Fri Dec 13 21:28:30 UTC 2024: **Texas DA Seeks Death Penalty for Venezuelan Nationals in Murder Case Used by Trump in Campaign**

HOUSTON, TX – Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Friday that she will seek the death penalty for Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22, and Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, two Venezuelan nationals accused of kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and murdering 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in June. The suspects, who entered the US illegally and were briefly detained by Border Patrol before being released, became a central point in Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.

Trump repeatedly cited the case as evidence of lax border security and the dangers of illegal immigration, campaigning with Nungaray’s mother, Alexis Nungaray, who testified before Congress. District Attorney Ogg, while condemning the “vile and brutal” crime, also criticized the immigration system, stating that had the suspects been detained at the border, Nungaray’s murder could have been prevented.

Despite Trump’s use of the case to fuel his anti-immigration rhetoric and calls for stricter border controls and harsher penalties for migrants, studies consistently show immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than US-born citizens. A Texas study funded by the National Institute of Justice found undocumented immigrants are arrested at significantly lower rates for violent and property crimes compared to US citizens.

While irregular migration at the US-Mexico border reached record highs under President Biden’s administration, it has since declined. Biden, however, has also implemented stricter asylum policies, similar to those enacted under Trump.

Trump, however, continued to criticize Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for their border policies, using inflammatory language and promises of mass deportations and increased border security if re-elected. He has even advocated for the death penalty for any migrant who kills an American citizen or law enforcement officer. Critics have condemned his rhetoric and past actions regarding capital punishment.

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