Just days before Christmas, the story of a migrant from Guatemala setting a sleeping woman on fire while riding the New York City subway is dominating national news and leaving Americans both horrified and angry. It’s almost certain to add to the furor over America’s immigration policy and the record-setting number of border crossings — both legal and illegal — during the Biden administration.
While there has been a spate of violent crime allegedly committed by illegal aliens, including sex assault on minors in Massachusetts, the details of this latest attack are particularly heinous. And yet Democrats in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts stand by their pro-sanctuary cities stance.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the scene during a press conference: “As the train pulled into the station, the suspect calmly walked up to the victim. The female victim was in a seated position. The suspect used what we believe to be a lighter to ignite the victim’s clothing, which became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds.”
The suspect reportedly remained and watched the woman burn, taking no action to help her. She died from the flames.
“This type of depraved behavior has no place in our subways, and we are committed to working hard to ensure there is swift justice for all victims of violent crime,” said NYC Mayor Eric Adams.
As of Sunday night, the legal immigration status of the suspect, 33-year-old Sebastin Zapeta, remained cloudy. According to news reports, Zapeta entered the United States by way of the Arizona border with Mexico in 2018, prompting Democrat activists to try to pin the blame for his presence on then-President Donald Trump.
Yet major urban areas like New York City, which have local laws in place barring police from coordinating with federal authorities to honor illegal immigration detainer requests, are controlled by Democrats, attracting thousands of migrants with each passing week.
In New Hampshire, polls show voters overwhelmingly list illegal immigration as a major concern. Meanwhile, the same voters recently elected Republican former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte as governor by a wide margin over former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig – a Democrat who actively backed a sanctuary-style approach to illegal immigration during her time at the helm of the Granite State’s largest city.
Thus far, no Granite State elected Democrat has publicly endorsed Ayotte’s immigration stance.
Incoming Republican President Donald Trump, who has vowed to carry out mass deportations, is now preparing to deal with states like Massachusetts, where Gov. Maura Healey (D-Mass) has directed the State Police to resist cooperating with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.
Yet in an interview that aired on WBZ News just hours after Sunday’s horrific incident in New York, Healey claimed, “Massachusetts, we are not a sanctuary state.”
“If you come here, there is no housing here,” Healey added.
Host Jon Keller attempted to push back, citing the number of cities and towns in Massachusetts that have officially enacted “sanctuary” ordinances and policies that encourage illegal immigration.
“Is it your advice that they reconsider that?” Keller asked about the municipalities in question.
“You know, I don’t really understand what that terminology means in practice,” Healey said. “I guess I come to this also as a former prosecutor and attorney general.”
Healey carefully noted that local law enforcement is encouraged to work with federal authorities on cases involving direct criminal activity and violence.
“I’m not quite sure what ‘sanctuary’ actually means in practice,” Healey added. “I think what’s important though, is that Congress act, and we see that reform on the border.
“My view, Jon, on immigration is that violent criminals — people who are creating public safety threats in our communities — should be deported if they’re not here lawfully.”
