The White House seized on the verdict in the notorious killing of Kate Steinle Friday to call on Congress to beef up border security and “to finally stop sanctuary city policies that cause needless loss of innocent life.”
“Yesterday’s verdict in San Francisco underscores the danger to public safety when our nation fails to enforce its laws,” said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “Kate Steinle was killed by an illegal immigrant and convicted felon who had been deported from the United States five times. He, and countless other criminal illegal immigrants like him, should never be allowed to threaten our citizens.”
A California jury acquitted illegal immigrant Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, who killed Steinle, of murder Thursday but found him guilty of lesser gun charges. The case has drawn widespread attention to the issues of sanctuary cities and border policy.
Garcia Zarate, 54, admitted to killing Steinle as she walked the San Francisco waterfront with her father in the summer of 2015 but called the shooting an accident.
Mrs. Sanders said given the verdict, “It’s more important now than ever for Congress to secure our borders and provide the resources, including more ICE officers, needed to deport criminal illegal aliens.”
“Politicians who fail to address these needs share responsibility for preventable crimes committed against innocent Americans,” she said.
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“Had San Francisco enforced our nation’s immigration laws, the Steinle family would be celebrating this holiday with all of their loved ones.”
Congress faces a deadline of Dec. 8 to reach agreement on a spending plan to keep the government open. Mr. Trump is seeking to hold a meeting with lawmakers next week, after Democratic leaders bailed out on a planned meeting earlier this week.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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