Family members push back on the GOP's fear of immigration strategy

The family members of a young woman killed by someone immigration officials say had entered the country illegally challenged Trump's discussion of her case during a Michigan rally.

Mavi Garcia described the victim, Ruby García, as a "very happy person, very generous person," declarations to a local station collected by The New York Timese. She was 25 years old.

Her killer, Bradon Ortiz-Vite, was deported because of his undocumented status in 2020 during the Trump administration after being arrested for an unrelated crime. According to The Washington Post, immigration authorities don't know when he reentered the country.

Trump used the crime as an example of what he called "Biden's border bloodbath" and said he had spoken to Ruby Garcia's family.

However, Mavi Garcia told The Washington Post and ABC News that Mr. Trump had not contacted any close family members of Ruby García and was misinforming people.

García also complained about Trump's use of her sister's murder to focus on immigration. "It is always about illegal immigration, but what about Americans who do heinous crimes like this?" she told local NBC affiliate WOOD-TV8.

According to The New York Times, framing illegal immigrants as dangerous criminals has been a part of the campaign strategy of Republicans despite statistics showing that undocumented people don't commit more crimes than American citizens.

Trump has also mentioned the case of Laken Riley, a nursing student who was killed by a Venezuelan man who entered the US illegally. Her story made it to the State of the Union Address.

Unlike Ruby García's family, Laken Riley's relatives have embraced Mr. Trump, The Washington Post reported. They joined the Republican candidate on stage during a rally in Georgia.

Riley's mother also criticized President Biden for referring to her during his State of the Union speech. He did so in response to GOP lawmakers who mentioned her first.

Border security has been the central issue in Trump's campaign for the 2024 Presidential Elections. The US is facing a record number of crossings on the southern border.

The GOP has clarified how important that issue is by blocking legislation to tighten border security so that Trump can continue his campaign on the issue.

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