First appearance on FOXRepublican lawmakers are calling for a “total and total” moratorium on Venezuelan immigration to the United States following the murder of a 12-year-old girl in Texas allegedly by two illegal Venezuelan immigrants.
In the letter, led by Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), they expressed concern that “violent criminals from Venezuela are being released from prison and joining migrant caravans to cross into the United States.”
Nehls had previously written to Mayorkas about reports that Venezuela was releasing criminals from its prisons and sending them north of the border. He also wrote in February 2024, warning of the presence of Venezuelan migrant gangs in cities across the United States.
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Niels and his colleagues are currently writing in response to the murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nangaray in Houston, Texas. Two illegal immigrantsJohan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, 26, are charged with murder in her death after they allegedly lured her under a bridge, tied her up, killed her and then dumped her body in the river.
Authorities confirmed the suspects were in the country illegally. Martinez was arrested by Border Patrol in March, and Peña was arrested in May. Both were released on bail pending their immigration court hearings.
Republicans, including Neels and his colleagues, blame Biden administration policies for the deaths of illegal immigrants.
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Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) speaks during a press conference in the Capitol Triangle in Washington, D.C., on July 21, 2022. The group called for increased funding for law enforcement agencies across the country. (Nathan Howard)
“If you had followed the warnings in our previous letters, Jocelyn Nangaray and others might still be alive. That is not a matter of opinion, it is a fact,” they said.
They call on Mayorkas to block Venezuelan citizens from entering the United States and “immediately deport any individuals released to await their immigration proceedings.”
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Jocelyn Nangaray, 12, was found strangled to death in a creek in Houston. (Courtesy of Fox Houston and the Nungarei Family)
“Finally, and in the strongest terms, we call for a total halt to all Venezuelan immigration until Venezuelans agree to cooperate with deportation requests. Americans have suffered enough at the hands of the Biden Administration,” they said.
Venezuelan authorities are currently limited in their ability to deport illegal immigrants to the country after they stopped accepting deportation flights from the United States and Mexico in January. The socialist government had begun accepting migrants for deportation in October after a surge in the number of migrants arriving at the U.S. border in 2023.
Other lawmakers who joined the letter included Reps. Byron Donald (R-Fla.), Randy Weber (R-Texas) and Pete Stauber (R-Minn.).
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The ongoing border crisis has become a top issue for voters ahead of the November election, and the Biden administration has pushed back against Republican criticism, arguing it needs more funding from Congress and comprehensive immigration reform to fix what it calls a “broken” system.
The department recently noted that illegal border crossings have fallen by more than 50% since President Biden issued an executive order last month restricting illegal immigration into the United States. It also said the number of releases has fallen by 70%. Officials also said the administration has deported more than 50,000 people to more than 100 countries.
