The political left often ignores, downplays, or outright denies documented instances of illegal immigrants committing crimes against American citizens, even when those crimes are violent or result in the death of innocent victims.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) effectively countered that leftist narrative with a new campaign ad that shares the story of a still-grieving mother who lost her beloved son in a fatal car accident caused by a twice-deported illegal immigrant several years ago, the Daily Wire reported.
Heartbreaking, tragic story
“When our middle son, Brandon, left to go to work, he was only 21 years old, and the last words I said to him is, ‘I love you,'” Kiyan Michael said of her late son in the campaign ad. “And a twice-deported illegal ran into him and hit him so hard that he caused Brandon’s car to flip, and he killed him.”
“My child was killed by someone who should not have been here. This is what happens when we have open borders,” she continued. “We were able to go and meet with Governor DeSantis. He said, ‘I want to hear your son’s story.’ And to see the compassion in his eyes, I saw the concern. He wanted to make sure other lives were protected.”
“And as a Governor, he truly has been upholding the oath that he took, which is to protect Floridians,” Michael said of DeSantis. “He not only talks a good talk, but he walks it. He’s been very strong on safety. He’s been very strong on law and order. He has made our state one of the safest states to be in. There’s no greater leader than Governor DeSantis because he didn’t just listen. He put action behind it.”
“My child was killed by someone who should not have been here”
We released a new ad today to tell the story of a mother who tragically lost her son as a result of illegal immigration.
This tragedy is a result of open border policies & why @RonDeSantisFL fights to keep FL safe. pic.twitter.com/3nt57oCjzM
— Casey DeSantis (@CaseyDeSantis) September 19, 2022
Guests of honor
Florida’s First Coast News reported in March 2019 that Jacksonville residents Kiyan and Bobby Michael, the parents of Brandon Michael, were honored guests at Gov. DeSantis’ State of the State Address.
The young man had been killed in 2007 when his vehicle had been struck by another man who was later determined to be a twice-deported illegal migrant who had been driving without a license or registration.
Following that incident, the other driver had been sentenced to two years in prison and was ordered to pay restitution to the Michael family, and was ultimately deported for a third time after he was released from that prison sentence.
It was preventable
“Here with us today are two angel parents, Bobby and Kiyan Michael from Jacksonville,” Gov. DeSantis said during that speech, the local outlet reported. “Their son Brandon was killed by a foreign national who was illegally in our country and who had been deported on two prior occasions. Brandon was a young man engaged to be married, but instead of planning a wedding Bobby and Kiyan had to plan a funeral.”
“Had our laws simply been enforced, Bobby and Kiyan might not have had to bury their son,” the governor added. “Let’s do right by the Michael family; let’s prohibit sanctuary cities in Florida.”
Indeed, the Daily Wire noted that, since that time, DeSantis has banned “sanctuary” jurisdictions in the state, deployed Florida National Guard troops to the southern border in Texas, increased the penalties for drug trafficking, and more recently has begun transporting illegal migrants to Democrat-run “sanctuary” cities since he is prohibited by federal law from deporting those migrants back to their nations of origin — which he would do if he could.