(The Center Square) – Another girl in Houston was allegedly murdered by a Venezuelan national who entered the country illegally.
On Dec. 1, 7-year-old sophomore Ivory Smith was killed in a car crash caused by a drunk driver in northeast Harris County. Her mother was seriously injured.
The driver, Joel Enrique Gonzalez Chacin, a 41-year-old Venezuelan national who entered the country illegally and has a criminal record, was arrested on suspicion of intoxication manslaughter, according to Officer Mark Herman.
Ivory’s death occurred after Chacin was released from a county jail where the sheriff refused to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was the second crime reported since June after a judge dropped the felony charges against the misdemeanor and he was released from jail.
Houston, the largest city in Texas, has long been plagued by crime as it is the largest city closest to the border and a major destination for violent cartel operatives and illegal border crossers. In recent years, judges have implemented policies that allow criminal suspects to be released into the community rather than sent to prison, or to reduce felonies to misdemeanors. Additionally, since 2017, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has refused to cooperate with ICE, Center Square reported.
In November, after a bipartisan coalition campaigned for the removal of sitting judges, highlighting victims who were murdered by violent repeat offenders after being released into society by judges seeking re-election. Voters defeated many sitting judges. Unlike the judge, Mr. Gonzalez was reelected.
ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston office filed the detention request after Chacin was booked into the Harris County Jail on suspicion of intoxication manslaughter.
This is the second time in less than six months that a detention request has been filed against him. The first time was in June after he was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a family member. According to multiple news reports, the judge in the case reduced the felony to a misdemeanor and sentenced him to 113 days in jail, which he had already served. Rather than notify ICE before his release, as required by federal law, Chacon left the courtroom.
Two and a half months later, he allegedly drove drunk and crashed into Smith’s car.
“How can we have such a lenient system where someone with a criminal record like that is released and given the opportunity to reoffend?” a family member asked, Fox 26 News reported. “Even more troubling is the fact that this individual was detained and released earlier this year, only to be remanded in custody after causing irreparable harm. Keep dangerous individuals off our streets. Why are we putting in place enforcement if we can’t?
“Texas laws should be designed to protect innocent lives, not provide loopholes for those who repeatedly ignore the law. It is a stark reminder that we need greater accountability and justice to prevent suffering. We will continue to demand answers and advocate for change so that no other family has to endure the pain, loss, and injustice that our family is experiencing. Ivory’s light and legacy will be better appreciated. Her memory will guide us as we strive for a safer future for all.”
The family started Go to Fund Me page to help with support costs and “seek justice for Ivory.”
ICE explained its detention procedures in a statement, saying, “As part of its mission to identify and apprehend mobile noncitizens, ICE ERO detains noncitizens who have been arrested for criminal activity and taken into custody by state or local law enforcement. An immigration detainer is a request from ICE to a state or local law enforcement agency to notify ICE as soon as possible before a mobile noncitizen is released from custody. It is.”
Federal law requires local governments to notify ICE 48 hours before a criminal wanted in custody is released. ICE has repeatedly highlighted examples of local governments refusing to do so, Center Square reported.
“Detainees are a critical public safety concern,” ICE ERO Houston said in a statement. “Detainees can be used by ERO personnel, law enforcement officers, mobile non-citizens, and the general public by allowing arrests to be made in a secure and controlled detention environment, as opposed to general arrests within the community. Detention increases the safety of everyone involved, including people who move noncitizens from state or local custody to the ER. Additionally, detainees are transferred directly to ERO’s custody rather than expending resources conducting a large-scale search for non-national offenders. By allowing people to be detained, we are saving scarce government resources.”
Under Democratic leadership, Harris County granted so-called “sanctuary” status to illegal aliens.
Under President Joe Biden, the acting director of ICE has said that some local governments “restrict ICE custody of noncitizens, even those who have been convicted of serious felonies and pose an ongoing threat to public safety.” “We are reducing our cooperation with ICE by refusing to accept requests.” to their so-called “sanctuary city” policy. “However, ‘sanctuary’ policies can end up protecting dangerous criminals who victimize the same communities.”
Months before Ivory’s death, 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray was allegedly murdered by two Venezuelans who were in the country illegally, Center Square reported.
More than 1 million illegal border crossers from Venezuela have been reported under the Biden administration, The Center Square exclusively reports, and violent Venezuelan gangs have expanded in major Texas cities, resulting in The operation involved multiple government agencies targeting targets.
