A collective gasp rang out across the nation Thursday night as a California jury announced that the criminal illegal alien charged in the 2015 death of Kate Steinle had been found not guilty. Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, a man with seven felony convictions and five deportations, was acquitted of murder and involuntary manslaughter charges, as well as assault with a deadly weapon.
Steinle was walking with her father near the San Francisco Embarcadero when Zarate picked up a handgun and fired it, killing Steinle. Zarate’s only conviction in her death, felony possession of a firearm, could lead to a jail term of up to three years. Steinle’s family decided not to attend the hearing for the jury’s decision. For Jim Steinle – Kate’s father – who watched with helpless hands as his daughter collapsed and died in his arms, it’s not too hard to imagine why.
{mosads}America is rightfully outraged because this was an easily preventable crime that was easily avoidable. This was not a blameless crime and there are workable solutions to prevent future tragedies like this. And that’s why the anger of the nation should be focused on pushing for a full-scale crackdown on illegal and dangerous sanctuary cities while demanding responsible and effective border enforcement.
Sanctuary policies — ordinances and initiatives that block the sharing of information and cooperation between state and local officials and federal immigration enforcement — are a clear violation of federal law. The Trump administration has moved to crack down on these cities and jurisdictions, which now number more than 300, by “claw(ing) back” federal funding for key law enforcement initiatives.
And that number will continue to grow, despite the fact that nearly 10,000 criminal aliens that have been released, instead of being turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have gone on to recommit another crime, according to Thomas Homan, acting director of ICE. But these facts have brought about little positive change from sanctuary jurisdictions.
In fact, after Steinle’s death, San Francisco reviewed its controversial sanctuary policies, and decided to double down on its support for them. Soon to follow was the state of California, which is now officially a sanctuary state. As Zarate admitted to police following his arrest, the very presence of sanctuary laws actually serves as a beacon to illegal immigrants, and drew him back to San Francisco after his deportation.
Two very strong bills have been passed by the House of Representatives with bipartisan support that are screaming for time on the floor of the Senate. The No Sanctuary for Criminals Act would penalize jurisdictions, like San Francisco, that champion dangerous sanctuary policies by withholding an expanded list of targeted federal grants. Additionally, it would hold sanctuary jurisdictions accountable for the consequences of their policies by allowing victims of criminal aliens protected by sanctuary policies to sue those jurisdictions. The second bill, known as Kate’s Law, would increase penalties against deported aliens who return to the United States illegally.
The aftermath of the Steinle verdict also underscores the need for President Trump’s border wall. Endorsed by the Border Patrol, the wall would not only make it more difficult for illegal aliens to enter the U.S. but would save lives of border patrol officers as well. The price tag on the wall, estimated to be in the neighborhood of $15 to $25 billion, is a drop in the bucket when compared to the annual cost of illegal immigration, estimated at roughly $116 billion per year.
And while the border wall remains unfunded and federal judges are blocking the administration’s attempts to punish sanctuary cities and subsequently letting violent illegal aliens go free, Democrats remain myopic in their push for a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) amnesty.
Let’s hope that this inexplicable verdict will serve as a teachable moment for members of Congress, pushing elected officials on both sides of the aisle to throw their support behind immigration-related measures that will further the safety of Americans.
Dan Stein is president at the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), a non-partisan, public interest organization seeking out solutions that help reduce the negative impact of uncontrolled immigration on the nation’s security, economy, workforce, education, healthcare, and environment.