Mary Ann Mendoza: Who Is The ‘Angel Mom’ Speaking At The 2020 RNC?
Mary Ann Mendoza, an Arizona woman who has been given the title “Angel Mom,” is scheduled to speak Tuesday night at the Republican National Convention.
Mrs. Mendoza rose to prominence when her son was killed in a drunk driving incident that also claimed the life of the other driver, an undocumented immigrant. Since then, she’s become an advocate for tighter immigration policies.
In the early morning hours of May 12, 2014, Mesa, Arizona Police Department Sgt. Brandon Mendoza had just finished his shift and was driving home in his own car. As The Phoenix New Times reported, his car was struck by a car driven by Raul Silva Corona, a man who was allegedly in the country illegally and reportedly had a lengthy criminal record dating back to 1994. Corona’s blood alcohol content was 0.24 percent — three times the legal limit — and he had reportedly driven 30 miles in the wrong lane of the freeway when he struck Mendoza. Corona also died in the crash.
Sgt. Mendoza’s mother, Mary Ann Mendoza, having been given the title of “Angel Mom” for being the mother of a fallen police officer, would later say that, though drunk driving deaths can be caused by anybody, whether an illegal immigrant or not, her son’s death could have been prevented.
“Every situation and every single parent that I’ve met who’s had a child killed [by an undocumented immigrant] — every single one of these situations were preventable,” she said.
She’s Become An Advocate For Stronger Immigration Policies
Since her son’s death, Mrs. Mendoza has become an advocate for tightening up immigration laws. Specifically, in a letter to then-President Barack Obama, she noted that federal immigration authorities had two opportunities to deport her son’s killer. In 1994, he was arrested on burglary and assault charges. Yet another opportunity was in 2002, when he was apprehended after skipping bail. Instead of being deported, he was allowed “back onto the streets” after being offered a plea deal.
“I am furious that the Federal Government allowed this criminal to stay in this country and KILL my son!” she said, via USA Today.
She’s also advocated against allowing undocumented immigrants to purchase and register vehicles or to get driver’s licenses.
In a February USA Today op-ed, she opined that plans put forth in some states to allow undocumented immigrants to do these things creates more problems than it solves.
“Giving illegal immigrants access to services ordinarily reserved for American citizens and legal residents not only increases the burden on taxpayers, it can also incentivize further illegal immigration, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of dependency,” she wrote.
She Supports President Donald Trump’s Immigration Efforts
In that same op-ed, she praised President Donald Trump’s administration for authorizing more federal resources for immigration enforcement and attempting to build a border wall. Further, she touted the increase in the number of immigrants apprehended for illegally trying to enter the country.
However, she also accused Democrats of trying to stymie the administration’s efforts. Specifically, she mentioned that Washington state and Massachusetts had filed lawsuits over the Trump administration’s policy of arresting undocumented immigrants at courthouses.
“Democrats’ open-borders agenda will lead to more illegal immigrants, more crime — and more Angel Families,” she wrote.
