Transcripts For CSPAN Key Capitol Hill Hearings 20240622 : v

CSPAN Key Capitol Hill Hearings June 22, 2024

Against Domestic Violence, a Nonprofit Network of Domestic Violence founded in 1990. Our third witness, mr. Michael ronnebeck, he was shot down by an undocumented immigrant. U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released grants alleged murderer who was awaiting deportation. Grant was born in iowa but resided in arizona and had two brothers and a sister. Our fourth witness, the reverend gabriel salguero. Reverend salguero and his wife are the lead copastors of the lamb church of the nazarene, new york, and also founder of the National Latino evangelical could hings. And mr. Jim steinle of pleasanton, california, the father of kate steinle, who was gunned down 20 days ago while walking on a pier in San Francisco alongside this father. Her alleged killer had seven prior felony convictions and had been deported five times. Sanchez was shielded by San Franciscos sanctuary policy which allowed for his release in march despite an i. C. E. Detainer placed on him. Six person chief j. Thomas manger. Chief manger has been chief of police, Montgomery County since february, 2004. Chief manger also serves as president of the major city of Chiefs Police association. Our seventh witness is dr. Brian mccaan. Mr. Mccaans brother, dennis, was killed in 2011 by a drunk driver who was in the country illegally and driving without a license. U. S. Immigration Custom Enforcement had placed a detainer on the drunk driver but he was released under cook county, illinois, sanctuary city policies. Our final witness, ms. Laura wilkerson of pearland, texas shes the mother of josh wilkerson. Josh was 18 years old when he was kidnapped and murdered by his high school classmates, an illegal immigrant after offering his classmate a ride from school. Joshs murderer was sent to life in prison and will be eligible for parole in 30 years. I want to thank all of you for being here. As i expressed to you privately, our condolences, i say so now publicly, youre very brave to come forward in testimony and we welcome that very much, and well start with ms. Oliver. You i know you folks have been told about a fourminute rule. The red light comes on. If you have a longer statement it will be put in the record. That doesnt mean just exactly when the red light will come on ill gavel you down. Please cut it short because this is a very important hearing. We want to get the witnesses in but the most important thing after you tell your stories is for us to hear from the administration and to question the administration. Will you start, ms. Oliver . Ms. Oliver good morning. I just wanted to first state that im honored that the bill has been named after my husband, deputy oliver, as well as detective davis who were killed on october 24, 2014. Over the past nine months, my life has changed dramatically because of the loss of my husband. Sacramento county sheriff deputy danny oliver. Danny oliver was a special person that knew that treating people with dignity and kindness resulted in stronger, healthier and Safer Communities and he worked every day to help make that a reality for communities that needed it the most. As a 15year veteran of Sacramento County sheriffs office, danny oliver was not a man to boast or gloat of his professional accomplishments. In fact, when he was given a standing ovation at a Community Meeting he felt unsure how to deal with this overwhelming approval. Danny felt he was doing his job and that was all that was needed to feel accomplished. My husbands last shift with the sacramento chefs office ended by doing something he did countless times before in his career. He was policing his community and trying to make a difference. Danny was a pop officer, problem oriented policing officer. His job was to identify possible Community Challenges and try to get ahead of them. He put himself into harms way every day. On friday, october 24, 2014, my husband and father of two approached a car on his beat. But this time it was the last time. The last thing my husband attempted to do as a pop officer was to ask the man inside the car how his day was going. But he never made it to the drivers window. At about 10 30 a. M. , that man was in the country illegally and armed with numerous illegal weapons. He aimed one outside the car of a parking lot of motel 6 in sacramento and he opened fire. Killing my husband with a shot to the forehead. I can honestly say that not a day goes by that this has not affected me. It may not be visible always. It may not be written in bold for all to see, it may not even be recognized but its always in the background of my mind. Sorry. Sometimes daily. Sometimes moment by moment as it should be. Many people asked if i gotten past that terrible day and i say no. Honestly, i dont think ill ever get past that day. I lost the man i was married to for 25 years. Each day i look for parental backup for rearing my child whos 12 years old and i fill that loss. Feel that loss. Each day my child meets milestones. Recently my daughter got endaged and there will be a marriage he will not be at. There will be weekly family branches that we have held. I no longer have my husband by my side. I was with him since i graduated high school 25 years ago and we watched each other grow up. We made careers together and we raised two children. We could just look at each other and know what we needed. Perhaps it was support, a loving smile or even ill talk to you when we get home look. It is hard to build this trust and understanding, but we had it mastered with ease. But because of the actions of one criminal, this all ended on october 