DACA Recipient Charged in Fatal Crash That Killed Four Americans
A DACA recipient has been charged with second-degree murder after allegedly killing four people in a wrong-way drunk driving crash on Interstate 40 in Canadian County, Oklahoma, in May.
Michael Rosario-Cruz, a 26-year-old illegal alien, was arrested in May by the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office following the deadly collision. Authorities have charged him with second-degree murder, drunk driving causing bodily injury, possessing a firearm with an altered ID during the commission of a felony, carrying firearms while under the influence, transporting an open container, and driving the wrong way on a one-way road.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol confirmed that on May 22, Rosario-Cruz was driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 40 when he struck an oncoming vehicle head-on. The collision killed all four occupants of the other vehicle: 20-year-old Kiercy Hickson, 19-year-old Quincy Jones, 18-year-old Haleigh Salazar, and 18-year-old Brad Palmer. All four victims died at the scene.
Rosario-Cruz sustained injuries in the crash and was transported to a nearby hospital. He has remained in custody since the incident and has been placed on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer.
Reports confirm that Rosario-Cruz received DACA status in 2015 during the Obama administration, which shielded him from deportation despite his illegal presence in the United States.
DACA Program Marks 14 Years Since Creation
The deadly crash comes as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program reaches its 14th anniversary. Former President Obama created DACA through executive action in 2010, allowing hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens who were brought to the country as minors to avoid deportation.
Federal records released by the Trump administration in November 2019 exposed the extent to which illegal aliens with criminal histories obtained DACA protection. As of October 2019, the federal government had granted DACA status to nearly 68,000 illegal aliens with prior arrest records. In contrast, fewer than 30,000 illegal aliens with prior arrests were denied DACA or had their status revoked.
The case has renewed scrutiny over the DACA program and its screening procedures, particularly regarding recipients with criminal backgrounds who remain protected from deportation.
With information from Breitbart News
