Illinois Representative Mary Miller has criticized Democratic-led states for refusing to enforce federal immigration laws, arguing that such policies contribute to preventable tragedies including the death of an Illinois woman killed this year in an Urbana drunken-driving crash allegedly by a Guatemalan man who lacked legal status and fled the scene.
Miller described the incident as “very upsetting,” linking it to what she characterized as a broader pattern of sanctuary policies that undermine public safety. She stated, “I want to tell people that President Donald Trump is completely committed to restoring law and order and safety and security in our country.”
Miller asserted that permissive immigration policies enable criminal activity and placed responsibility on state and local governments that have resisted federal enforcement efforts. “These states are making choices that have real consequences for innocent Americans,” she said.
Miller also highlighted aggressive new steps from the Trump administration, including Operation Midway Blitz launched in September with Transportation Secretary Patrick Duffy and the Department of Homeland Security targeting Chicago and other major cities. She claimed the operation has already produced significant results, with more than 600,000 “criminal illegals” arrested and deported, and over 1.9 million individuals removed from the country.
The Urbana crash remains under investigation, though U.S. Marshals tracked down the driver three days after he fled the scene of the crime on a bus heading to Mexico. The man initially told police he was a 27-year-old Mexican named Juan Jahaziel Saenz-Suarez but later admitted his identity was a lie and that his true name is Julio Cucul-Bol.
Miller maintained that the incident underscores the stakes of national immigration policy, emphasizing that “Americans deserve to feel safe in their own communities.”