24. My life will never be the same. Unlike Law Enforcement, there are few professions that consistently send our loved ones into harms way. Its frightening, always knowing that each time they walk out the door it could be the last time you see them. At the same time not many professions consciously or intentionally give the order to take a life through the use of deadly force in order to protect others who cant protect themselves. An awesome responsibility that my husband understood clearly and this continues to be to create a lot of ongoing dialogue within communities throughout the country as we see a lack of as we see a lack of as we see a lack of continuity among Law Enforcement groups and communities that they serve. Every single day Law Enforcement at the state, local and federal level put themselves, their loved ones, their communities that they serve at risk when they are forced to release criminals who are illegal, who pose a threat to Community Safety. All in violation of current laws that require deportation. In just the last two years i. C. E. Released back in the nations streets 76,000 convicted criminals who are in this country illegally. There are 169 criminals in the United States who are here illegally right now. That means there are 169,000 people in our streets who have criminal convictions and were lawfully departed but who remain here to commit other crimes, to possibly kill someone elses loved ones. The sanctuary cities have resulted in another 10,000 potentially deported illegal immigrant criminals being released by local law agencies since january of last year. And 121 of these criminals have been ordered deported in the last few years and yet were released by i. C. E. I have now and have now been charged with additional homicide offenses. The man that killed my husband danny oliver, was deported several times for various felonies before killing my husband on october 24, 2014. However, due to the lack of coordination between Law Enforcement agencies, he was allowed back into the country and in one day he committed another crime. Only this time his illegal crime status impacted many in a direct and profound way when he shot and killed my husband. It would be remiss if i didnt also mention that it wasnt my it wasnt just my life that was changed that day. That same criminal eluded hundreds of officers from sacramento to auburn california, during a sixhour crime spee that left David Michael jr. Dead, a motorist in serious condition from a gunshot to the head. Many lives changed on october 24. Today, i honor my husband. Sacramento county sheriff deputy danny oliver, and the other Fallen Heroes throughout this nation who are always with us in our hearts and in our memories. I wonder if i would even be here today talking to you about my loss if the government if the government better enforced immigration laws. Unfortunately, this is now my reality. Thank you for honoring danny and the others who have made the ultimate sacrifice. I hope by being here today and telling you about the grief my family has unnecessarily endured i can help save the life of someone elses friend, husband or father. I hope that my husbands death wont be in vain. I hope i can be here to make a difference. My life has changed and saddened. Please put policies in place to make sure that criminal aliens who are in this country illegally are never allowed to dictate the life of a true humanitarian like my husband deputy danny oliver. Senator grassley thank you, ms. Oliver. Ms. Huang. Ms. Huang thank you, chairman grassley and members of the committee. Im grace huang, deeply honored to be here regarding federal Immigration Enforcement on victims of Domestic Violence. A show of violence in our communities is challenging complex and deeply emotional. As someone who worked for survivors of Violent Crime for over 22 years, i know how important important it is for people to feel that they can prevent future tragedies and i want to extend my heart felt condolences to the families here today. Over the years, over the years in my work at the coalition ive had the honor to work with work in helping families make it work in the advocacy process in advancing Effective Policy Solutions through and open and honest dialogue, i hope we can find solutions that make our communities safer for everyone. One crucial thing we can do is to build Strong Police and Community Relationships which means establishing an environment of trust. If victims and witness does not feel safe coming forward, the police cannot do their jobs and we are all less safe. Congress has affirmed that principle that immigrant victims and witnesses should feel safe to come forward by creating the u. V. Suffer victims of crime in 2000 in the violence against women act which was recently reauthorized. I thank you all for everything you have done to make women in our communities as a whole more safe. I ask that you remember these lessons as you work to address this new challenge. As a Victim Advocate im deeply concerned that mandating local Police Cooperation with Immigration Enforcement will strengthen the hands of violent perpetrators, helping them silence their victims and witnesses. Im also concerned that vulnerable immigrant victims brave enough to step forward will face detention, separation from their children and swift deportation. This was what many communities encountered with the cure communities and the chilling affect it had on Police Community relations with both dramatic and counterproductive. One example of this Chilling Effect is the case of cecilia, she was sexually abused by a family friend at the age of 5. Her parents, who were undocumented, were terrified of