Trump angers Ruby Garcia’s family members, who dispute he spoke to them

The sister of Ruby Garcia, a Michigan woman killed last month, said she was shocked to hear former President Trump claim he had discussed it with her family when he mentioned her sister’s murder in comments about immigration. .

“He didn’t talk to any of us, so it was kind of shocking to see him talk to us and say on live TV that he misinformed people,” Ruby’s sister said. , says Mavi Garcia. told Wood TV Tuesday at Michigan State.

WOOD-TV is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.

President Trump brought up Garcia’s killing in a speech Tuesday in Grand Rapids, Michigan, describing her as a “beautiful young woman.” [who] She was brutally murdered by a criminal illegal alien,” he said, pledging to bring her killer to justice.

“Now, Ruby’s loved ones and community are grieving that this wonderful young woman remembers what she called herself…They remember her having just the most infectious laugh. “When she walked into the room, she lit up the room,” he said. “And she talked to some of her family members and heard that from a lot of people.”

Mavi said neither Trump nor his campaign contacted her or anyone in his immediate family, noting that if he had contacted his family, they would have known, WOOD-TV reported. .

“It was shocking. I stopped watching it. I had only watched it up until that point, and after hearing some of the misinformation he said, I stopped watching it,” Mavi said. told WOOD-TV.

Garcia, 25, was found dead on the side of a highway in Grand Rapids on March 22, Michigan State Police said. Authorities later arrested Brandon Ortiz Vito, 25, who was romantically involved with Garcia. WOOD-TV reported that Mavi denied police claims about their relationship, insisting they were friends.

Ortiz-Vito told police he got into an argument with Garcia and shot her multiple times, then dumped her body on the side of the road. Associated Press reported.

Ortiz-Vite, a Mexican national who entered the country illegally as a child, was protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, a spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told The Hill. Told.

His DACA status expired in 2019, and he was ordered to return to Mexico after being arrested on local charges in 2020, but at some point later re-entered the United States without being tested, a spokesperson said. added.

Mavi Garcia said she was angry that President Trump and others were trying to politicize her sister’s death. “The issue was always about illegal immigration,” she said.

“In some ways, it’s shocking why he brings up only illegal acts when no one talks specifically about when Americans commit heinous crimes. What happens to Americans who commit such heinous crimes? ” she said. “The focus now should be on her sister, and the focus should be on her sister before she was alive. I want people to remember who she was when she was alive.”

The Hill attempted to contact Garcia’s family. The Trump campaign did not respond to requests for comment.

The former president’s comments came after President Trump launched a series of attacks on President Biden’s border policies during remarks in Michigan on Tuesday. He revived the word “bloodshed” to describe a country overrun with immigrants.

“But this is a catastrophe at the border, and it’s destroying our country, and very bad things are happening. It’s going to end the day I take office,” the former president said. vowed to carry out deportation operations.

The former president said he intended to “stop the pillage, rape, massacre, and destruction of America’s suburbs, cities, and towns” and vowed to abolish so-called sanctuary cities.

President Trump first used the word “bloodshed” at a rally in Ohio last month when he warned China of opening a factory in Mexico to sell cars to the United States. Critics suggested the former president was warning of political violence, while Trump and his allies argued his words were taken out of context.