Former President Donald Trump recently claimed to have been in touch with the family of Ruby Garcia, a young woman who was tragically murdered by an undocumented Mexican immigrant. However, Garcia’s family denies any outreach from Trump.
The statement was made during a campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where 25-year-old Ruby Garcia was shot dead by her friend, Brandon Ortiz-Vite. Despite Trump’s claim, Garcia’s sister Mavi stated that he did not speak with any of them.
When questioned about the inconsistency, Trump’s team refused to disclose who they spoke with and what was said. Ortiz-Vite, the suspect in the murder, was brought to the U.S. as a child and deported back to Mexico in 2020 before re-entering the country without inspection.
During the Grand Rapids appearance, Trump used the platform to criticize undocumented immigrants, referring to them as “animals” and “not human.” However, Mavi Garcia criticized Trump for focusing on undocumented immigrants, citing statistics that show they are no more likely to commit violent crimes than any other group.
In the aftermath of Ruby Garcia’s death, Mavi set up a GoFundMe campaign which raised nearly $20,000 before donations were disabled by the family. Ortiz-Vite is currently being held without bond on various charges, including felony murder, and is scheduled to appear in court on April 9.
The conflicting statements and controversy surrounding Trump’s alleged outreach to the Garcia family have sparked further debate on immigration policies and the treatment of undocumented individuals in the United States.
