Imagine a child playing in his yard, only to have his life snatched away by a devastating hit-and-run.
According to Breitbart, in a heartbreaking incident, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is under fire for allegedly safeguarding an unauthorized migrant charged with a felony hit-and-run that claimed the life of 11-year-old Aiden Antonio Torres De Paz just before Thanksgiving.
The tragedy unfolded the day before Thanksgiving when young Aiden was playing in his front yard in Escondido, California.
According to police reports, Aiden darted into the street to grab his soccer ball and was struck by a vehicle driven by Hector Balderas-Aheelor, who allegedly fled the scene without stopping to help.
Sadly, Aiden succumbed to his injuries on Thanksgiving Day, turning a day of gratitude into one of unimaginable grief for his family.
Balderas-Aheelor, identified as an unauthorized migrant from Mexico, was later arrested by the Escondido Police Department and charged with felony hit-and-run causing death or injury.
The case has ignited a firestorm of criticism against Newsom, a staunch defender of California’s sanctuary state policy, which some argue prioritizes politics over public safety.
Department of Homeland Security officials have publicly urged Newsom’s administration to allow local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE, requesting that Balderas-Aheelor be handed over to federal agents if released from jail before a conviction.
Instead of complying, Newsom’s office has denied rejecting an ICE detainer, while DHS has countered with evidence showing the request was indeed turned down.
“California honors federal criminal warrants,” Newsom’s office insisted in a statement, suggesting they’re open to working with federal authorities under specific conditions.
Yet, this response feels like a dodge to many, especially when DHS officials fired back, “You’re playing word games to keep an illegal alien murderer in America.” They further accused the state of only cooperating post-conviction, potentially allowing a dangerous suspect to walk free in the meantime.
Adding fuel to the debate, sanctuary policies often hinge on the demand for a judicial warrant—a concept that former immigration judge Andrew Arthur has called out as nonexistent in immigration cases.
As Arthur noted in a 2019 statement, “The fact is, though, that judicial warrants for the detention of aliens do not now exist, have never existed in the immigration context, and likely never will.”
This legal gray area leaves communities vulnerable, critics argue, when state policies seem to shield suspects from federal accountability, as appears to be the case with Balderas-Aheelor.