On Thursday, Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-6) commented on the news that a previously deported illegal immigrant has been charged with the rape of a juvenile girl in Shelby County.
In a Facebook post sharing Yellowhammer News’ original article on the alleged crime, Palmer said, “The arrest of illegal immigrant and drug trafficker Amancio Betancourt Martinez for the rape of a young girl is another grim reminder that failure to secure the border and enforce the law is having horrible consequences.”
He continued, “It is incomprehensible that Democrats continue to oppose securing the borders to protect all Americans from criminal acts by people who are here illegally, and also from the influx of deadly drugs such as fentanyl and possibly terrorists.”
“Going forward, Congress cannot compromise on our national security and must prioritize the safety of the American people,” Palmer concluded.
Martinez, a 27-year-old Mexican native and citizen, has been charged with first-degree rape in Shelby County after returning to the United States illegally. He was previously deported in late 2015 for a felony drug trafficking conviction in Alabama.
Also on Thursday, the 116th Congress convened in Washington, D.C., with Democrats taking control of the House as partial government shutdown negotiations continue to stalemate.
Under Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-San Francisco) majority, the chamber immediately passed a bill to fund the rest of the government that contains no money to improve border security. This bill is dead-on-arrival in the Senate and with President Donald Trump. All of Alabama’s Republican representatives voted “no” while Congresswoman Terri Sewell (AL-7) voted “yes.”
Congressmen Mo Brooks (AL-5) and Bradley Byrne (AL-1), as well as Attorney General Steve Marshall and Alabama Republican Party chair Terry Lathan, have also reacted to the charge against Martinez, calling for the border wall to be funded.
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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