A Crying Toddler Can Be Politicized, But Not a Murdered 20-Year-Old



From the moment that it was revealed that Mollie Tibbetts had been murdered and that her alleged killer was an illegal alien, the illegal alien advocacy network was ready to respond with the precision of a tactical strike force. From libertarian Cato Institute on the right to the National Immigration Forum on the far left, came preemptive warnings that Ms. Tibbetts’ murder should not be politicized by those who think it might be a good idea to stop illegal immigration.

These are the same people who politicized a photo of crying toddler at the border a few months ago who had been separated from her mother for all of about 60 seconds. Or who accused the Border Patrol of keeping kids in cages by recycling photos from 2014, when the Obama administration was briefly holding minors separately from other illegal border crossers for their own protection.

And then there are those who believe that the murder of a 20-year-old college student is just a distraction and we shouldn’t really pay it any mind. Among those in that camp is Senator Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), a likely contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. In response to question posed to her on CNN about whether Ms. Tibbetts’ murder, allegedly at the hands of an illegal alien, was cause for concern, Sen. Warren offered her perfunctory condolences to the Tibbetts family before getting to the “real problems.”

The “real problems” are not the snuffed out lives of Mollie Tibbetts, Kate Steinle, Sarah Root, or countless others who have been murdered, maimed, or assaulted by illegal aliens our government failed to keep out, or who were protected by sanctuary policies. No, the “real problems,” in Sen. Warren’s estimation, stem from the Trump administration’s efforts to enforce our immigration laws. “Last month, I went down to the border and I saw where children had been taken away from their mothers, I met with their mothers who had been lied to, who didn’t know where their children were, who haven’t had a chance to talk to their children, and there was no plan for how they would be reunified with their children.

“I think we need immigration laws that focus on people who pose a real threat and I don’t think mamas and babies are the place we should be spending our resources. Separating a mama from a baby does not make this country safer,” the senator opined.

It should be superfluous to point out to a United States Senator that Mollie Tibbetts’ “mama” is now permanently separated from her daughter with no hope of ever being reunified, and that there is a “real threat” that other families will be victimized by criminal aliens who easily slip across the border Sen. Warren visited. But, apparently not.

About Author

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Ira joined the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) in 1986 with experience as a journalist, professor of journalism, special assistant to Gov. Richard Lamm (Colorado), and press secretary of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. His columns have appeared in National Review, LA Times, NY Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, and more. He is an experienced TV and radio commentator.

7 Comments

  1. avatar

    I hear too often that the crime rate isn’t higher for illegals than the general population. I don’t care. The undeniable fact is that if that undocumented person was not in the US then the murder, rape, armed robbery etc. would not have happened. Moreover, a significant percentage of these illegals have reentered our country after being deported. We should narrow the focus to imprison and deport violent criminals or repeat offenders. Leave alone everyone else. Concentration of resources is more effective and economical.

  2. avatar

    Though all that is wrong about any and all aspects of our immigration policies is completely the fault of congress, both parties, especially the democrats, NOTHING seems to get through to them. The American people have been begging and pleading to congress for years to close our border and stop illegal aliens entering and send the ones already here back home, to stop giving citizens’ rights and benefits to foreign illegals, to change the citizenship law/policy to reflect/require citizen parents, etc. But congress refuses to hear us. The ONLY people in the USA congress hears are the corporations helping them obtain greater power and riches, the ultra liberal/open borders/let the world in citizens, and the foreigners especially illegal aliens. Oh, and, obviously, congress hears and supports Mexico in its blatant operation to keep moving its poorest/uneducated/unskilled citizens into the USA until Mexicans are the majority and controlling people in our country. Congress gives no thought to the future being created for even their own descendants. I guess they all think their riches will protect their loved ones. They should really rethink that because in the inevitable future America coming, their puny millions will mean nothing because only the ultra rich elites will have control.

  3. avatar

    I agree wholeheartedly with this article it reflects my thoughts. We are truly living in an era where there is widespread practice of calling right wrong and wrong right. I also believe until we know the official autopsy report we may very well find he organs were harvested or sacrificed or? I’m sure that may be a little far fetched snd most likely he just stabbed her multiple times in a frenzied rage of anger from being rejected and her saying she would call police..however there is NOTHING normal about this case and and it is possible we haven’t even heard the last of it yet. The fact he remembers part and doesn’t the rest wether it is for convenience or bc he really has blocked it or was demon possess et…and the fact the car is not in his name…(he either stole it or someone gave it to him). I also though I initially took up for the farmer..realize that too many companies are hiring illegals or Hispanics that are possibly they know are not legitimate…for the sake of getting by with paying very low wages for a lot of work..I don’t but the line that they can’t find workers..that is baloney. In a college town those students and even high schoolers or even local people could be out to work and in fact when I was in hs..we were expected to work as part of a work study program…I did more health care..others in our school did farm work. It is laziness and lack of foresight and vision and monetary gain that causes businesses from farm to hotel to nannies to turn a blind eye and hire mass Hispanics whom many they know are likely illegal…bc they give them a ss #. I for one am tired if it. I’m also tired of Hispanics coming over who cannot speak a lick of English and make no attempt to assimilate. He was quiet and speaks very little English…no wonder a sociopath was in the midst of Iowa without a lick of detection by locals. How many Hispanics do you know in your small towns just like this male or female..quietly mysterious bc they shyly keep way to themselves in clickish clans and speak very little English….it needs to stop! It is wrong and I’m tired of people thinking someone like this is a hard working “all American boy” as his lawyer tried to paint. Who knows what kind of deranged and neglectful home this person was raised in or what about his culture and upbringing molded his character…however …don’t bring unlawful people here. If you want to be a missionary and help them go to Mexico…otherwise we only want legal law abiding citizens with a firm conscience to begin with ..