reporting the crime to the police after having been told by friends and family that they would be reported to immigration if they stepped forward. A year later that same perpetrator sexually abused another child. In the end, after the father of that child contacted cecilias parents, they went to the Police Together and the perpetrator was caught and prosecuted but because of their initial fear to report, another child was harmed. When immigrants are afraid to come forward with information about a crime, the entire when reaching out to police to address Domestic Violence may end up in deportation, Law Enforcement is effectively removed as an option for safety, which has lifethreatening impacts. For example, one client, maria so distrusted the police that when her abuser tracked her down after she fled to another state she tried to call her lawyer instead of calling 911. It was midnight, he was pounding on the door and she was frantically calling over and over the closed office of her attorney who was of course not at work. For maria the idea of calling the police was simply not an option that put her life in danger. Imagine being so fearful that even though somebody is trying to break into your house you cannot turn to the police. As Victim Advocates, were concerned that immigrant survivors are caught up in deportation cases when their demand for cooperation. It is not unusual for them to be deported. For example, in california cindy, a taiwanese, was arrested and convicted of domestic Violent Crime charges and spent a month in jail. She bit her abuser when fighting him off while trying to rape her. Although the jury determined the force to defend herself was greater than the assault. Because she was not automatically referred to i. C. E. , she was able to continue her studies, become a productively member of society. Police policies limiting local Police Cooperation with i. C. E. May provide just enough respite for cindy for them to access the resources they need. We in the domestic advocacy field appreciate the work that congress has done to support a coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence. Proposals that are under consideration now to limit funds to socalled sanctuary cities will allow Violent Crimes to go uninvestigated and leave victims without redress. Federal funding of Law Enforcement supports critical training, equipment and staff that assist victims all over the country every day. Without such funding there will be cases that go uninvestigated, protection orders that will not be served or enforced, rape kits that will not be tested, the child abuse sexual Abuse Victims that will not have trained interviewers. These victims are not limited to immigrants. We recognize the fact there are victims, both with lawful status and those without, that are harmed by some immigrants. We all want justice for victims and to prevent future crimes. We urge congress to proceed with measured, thoughtful policies in order to enhance the safety of all of our communities. Thank you. Mr. Ronnebeck good morning, distinguished committee members. Grant ronnebeck, a 21yearold son, brother, nephew and grandson, he was a bright young man with an infectious love of life. He had a positive outlook on life. Grant had no enemies. He was a friendly, outgoing, loveable guy. As a 21yearold american, he was just starting out in life, starting to realize his dreams starting to follow his heart in matters of career choices and just discovering his lifes opportunities. His desire was to work his way up into the job he loved working for the Quick Trip Corporation as he had for the previous five years, or possibly later to become a member of the Law Enforcement community. He loved fourwheeling in the desert or around his home near mesa, arizona, spending time with friends and family and watching the broncos play during the football season. He was a pretty typical Young American man, but to us he was a very special family and Community Member. At 4 00 a. M. On january 22 2015, just six months ago, while working the overnight shift at his quick trip store, grant assisted a man buying cigarettes. The man dumped a jar of coins on the counter and demanded those cigarettes. Grant tried to explain that he needed to count the coins before he could give the man the cigarettes. The man pulled a gun and said youre not going to take my money and youre not going to give me my cigarettes. Grant immediately offered up the cigarettes to the man who shot him point blank in the face killing him. Seemingly unaffected, the man coldly and callously stepped over grants dying body, grabbed a couple packs of cigarettes and left the store. After a 30minute High Speed Pursuit through the streets of mesa, arizona, the man was taken into custody. Inside his car were the cigarettes and two handguns, one of which was believed to have been used to kill grant. The alleged murderer is an illegal alien. According to a news article dealing his 2012 arrest, he was a selfproclaimed member of the Mexican Mafia and says he has ties to the drug cartel. The news article states that in august of 2012, he was arrested with two others after kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman and burglarizing her apartment. She was allegedly held naked and against her will for a full week prior to escaping. He took a plea deal and pled guilty to a charge of felony burglary for that incident. He was sentenced to two years probation and turned over to the immigration and Customs Enforcement agency due to his undocumented status in the United States. He never served any time in custody related to that offense. I. C.

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