The murder of Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl from Houston, by two recent Venezuelan migrants has intensified political discourse on immigration policies in the United States.
The tragic death of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston has become a focal point in the contentious debate over U.S. immigration policies. Jocelyn was found strangled in a city drainage ditch last week, a crime that had already shocked the community.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire expressed his horror, saying, “It doesn’t get any worse.”
The situation escalated further when two Venezuelan migrants were arrested and charged with Jocelyn’s murder. The suspects, Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22, and Franklin Pena, 26, were both apprehended in Houston and held on a $10 million bond each. They are accused of killing Jocelyn and leaving her bound in the ditch.
This crime has been swiftly seized upon by Republicans as a critique of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies. Texas Governor Greg Abbott called for the death penalty for the accused and claimed that Jocelyn “would be alive today if Biden enforced immigration laws at the border.” Senator Ted Cruz and former President Donald J. Trump echoed this sentiment, with Trump stating that the crime exemplified the failures of current border policies.
“These monsters should never have been in our country, and if I were president, they would not have been in our country,” Trump remarked during a speech in Washington. He suggested that the issue could reemerge as a significant topic during the upcoming presidential debate, which will likely focus on immigration.
Jocelyn joins other victims whose tragic deaths have been highlighted by conservative media and politicians to criticize immigration enforcement. Past cases cited include Laken Riley, a nursing student murdered in Georgia, and Rachel Morin, who was killed while jogging in Maryland.
Republican Representative Mark E. Green, chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security, expressed his sorrow for the victims and criticized current immigration policies, stating, “These tragedies could have been avoided.”
A spokesperson for the White House did not comment on the immigration status of the suspects but emphasized that anyone found guilty of such crimes should face full accountability. The administration underscored that the handling of migrants and criminal activity remains a complex issue.
The recent influx of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border, with more than 2.5 million encounters recorded last year, has provided fuel for Republican critiques of Biden’s policies. Despite high-profile cases involving crimes committed by migrants, studies indicate that migrants generally commit fewer crimes than legal residents.
Matt Angle, director of the Lone Star Project, a Democratic organization in Texas, criticized the Republican response, suggesting it was politically motivated. “It’s all a performance for them,” he said. “These guys don’t care about this 12-year-old or any 12-year-old.”
In the case of Jocelyn Nungaray, Martinez-Rangel and Pena had crossed the U.S. border undetected. Both were apprehended near El Paso earlier this year but released pending immigration hearings. They were living in Houston when they committed the crime.
Daniel Werlinger, the defense attorney for Pena, described his client as remorseful and aware of the gravity of his situation. Lawyers for Martinez-Rangel did not respond to requests for comment.
At a news conference, Jocelyn’s mother, Alexis Nungaray, remembered her daughter as “amazing” and someone who “definitely made people laugh.” She expressed her ongoing grief, stating, “I still see her face in the back of my head all day, every day. She had such a bright future ahead of her.”
The murder occurred on June 17 under a bridge in North Houston. Investigators reported that Jocelyn had sneaked out to call her boyfriend and was later approached by the suspects. They allegedly lured her under the bridge, where they attacked and killed her before disposing of her body.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg indicated that there was evidence suggesting a sexual assault but that they were waiting for forensic results to confirm this. Prosecutors may seek the death penalty if the evidence supports additional charges of sexual assault or kidnapping.
