Kathryn Steinle death: How 2015 murder of woman on SF's Pier 14 still haunts Kamala Harris, Sherrod Brown
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and former California attorney general, is currently under renewed scrutiny for her past role in supporting sanctuary-city policies.
These criticisms have resurfaced in connection with the tragic 2015 murder of Kathryn Steinle, a 32-year-old woman, and the repeated blocking of "Kate's Law" by Democrats in the Senate.
Murder of Kathryn Steinle
In 2015, Kathryn Steinle was tragically killed in San Francisco by Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate, a 56-year-old Mexican national. At the time of his arrest, Garcia-Zarate had seven felony convictions and had been deported from the United States six times, only to re-enter illegally each time.
The case, occurring during another heated presidential race, quickly became a focal point for debates on immigration and border security.
The murder of Steinle ignited a political firestorm. Then-Republican candidate Donald Trump cited the killing as a prime example of the urgent need to secure the US border, stating, "Yet another example of why we must secure our border immediately."
Even Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton acknowledged that San Francisco had made a mistake by allowing Garcia-Zarate to stay in the country.
Harris, who served as the district attorney (DA) of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011 and later as California's attorney general, has been criticized for her support of sanctuary-city policies. These policies are believed by some to have enabled Garcia-Zarate to remain in the US for an extended period.
During her tenure as DA, Harris signed a newspaper ad opposing "anti-immigrant proposals" and declared, “We are a sanctuary city, a city of refuge, and we always will be.”
As Harris runs for president, these criticisms have resurfaced. Bernie Moreno, the Republican Colombian American businessman running against Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, emphasized Harris and Brown's roles in supporting sanctuary cities and amnesty policies.
Moreno's campaign told the New York Post, “Kamala Harris and Sherrod Brown are champions of sanctuary cities and amnesty policies that result in tragedies like the murders of Kate Steinle and Laken Riley. Harris and Brown continually side with illegal immigrants over law and order and the safety of Americans."
Senate Democrats blocked 'Kate's Law'
The legislation, known as "Kate's Law" or the Stop Illegal Reentry Act, was crafted by Congressional Republicans in response to Steinle's murder. The law would mandate five-year prison sentences for illegal immigrants with felonies apprehended in the United States.
In 2015, more than 30 Senate Democrats, including Sherrod Brown, blocked the bill, which also aimed to strip sanctuary cities of federal funding. Brown argued that the law would increase costs for taxpayers by expanding the federal prison population.
Despite another attempt in 2017, the bill was again killed by Senate Democrats, including then-Senator Harris.
Harris has consistently criticized Republican immigration policies. In a 2017 interview with Voice of San Diego, she stated, "The Trump administration’s immigration policies create a culture of fear — and so we have to stand up in California and fight for who we are as a country and our ideals."
Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has persistently tried to advance "Kate's Law" in every Congressional session, with the most recent attempt in 2023. However, the bill has repeatedly stalled in the Democrat-controlled Judiciary Committee.
Moreno's campaign summarized the situation by stating, "Bottom line: Kamala Harris helped create the sanctuary city policies that allowed Steinle and others’ murders to occur, and Sherrod Brown blocked a legislative fix from becoming law."
Kamala Harris' role as border czar and public opinion
Currently, Harris serves as President Joe Biden’s border czar, responsible for addressing the illegal immigration crisis. Her performance in this role has become a significant issue for her presidential campaign. A recent Gallup Poll indicates that over half of Americans support reducing immigration levels, marking the highest percentage since 2001.
Garcia-Zarate spent seven years in prison for possessing an illegal firearm, though he was acquitted of murder charges. In 2022, he was ordered to leave the United States after being turned over to probation.
US District Judge Vince Chhabria, nominated by President Barack Obama, warned Garcia-Zarate, “If you return to this country again and you are back in front of me, I will not spare you. Let this be your last warning: Do not return to this country.”
As recent polls suggest a tight race between Harris and Trump, the resurfacing of these past controversies can be a scary prospect, potentially influencing voters' decisions at the ballot box, the outlet reported.
