Some immigrant rights advocates have expressed concern after Southwest Florida congressman Curt Clawson hardened his rhetoric about border security.
Republican Curt Clawson is speaking out in light of new revelations about the undocumented immigrant accused of killing three of his loved ones in Lehigh Acres last week.19-year-old Brian Hyde was intercepted by border patrol agents in Texas back in January but a federal judge let him go free on bond because his name was reportedly never entered into an international database in his native country of Belize in Central America.
“The failures of our broken immigration system have tragically manifested in Southwest Florida. Let us all first keep the victims of these unspeakable acts in our thoughts and prayers, and give thanks to the first responders and Sheriff Mike Scott’s team for their thorough work to protect the public from further harm. Second, to those public officials who continue to ignore the problems of an unsecured border, please join the overwhelming majority of Americans in calling on this Administration to enforce our border laws, not ignore them for political gain. When this Administration advertises to youths in nations south of our border that our border is open to illegal immigration, it sets up tragic scenarios like what we have witnessed this past week in Southwest Florida, and in other recent events around the country. A protected, legal immigration system would not only keep better track of who is coming into our nation, but also ensure fairness to law-abiding immigrants. Our nation does not need another tragedy like this to remind Congress and the President that swift action is needed. Southwest Floridians have had enough.” Congressman Curt Clawson (R – FL) said.
Civil rights activist Victor Valdes said he supports the idea of tracking immigrants who might have criminal backgrounds but said immigrants are no more likely to commit crimes than anyone else.
“Criminals are of all colors shapes, nationalities. White people kill people too,” Valdes said.
Valdes said he’s worried that heinous cases like the one on Lehigh Acres could lead to all immigrants being treated like criminals.