The family of Ruby Garcia, a woman who was killed by an undocumented immigrant and found on the side of a Grand Rapids, Michigan, highway, is incensed after the anticipated Republican nominee, Donald Trump, has allegedly been lying about talking to them at his rallies.
As Intelligencer reported, Mavi Garcia, Ruby’s sister, told Target 8, “He did not speak with any of us, so it was kind of shocking seeing that he had said that he had spoke with us, and misinforming people on live TV.”
Mavi, who has taken on the role of the family spokesperson, also disagreed with the use of her sister’s death as a moment of
political convenience. She continued, “It’s always been about illegal immigrants,” Mavi said. “Nobody really speaks about when Americans do heinous crimes, and it’s kind of shocking why he would just bring up illegals. What about Americans who do heinous crimes like that?”Michigan Democrats agree with Mavi Garcia’s take, as Sen. Debbie Stabenow said during a virtual press conference, “Ruby Garcia’s death was a horrible tragedy,” Stabenow said. “But, unfortunately, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are hell-bent on exploiting Ruby’s death for their own politics. Frankly, I think it’s shameful.”
Garcia has also disputed characterizations of the relationship her sister had with her killer, Brandon Ortiz-Vite. Authorities say that the two were boyfriend and girlfriend, while Garcia says that their relationship never made it that far, but she still wishes Ortiz-Vite had stayed in Mexico.
Trump did, however, meet with the family of Laken Riley, whose family has similarly claimed that they do not want their daughter’s death politicized. Riley’s death has nevertheless been utilized by conservatives as a symbol of the need for immigration reform.
In an interview in March, Riley’s father told NBC News, “I’d rather her not be such a political, how you say — it started a storm in our country, and it’s incited a lot of people.” Riley continued, “There’s people on both sides that have lashed out at our families.
“It was really surreal. I just didn’t want to believe it — it’s still hard to believe,” Jason Riley said of what happened, choking back tears. “I wake up every day thinking that I can call her, and I can’t.”
Similar to the Garcia family, Riley decried the use of his daughter’s name as a political symbol. “I think it’s being used politically to get those votes,” Jason Riley said. “It makes me angry. I feel like, you know, they’re just using my daughter’s name for that. And she was much better than that, and she should be raised up for the person that she is. She was an angel.”
Riley is a Trump supporter, and he appreciates that her death has illuminated the need to help women who are victims of human trafficking, but still argued for Laken’s death to “not be so political.”
Sen. Raphael Warnock, meanwhile, accused the Republican Party of doing exactly what Riley doesn’t want. Warnock called the House bill “smoke and mirrors” and wants them to stop “demagoguing this tragic death by this young woman” and encouraging them to “get serious.”