Over the last several days, some news outlets covered the story of a man who shot and killed his former girlfriend, Karen Ruiz, in Los Angeles in front of their three-year-old daughter. The accused killer fled to Texas, where he fatally shot himself after being chased by police.
Here are some of the headlines:
“Man Wanted in Ex-Girlfriend’s Slaying in California Kills Himself in Dallas, Police Say” – NBC 5, Dallas Fort Worth
“California fugitive who gunned down ex on camera, in front of young daughter kills self in Texas” – KIRO 7, Seattle
“Man Wanted For Ex’s Murder Kills Self As Police Close In” – Yahoo Entertainment
But, what these headlines failed to mention is perhaps the most important piece of information: Herbert Nixon Flores was an illegal immigrant and member of the violent MS-13 gang.
Flores has an extensive 30-year criminal record: burglary, illegal entry, concealed weapon, domestic violence, vandalism, transportation of a controlled substance, driving under the influence, resisting arrest, etc., according to the Center for Immigration Studies.
You name it, Flores had likely done it.
He had even been removed and physically deported not once, not twice but ten times.
Los Angeles County is a sanctuary jurisdiction, meaning it prohibits cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including a policy to ignore ICE detainers; this ultimately means illegal immigrants are protected. According to CIS, “ICE issued a detainer and warrant when it has probable cause to arrest an inmate who is already in the custody of a local jail; this notifies the jail that ICE intends to take custody of the alien and authorizes the jail to hold the individual for a brief period for ICE.”
In September of 2020, a detainer was issued for Flores to be turned over to ICE while he was in the custody of the Los Angeles Police Department following a domestic violence charge.
But, LAPD released him instead.
This case is just one of many examples of illegal reentry of a deported criminal gone wrong, showing the importance of border security to keep our country safe.
