On October 13, Grayson Davis, a 29-year-old Texas man, tragically lost his life in a collision with a driver who authorities revealed to be an illegal immigrant, previously deported twice and reportedly driving drunk. The accused, Jorge Peralta, confessed to having five beers before driving. After the crash, Peralta fled on foot and later resisted arrest, leaving the Davis family devastated as Grayson fought for his life in a hospital before succumbing to his injuries.
Grayson’s mother, Ashley Davis, expressed her anguish to CBS Austin, saying, “You hear all these stories, you don’t ever think it’s going to affect you personally… then all of a sudden, on a Sunday evening, you get a text that your son was just hit by a truck and an illegal drunk driver.” She urges lawmakers to strengthen border policies, imploring, “This cannot continue. It’s not okay.” The family’s plea highlights the growing frustration among many Americans who feel that current immigration policies inadequately protect citizens from violent offenders slipping through cracks in the system.
This case in Bastrop County represents a troubling trend. According to recent reports, incidents involving illegal immigrants in crimes—particularly violent crimes—are rising as immigration numbers climb. U.S. Customs and Border Protection encountered over 275,000 illegal immigrants in a single month this year, underscoring a dramatic increase in border crossings under the Biden-Harris administration. Since Biden-Harris took office, over 6.2 million illegal immigrants have been encountered at the nation’s borders, with 2 million released into the U.S. interior.
A 2021 Department of Justice report found that noncitizens accounted for 64% of federal arrests in 2018, despite comprising just 7% of the population. While the Biden-Harris administration has ceased routine updates on crimes involving illegal immigrants, Texas’ Department of Public Safety (DPS) continues to track these incidents, revealing patterns of crimes such as assault, homicide, and DUI.
The implications extend beyond Texas. Sanctuary cities across the U.S. often protect illegal immigrants from deportation even if they’ve committed serious crimes, enabling them to potentially harm others. The Heritage Foundation has argued that these sanctuary policies, paired with lenient prosecution in certain districts, create environments in which violent offenders are shielded. Cases like Grayson Davis’s highlight the dangers of policies that prevent swift deportation of criminal aliens and have led many Americans to call for more stringent border controls and law enforcement policies.
As the Davis family mourns their loss, their plea for reform is one echoed by many Americans who believe the current system puts them at risk. To prevent further tragedies, advocates argue that comprehensive reforms are needed, from tightening borders to ensuring the rapid deportation of illegal immigrants who commit violent offenses. For the Davis family, these policy changes represent a path to justice and a way to prevent other families from suffering similar losses.