TX Man Set to Die for 1998 Murder: A south Texas man is scheduled to be executed Wednesday for the brutal murder of a 12-year-old boy nearly two decades ago. Michael Graczyk of the AP reports that 38-year-old Pablo Lucio Vasquez murdered David Cardenas in April 1998 in what police speculated at the time to be an attempted satanic cult crime. Vasquez, who was 20 at the time, hit Cardenas in the head from behind with a pipe, cut his throat and lifted him, still conscious, so blood would drip on his face. He claimed that he heard voices telling him to kill the seventh-grader, drink his blood and mutilate his body. Vasquez's cousin pleaded guilty for his role in the crime, which was assisting in an unsuccessful attempt to decapitate the boy, and was sentenced to 35 years. Three other relatives of the cousins received probation and fines for helping cover up the murder. Vasquez's argument that he is mentally ill and should be exempt from the death penalty was rejected by the courts last month. He will be the sixth person to be executed in Texas this year and the 11th nationally. Update: Vasquez was executed by lethal injection Wednesday evening.
Vehicular Homicide not Enough to Detain Illegals, says DHS: In a letter released Monday by Congress, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said that a vehicular homicide conviction is not enough to detain an illegal immigrant because it doesn't constitute a "crime of violence" under immigration laws. Stephen Dinan of the Washington Times reports that ICE Director Sarah Saldana said both the Obama administration's 2014 policy and federal law did not require her agency to detain Edwin Mejia, an illegal immigrant who was street racing on an Omaha, Nebraska, road in January while drunk and struck the vehicle of 21-year-old Sarah Root, killing her. Mejia, who arrived at the U.S. border in 2013 as part of the surge of unaccompanied minors from Central America, was able to post bond and "disappear into the shadows" when ICE officers did not come to pick him up for detention. President Obama and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced a policy in 2014 of deporting "only those with the most serious criminal records," effectively shielding over 9 million of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants from deportation.
Bill would Ban Gitmo Releases to 'Unstable' Countries: Legislation by six Republican senators would permanently bar the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to "unstable" countries was announced Monday, the same day the Obama administration transferred two prisoners to Senegal. Pete Kazperowicz of the Washington Examiner reports that the bill, which would add Iran and Sudan to the list of prohibited countries, "is aimed at preventing detainees from being released to countries that are likely to be less effective at preventing the prisoners from returning to terrorism." The senators say the bill is needed in light of the Department of Defense's admission that approximately 30% of prisoners released from the facility return to fight against Americans. President Obama is intent on shutting down the prison, located on a naval base in Cuba, and following Monday's releases has only 89 more detainees left. The law already bans detainees from being moved to Yemen, Somalia, Libya and Syria.
Vehicular Homicide not Enough to Detain Illegals, says DHS: In a letter released Monday by Congress, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said that a vehicular homicide conviction is not enough to detain an illegal immigrant because it doesn't constitute a "crime of violence" under immigration laws. Stephen Dinan of the Washington Times reports that ICE Director Sarah Saldana said both the Obama administration's 2014 policy and federal law did not require her agency to detain Edwin Mejia, an illegal immigrant who was street racing on an Omaha, Nebraska, road in January while drunk and struck the vehicle of 21-year-old Sarah Root, killing her. Mejia, who arrived at the U.S. border in 2013 as part of the surge of unaccompanied minors from Central America, was able to post bond and "disappear into the shadows" when ICE officers did not come to pick him up for detention. President Obama and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced a policy in 2014 of deporting "only those with the most serious criminal records," effectively shielding over 9 million of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants from deportation.
Bill would Ban Gitmo Releases to 'Unstable' Countries: Legislation by six Republican senators would permanently bar the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to "unstable" countries was announced Monday, the same day the Obama administration transferred two prisoners to Senegal. Pete Kazperowicz of the Washington Examiner reports that the bill, which would add Iran and Sudan to the list of prohibited countries, "is aimed at preventing detainees from being released to countries that are likely to be less effective at preventing the prisoners from returning to terrorism." The senators say the bill is needed in light of the Department of Defense's admission that approximately 30% of prisoners released from the facility return to fight against Americans. President Obama is intent on shutting down the prison, located on a naval base in Cuba, and following Monday's releases has only 89 more detainees left. The law already bans detainees from being moved to Yemen, Somalia, Libya and Syria.
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