JUST OVER A MONTH HAS PASSED SINCE CONGRESS PASSED AND PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNED A BILL PARTLY NAMED AFTER SARAH ROOT, A FEDERAL LAW THAT REQUIRES ANY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO COMMITS A CRIME RESULTING IN DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY TO BE DETAINED.
ROOT WAS 21 YEARS OLD AND HAD GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE JUST HOURS BEFORE HER VEHICLE WAS STRUCK IN OMAHA IN 2016 BY 19-YEAR-OLD ESWIN MEJIA, WHO AUTHORITIES SAY WAS DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED AND STREET RACING WHEN HE RAMMED ROOT’S CAR.
ROOT, WHO WAS FROM COUNCIL BLUFFS, DIED AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH.
PROSECUTORS SAY MEJIA WAS IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY, AND HE WAS CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE BY A MOTOR VEHICLE.
HE POSTED $5000 BAIL AND WAS RELEASED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO A SPONSOR.
MEJIA FAILED TO APPEAR FOR HIS COURT HEARING, AND HIS LOCATION HAS BEEN UNKNOWN FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
THAT HAS CHANGED SINCE THE NATIONAL POLICE OF HONDURAS NOTIFIED U.S. AUTHORITIES THAT MEJIA WAS CAPTURED THERE ON FEBRUARY 27TH.
NEGOTIATIONS ARE UNDERWAY BETWEEN THE COUNTRIES TO HAVE HIM EXTRADITED TO NEBRASKA.
U.S. SENATOR DEB FISCHER OF NEBRASKA RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING “IT IS TRAGIC THAT SARAH ROOT’S FAMILY HAS WAITED THIS LONG FOR JUSTICE, BUT IT IS GOOD NEWS THAT AFTER NEARLY A DECADE AS A FUGITIVE, HER KILLER WAS ARRESTED.
IOWA SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY SAID IN PART, “MEJIA SHOULD’VE BEEN HELD SINCE HE WAS IN OUR COUNTRY ILLEGALLY BUT WASN’T & FLED.
JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED FOR HIS CRIMES.”
IOWA SENATOR JONI ERNST SHARED HER OWN STATEMENT THAT “FOR 9 YEARS, THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO KILLED SARAH ROOT WAS NEVER HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
THANKS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP’S LEADERSHIP AND WORK WITH THE HONDURAN GOVERNMENT, EDWIN MEJIA HAS BEEN ARRESTED!
WE ARE A MAJOR STEP CLOSER TO JUSTICE FOR SARAH, THE ROOTS, AND EVERY IOWAN!”
