The Department of Homeland Security's inspector general has finally agreed to investigate how an illegal immigrant with a record of felonies escaped deportation, and was subsequently able to murder a woman in Connecticut – a state with substantial safe-haven policies that even allow for special drivers' licenses for those in the country illegally.
Judicial Watch reported lawmakers finally pressed the IG to add the case to its list of "ongoing projects." But the nonpartisan watchdog warned the list is so long "interested parties shouldn't hold their breath for answers."
The case involves the stabbing death of Casey Chadwick, 25. A suspect, Jean Jacques, 41, a Haitian national, was arrested shortly after the 2015 summer discovery of Chadwick's body inside a closet in her apartment. After his arrest, local media and interested politicians learned Immigration and Customs Enforcement failed to deport Jacques at least three times, going back to 2002.
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"As if this weren't atrocious enough, Jacques spent 17 years in prison for attempted murder before authorities released him, instead of deporting him, in January of 2015," Judicial Watch reported, citing Norwich Bulletin reports.
Six months after his release, Jacques was arrested for her murder and jailed on a $1 million bond.
But Connecticut's two U.S. senators and one congressman, all Democrats, demanded to know why the federal authorities hadn't deported him in the first place.
As Judicial Watch noted, "this is not an isolated case. In the last few years, illegal immigrants with lengthy criminal histories have been allowed to remain in the U.S. despite being repeat offenders. ... For instance, back in 2008, JW launched a California public records request with the San Francisco Sheriff's Department to obtain the arrest and booking information on Edwin Ramos, an illegal alien from El-Salvador who murdered three innocent American citizens. Ramos was a member of a renowned violent street gang and had been convicted of two felonies as a juvenile ... yet he was allowed to remain in the country."
Judicial Watch also noted the Democratic lawmakers "are only demanding answers because Chadwick's murder occured in their backyard," and that both senators had previously blocked a measure that would have blocked grants to police departments located in sanctuary cities and states.
The watchdog's conclusion?
"Perhaps if states like Connecticut didn't offer illegal immigrants sanctuary, this case and many others like it nationwide wouldn't exist," Judicial Watch said.