Americans," ICE Director Todd Lyons said.
ICE did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Eledoro Valenzuela Rodriguez, a Cuban national, had a final removal order in 1980 but remained in the U.S. after lenient sentences in New York and Maryland, according to ICE. (iStock)
Authorities said Rodriguez "amassed numerous convictions and charges," including arrests for possession of controlled substances, marijuana possession, dealing cocaine, weapon possession and firearm possession by a convicted felon.
Despite the litany of charges and past convictions, Rodriguez was released from jail multiple times while living in sanctuary cities, federal authorities said.
"These policies don’t make communities safer," Lyons added. "They make enforcement more difficult and force federal officers into more dangerous — and more public — situations. ICE will continue to enforce the law, regardless of local politics."
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It was not immediately clear if Rodriquez had retained an attorney following his arrest.
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