The tragic story of Mollie Tibbetts' murder less than two hours west of East Moline, Illinois grabbed the public's attention Tuesday afternoon when law enforcement revealed her body had been found in an Iowa cornfield. When law officials said they filed first degree murder charges against a Mexican 24 year old that had been in the US illegally for four to seven years, the nationwide collective gasp was nearly audible.
Immigration is voters' #1 issue in most current polls. In neighboring Illinois, a Republican governor insists his state is not a sanctuary state, when numerous legal opinions differ – leaving voters confused and frustrated. Before signing into law a measure that protects immigrants from referrals to immigration authorities, Governor Rauner refused to hold a conversation with the Illinois families that have lost loved ones to those in the US illegally.
However, Governor Rauner wasn't hesitant to condemn a border policy that caused parents entering the US illegally to be separated from their children while awaiting court proceedings.
“Governor Rauner does not support this policy. He believes we need to secure our border and end illegal immigration,” Rauner spokeswoman Rachel Bold said in a statement in June. “But separating children from their parents is bad policy and heartbreaking. We can and should do better as a nation.”
Those comments continued to ignore families that have lost loved ones at the hands of illegal aliens.
Eric Brady's wife Jeannie of Mahomet, IL was killed January 1, 2017 by a Guatemalan in the country illegally who was driving with an alcohol level three times the legal amount. He told Illinois Review last year that he was very disappointed in the new law.
"I find this to be terribly disappointing. It's embarrassing to the honest Illinoisans, who work hard and care about the safety of their fellow Americans," Brady said. "It continues to underscore that the leadership of this State has no interest in the citizens it's sworn to serve. It proves once again that there is no fiscal responsibility in Springfield."
After the announcement of Tibbetts' tragic death Tuesday, one immigration group stepped up to defend the number of families grieving the loss of a loved one in similar circumstances.
"We are sad to learn that Mollie Tibbetts has joined the thousands of Americans who will lose or have lost their lives to illegal aliens on US soil in 2018 because DC lawmakers focus on Amnesty deal legislation instead of the adequate enforcement of America's existing border and immigration laws," declared William Gheen, President of Americans for Legal Immigration PAC.
"Crimes committed by illegals are mostly preventable and only occur because our government refuses to honor Article IV of the US Constitution, and refuses to fully enforce numerous existing immigration laws designed to protect American property, health, and lives from those who invade our states illegally."
Gheen said research conducted in the world's largest archive of information on the topic of illegal immigration at ALIPAC.us that thousands of American lives are being lost to illegals each year.
"While we do not have exact numbers, we hope that one day there will be a more accurate accounting by our government and that a new national memorial will be created to honor all of the fallen Americans like Mollie Tibbetts who died because DC special interests have sabotaged our immigration existing laws," he said.
Tibbetts' family drew attention to their daughter's disappearance July 18th, and sought for tips with hopes of recovering Mollie. Law enforcement said Tuesday the accused admitted following Mollie as she was jogging near her home, then he says he blacked out and came to at the location where the body was found. The accused directed police to that location outside Brooklyn, Iowa.