  4. avatar

    Although the illegal alien from Mexico who allegedly committed this crime was not a Mexican drug cartel member as far as we know, in my opinion the US media does not give enough coverage to the horrific crimes committed on a regular basis in Mexico by the Mexican drug cartels. If more people were aware of what goes on in Mexico I think that there might be more support for physical border security, not that there isn’t a lot of support already among Americans with common sense.

    Here’s just one story of many.

    From Newsmax August 2017:

    –“Two teens reportedly confessed to eating the flesh of their murder victims as part of an initiation into a rising Mexican drug cartel, the San Antonio Express-News reported Tuesday.

    The newspaper reported El País, an international publication, described the horrifying cannibalism by initiates into Jalisco New Generation cartel.

    According to El País, the 16- and 17-year-old told officials in Tabasco in southern Mexico the flesh-eating occurred after cartel members broke into a car dealership, decapitated five people, and left a signed note May 22.

    Four days later, another dismembered body was discovered west of Tabasco in Nacajuca, according to El País; authorities linked the incidents after finding found body parts in Nacajuca stored in a freezer in one of the cartel’s houses.

    According to the publication, the teens said they were drugged and forced to eat some of the flesh.
    Earlier this month, a Mexican journalist told El Blog del Narco a former Zetas cartel leader also used to eat the flesh of his victims, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

    The journalist alleged former Zetas leader Heriberto Lazcano would have someone killed, and then the victim would be cleaned and shaved. Lazcano would allegedly have the flesh prepared in a tamale dish – and would consume skin from a victim’s buttocks, the outlet reported.”

    • avatar

      Probably not surprising considering that when Columbus arrived they were still doing human sacrifices.

    • avatar

      Another story about the crimes of the Mexican drug cartels in Mexico.

      From the International Business Times:

      Recruits Eat Children’s Hearts in Initiation Rite

      March 2014

      New members of an infamous Mexican drug cartel were forced to eat children’s hearts as part of a gruesome initiation rite, informers told authorities in the western state of Michoacan.

      Officials investigating an organ trafficking ring allegedly run by the Knights Templar cartel said there is evidence the late gang boss Nazario Moreno demanded that recruits proved their loyalty through an act of cannibalism.

      “At [an] initiation ceremony they used the organs, in this case the heart, and forced people going through this initiatory process to eat it,” Alfredo Castillo, the federal government’s envoy to Michoacan, told a local radio.

      Castillo said detectives were told of the shocking practice by detained members of the gang.
      “There are statements from some people who were present when Nazario Moreno (El Chayo) came and told others, either as initiation or as part of a ritual: ‘Today we are going to eat a person’s heart’,” Castillo told Noticias MVS.

      Authorities said they have reason to believe the hearts were mainly taken from local children who were kidnapped and had their organs harvested for trafficking purposes.

      Moreno, known as El Chayo “The Rosary” or El Más Loco “The Craziest One”, was shot dead by security forces earlier this month.

      Moreno, who founded La Familia cartel before starting up the Knights Templar, was first declared dead by the Mexican government in December 2010 after a shootout with federal police, even though no corpse was found.

      Earlier this month, police arrested Manuel Plancarte Gaspar, another member of the Knights Templar, on organ trafficking charges.

      “We have several statements in open investigations that point to a network of several suspects who would identify people with certain characteristics, especially children, and kidnap them,’ Becerra said.

  5. avatar
    Susan phillips on

    Bull s–t we shouldnt make this political congress should step up an do what they were put in there to do put an end to all of this america has enough to deal with we shouldnt have to deal with other people comeing over here illigally from other countrys causeing more. More has to be done. Im in fear for family members who live in Texas an arizona an minnesota because of this issue
    Kids cant walk to scool alone cant ride bikes around like they use to cant go play in wooded areas any more cant walk to a little shope on the corner a young pretty girl cant be alone walking to or from some where my lord what more has to happen befor the people we vote into office do something about this. We the American people demand more something has to be done about all the ILLIGALS we want a stop to it send them back round’em up an ge’em the hell out. I know all are not bad people but if there breaking the law by being here illigal well its in the books you gotta go back come back through the legal way or dont come at all. I just pray this family gets justice for there daughter an what happen to Kate Stienly does’nt happen again so yes im
    makeing this poltical because it is…