Cape News

Today, U.S. Representative Jason Smith and other members of the Missouri congressional delegation addressed concerns to the Biden administration about reports indicating that local law enforcement may have been instructed to release illegal immigrant gang members from Venezuela back into Missouri communities. Alongside Smith, the letter was signed by Representatives Sam Graves, Mark Alford, Eric Burlison, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Ann Wagner, and Senators Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt.

“President Biden’s open-border agenda is threatening the safety of communities across Missouri,” stated Smith. He emphasized that incidents involving St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Officer David Lee, 22-year-old Laken Riley, and 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray highlight the dangers posed by individuals living in the country illegally. “It’s unacceptable that the Biden administration is reportedly instructing local law enforcement in Missouri to release dangerous criminals – who never should have been in the country in the first place – into our communities," Smith added.

On October 25, 2024, Clinton County law enforcement briefly detained two Venezuelan nationals during a traffic stop. These individuals were identified by Homeland Security Investigations as members of the Tren de Aragua gang. Despite this identification, Immigration and Customs Enforcement reportedly advised local authorities to release these individuals due to Venezuela's non-cooperation on deportation cases.

Read the full letter here.