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Rep. Chip Roy Statement of Support for Vargas Family after Conviction of Jared Vargas's Murderer

August 14, 2019

WASHINGTON--Rep. Chip Roy released the following statement Monday August 12, 2019:

Carrah and I rejoice with the Vargas family that justice for Jared was finally served when his murderer was found guilty in San Antonio today. But as parents, our hearts are heavy because no parent should endure what Jared's parents and family have suffered. It's been a tremendous blessing to get to know the Vargas family and our thoughts and prayers are with them today.

We must remember that the current debate about immigration policies and the crisis along our southern border isn't just about facts or statistics, it's about people like Jared Vargas – a vibrant young college student studying computer science with dreams of working in the cyber security field. Jared's life was cut tragically short when he was brutally murdered by an illegal alien in San Antonio last June. The current debate and immigration crisis before us has a face, it has a name.

The government failed the Vargas family because instead of securing our nation's border and enforcing the law, members on both sides of the aisle have spent the last few decades arguing about policy instead of taking action. Jared's murderer had been in ICE custody twice and had been arrested for a DWI and released just a month before he killed Jared. We are in danger of losing what separates us from the other nations of the world because we have allowed our borders to descend into chaos and lawlessness while sanctuary cities thwart federal law. Today we celebrate the victory of justice, but we also mourn the senseless loss of a young man whose family should be celebrating his college graduation instead of his murderer's guilty verdict.