U.S. Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) has expressed serious concerns about the escalating impact of illegal immigration on public safety in San Antonio following a recent shooting involving an illegal immigrant that left a police officer injured.
In a letter addressed to local authorities, Rep. Roy highlighted the alarming rise in the number of illegal immigrants in the San Antonio region and the associated risks to the community, particularly in light of the increased population at the San Antonio Migrant Resource Center (MRC).
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The letter follows a violent incident on July 28, 2024, when three San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) officers responded to a domestic violence call on Patricia Drive. Upon arrival, officers encountered a woman with visible injuries, allegedly inflicted by her boyfriend, Jorge Chacon-Gutierrez, a 25-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela.
Chacon-Gutierrez, who had entered the U.S. illegally through Eagle Pass, Texas, in November 2023, opened fire on the officers, striking one multiple times. Fortunately, the injured officer is expected to recover fully, while Chacon-Gutierrez was fatally shot during the altercation.
Roy noted that this incident occurred not far from the San Antonio MRC, which has seen a significant influx of illegal immigrants since it opened in July 2022. According to Roy, over 626,000 illegal immigrants have arrived in San Antonio since January 2021, with more than 345,000 of them being housed at the MRC.
Another shooting on May 1, 2024, further raised concerns. This incident, which took place on San Pedro Avenue near the MRC, involved a 19-year-old resident of the MRC who was shot by another illegal immigrant, Victor Castro-Aponte, also a Venezuelan national. These incidents, Rep. Roy argues, are preventable and underscore the dangers posed by the growing illegal immigrant population in San Antonio.
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In his letter, Roy demanded detailed information from local authorities about the public safety impact of the illegal immigrant population in San Antonio. He requested data on the number of service calls originating from the MRC, the nature of those calls, and the involvement of Child Protective Services, medical services, and the Special Victims Unit. Rep.
Roy also asked for information on arrests made in connection with these incidents and whether the suspects or victims disclosed their immigration status and country of origin.
Additionally, Rep. Roy inquired about the involvement of SAPD’s Human Exploitation Unit in human smuggling or trafficking cases since January 2021, and whether the department had any prior encounters with Jorge Chacon-Gutierrez.
“My constituents are rightly concerned about the massive influx of illegal aliens into the San Antonio region and deserve answers on the increased illegal alien population’s impact on public safety,” Rep. Roy stated in his letter. He called for a response from local authorities by August 26, 2024.
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Rep. Roy’s concerns come as San Antonio grapples with the challenges of managing the surge in illegal immigration, which he argues has been exacerbated by the Biden administration’s border policies.
He has consistently advocated for stronger border security measures and accountability in addressing the impact of illegal immigration on local communities.
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