Angel Moms, mothers who have lost children to illegal immigrant crime, are taking a hard look at the immigration policies of the two top contenders for the GOP presidential nomination: former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“I am taking my time but there really isn’t anyone else that appeals to me besides Trump and DeSantis because of our issues as victim families,” Mary Ann Mendoza the founder of Angel Moms and Angel Families, told The Epoch Times.
Angel Moms on DeSantis
Mr. DeSantis has been actively meeting and working with Angel Moms across the country, as he mentioned in the recent GOP primary debate, and his efforts have apparently paid off.Florida House Bill 1617/Senate Bill 1718 makes using E-Verify mandatory for any employer with 25 or more employees, imposes enforceable penalties for those employing illegal aliens, and enhances penalties for human smuggling. The bill also prohibits local governments from issuing Identification Cards (ID) to illegal aliens, invalidates ID cards issued to illegal aliens in other states, and requires hospitals to collect and submit data on the costs of providing health care to illegal aliens.
“Angel parents want the preventable devastation to American families to end and we know as DeSantis has stated unless the cartel is dealt a fatal blow, building a wall won’t be enough to secure our borders and protect Americans,” she said.
Michael’s son Brandon was killed in 2007 when he was struck by an illegal immigrant driving without a license who had been deported twice. The driver was sentenced to two years in prison, ordered to pay restitution, and deported again afterward.
The Florida state representative’s endorsement of Mr. DeSantis and her experience of loss due to illegal immigrant crime is shared by Ms. Mendoza.
“Governor DeSantis has put a very strong E-Verified law forward, anybody caught in Florida transporting illegals it’s a crime, any states that give illegals a driver license if they come to Florida and drive in Florida and they’re pulled over that driver’s license will not be recognized in Florida because they’re in the country illegally.”
Ms. Mendoza’s son, Sgt. Brandon Mendoza of the Mesa, Arizona Police Department, was killed on May 12, 2014, in a violent head-on collision on his way home from work by a repeat illegal immigrant who had driven over 35 miles the wrong way on four different freeways before slamming head-on into her son’s vehicle.
“Angel families have been marginalized for the crimes committed against us and illegal criminals really have the upper hand in many states,” she said.
Angel Moms on Trump
Though Ms. Mendoza presently supports Mr. DeSantis, she was a previous Trump supporter and joined him on both of his campaigns for president and when he was in or vying for the White House.“I was at the White House many times, he invited me for a round table with law enforcement and congressional members when they were talking about anti-sanctuary city legislation,” she said. “I was there when he signed his first veto … I would get a phone call and my life would stop and I would do anything for that man, he was my president.”
Ms. Mendoza says she even missed her oldest granddaughter’s graduation from high school because she received a call from President Trump that he needed her at the White House for a meeting.
She credits President Trump with doing a lot to curb illegal immigration.
President Trump meanwhile has slammed Mr. DeSantis for “copying” his immigration platform,
The former president also said that he has already used “deadly force” against illegal immigrants suspected of drug trafficking while Mr. DeSantis has only talked about it and that he would “do it again.”
Mr. DeSantis’s border plan does mirror several of President Trump’s policies he implemented while in the White House. The Florida governor wants to reinstate President Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy and renew a national emergency declaration President Trump put into effect to release federal funds to finish the border wall.
“Those who trespass into our country could immediately be sent back to the place from which they came. Every would-be illegal border crosser knew that with Donald Trump in the White House, our border was closed. It was absolutely closed. They had no chance of getting in. And therefore, they didn’t come.”
Officials who worked on border security issues in the Trump White House also praised the former president for his handling of illegal immigration.
Border Sheriffs on Trump and DeSantis
President Trump and Mr. DeSantis have not only been courting Angel Moms but also sheriffs and local law enforcement agents along the U.S.–Mexico border.“We as a coalition … since we’re grant funded we cannot support candidates but we can meet with them and discuss issues and that’s what we do with each political candidate,” Clint McDonald Executive Director of the Southwestern Border Sheriff’s Coalition told The Epoch Times.
Mr. McDonald said that sheriffs have met both President Trump and Mr. DeSantis.
“The meeting with DeSantis was basically set up as a meeting with the Arizona Sheriffs but then one of the Arizona Sheriffs invited [some] Texas sheriffs to join and they discussed issues along the border and from what I gathered they were very pleased with the meeting.”
He says President Trump also visited sheriffs over the summer to discuss border security close to the same area.
“President Trump along with Texas Governor Greg Abbott met with sheriffs in the valley of Texas in Weslaco and discussed the border issues and met with sheriffs from all over the state as well.”
As a neutral party, Mr. McDonald said his only concern is increasing border security and that one candidate can’t say they’ve done more than the other when it comes to meeting with law enforcement along the border.
“They’ve both put effort into looking into the border issue.”
