JORGE MARTINEZ: Laken Riley Murderer’s Trial Shows How Woke District Attorneys Endanger Our Communities

The decision by Georgia’s woke district attorney to prioritize political agendas over justice for 17-year-old Laken Riley is an affront to accountability. Instead of delivering the justice her grieving family deserves, Deborah Gonzalez, a George Soros-backed prosecutor, argued that pursuing harsher penalties could lead to “collateral consequences to undocumented defendants.”

This twisted rationale sends a chilling message to criminals: Their actions carry little consequence.

For Hispanics who value law and order, this decision is especially infuriating. As one of the nation’s fastest-growing, hardest-working communities, Hispanics overwhelmingly believe in justice, fairness and accountability. Many came to this country legally, enduring long waits and countless sacrifices, driven by the promise of an America where the rule of law reigns supreme. Woke prosecutors like Gonzalez betray these principles, putting political correctness over the safety and dignity of victims.

This tragedy is not an isolated case. Across the nation, innocent lives are lost due to policies that prioritize shielding criminals over enforcing justice. Laken Riley’s murder follows a pattern seen in cases like Kathryn Steinle in California, killed by an illegal alien with multiple deportations, and Mollie Tibbetts in Iowa, whose life was stolen by another undocumented criminal. These names are not mere statistics — they are human beings, families devastated by preventable crimes.

Instead of standing with victims, the radical Left and woke prosecutors create a two-tiered justice system. On one side are law-abiding citizens and legal immigrants who face the full weight of the law. On the other, criminals are shielded by the failed open-border policies  of the Biden-Harris administration. This double standard undermines the very foundation of America’s justice system.

The woke narrative has a devastating impact, especially on the Hispanic community. Sanctuary city policies protect predators who often victimize their neighbors, while weak border enforcement empowers drug cartels and human traffickers to wreak havoc on our families. In Massachusetts, ICE recently arrested two illegal immigrants charged with child rape, including one who was released at the U.S. border in 2022 and later found hiding in the state. These horrific incidents prove that weak immigration policies and lack of enforcement disproportionately harm the very communities woke leaders claim to protect.

Yet, radical leaders refuse to take accountability. Even when tragedies like Laken Riley’s murder occur, Democrats like President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their allies double down. They apologize not for the policies that allow criminals to enter and reenter the United States, but for using terms like “illegal immigrant” to describe those who break the law. This denial of reality shows a blatant disregard for victims, their families, and the rule of law.

For many Hispanic families, this is personal. We know what is at stake because we have lived it. We came to America seeking a better life, not to see our neighborhoods plagued by lawlessness or our values dismissed by out-of-touch elites. Hard work, faith, family and justice are pillars of our community, and policies that sacrifice these principles for political agendas are unacceptable.

The America First movement stands firm against this betrayal. We believe in securing the border, enforcing immigration laws and ensuring equal justice for all regardless of race, ethnicity or status. Upholding these principles honors the millions of immigrants who followed the rules to pursue the American dream and ensures a safe, prosperous future for all.

The America First movement also offers hope and a clear path forward. President-elect Donald Trump and his administration will implement strong border security measures that prioritize the safety of our communities. Trump’s commitment to enforcing immigration laws and closing loopholes will send a clear message: criminal behavior will not be tolerated, and the rule of law will be upheld. His leadership will ensure that law enforcement has the tools and support necessary to prevent tragedies like Laken Riley’s and to dismantle the networks of cartels and traffickers exploiting open-border policies.

Democrat mayors who embrace sanctuary city policies have brought these problems into their own communities. By housing illegal aliens, diverting significant taxpayer dollars to provide them with assistance and refusing to cooperate with immigration enforcement, they have turned their cities into magnets for crime and chaos. These policies have strained public services, endangered law-abiding citizens, and betrayed the hardworking families who play by the rules.

Hispanics have united to say: “No more.” No more prioritizing criminals over victims. No more appeasing radical ideologies at the expense of justice. And no more allowing woke leaders to silence our voices and sacrifice our safety.

By supporting strong leadership and America First policies, we will honor the legacy of victims like Laken Riley, protect the sacrifices of millions of legal immigrants, and secure the promise of America for generations to come. The time to act is now – because every life, every victim and every family deserves justice.

Jorge Martinez serves as Hispanic outreach strategist and Spanish spokesperson for America First Works. He previously served as press secretary for the U.S. Department of Justice.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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