Jay Block, a Senator from New Mexico, has expressed concerns about Democratic policies, stating that they enable criminals while federal leaders are working to strengthen enforcement against illegal immigrant crime. This statement was made on the social media platform X.
"Remember who the Democrats stand for. Killers, rapists, violent criminals," said Jay C Block, New Mexico State Senator from 12th District (R). "Remember who we stand for. We stand for Katie, her parents, protecting the public, and the rule of law. When Democrats say no one is above the law, they only mean those they go after. Never forget Katie and all the victims of illegal aliens and criminals. Enough is enough."
Operation "Midway Blitz," an enforcement initiative by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), was launched in Chicago in September 2025. The operation targets noncitizens with criminal records and is named in honor of Katie Abraham, an Illinois woman who died in a DUI crash allegedly caused by an undocumented immigrant. The initiative has gained attention following an incident where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fatally shot a man during an arrest attempt in Franklin Park. This event has sparked debate over the tactics used and their impact on local communities. According to DHS and local Illinois reports, the branding of the operation directly links it to Abraham's case.
State-level records indicate that undocumented immigrants are less likely to be convicted of serious crimes compared to native-born citizens. A 2024 analysis by the Cato Institute using Texas Department of Public Safety data revealed that the 2022 homicide conviction rate for undocumented immigrants was 3.1 per 100,000, compared to 4.9 per 100,000 for native-born Texans. Legal immigrants had the lowest rate at 1.8 per 100,000. These findings challenge assumptions about higher crime risks associated with undocumented populations.
Sanctuary jurisdictions do not exhibit higher crime rates than non-sanctuary areas. A study led by Stanford University and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that sanctuary policies reduced deportations of noncriminal immigrants without increasing violent or property crime rates. The research concluded that such policies did not have any measurable negative effect on public safety outcomes.
Block is a Republican politician and retired U.S. Air Force nuclear weapons officer who became a New Mexico state senator in 2025 after serving as a Sandoval County commissioner and running for governor in 2022. His legislative profile highlights more than two decades of military service followed by defense consulting work. In his current role, he serves on key committees such as Rules and Health & Public Affairs, representing District 12 after winning election in November 2024.
