An illegal immigrant has been arrested and charged with killing an Illinois official and his wife in a car crash that occurred while the illegal immigrant was driving under the influence of alcohol last Friday.
In a Tuesday press release, the Department of Homeland Security announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged an arrest for a “criminal illegal alien who while driving under the influence killed two Illinois residents, Michael Clayton a Coles County Board Member and his wife, Gail Clayton in a fatal car crash.”
The press release identified Edwin Pacheco-Meza, a 34-year-old Honduran illegal immigrant, as the suspect responsible for killing the two residents while drunk driving. The Department of Homeland Security noted that law enforcement officials also found drugs, ammunition, an extended magazine, and an open container in the illegal immigrant’s vehicle. Pacheco-Meza has been charged with driving under the influence and reckless homicide.
In addition to the arrest of Pacheco-Meza, law enforcement officials also arrested Juan Morales-Martinez, an 18-year-old illegal immigrant from Guatemala who was a passenger in the vehicle. The 18-year-old has been charged with a weapons offense and drug possession.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Illinois State Rep. Adam Niemerg, a Republican, blamed the fatal crash on the “failed leadership” of Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.)
“Gov. Pritzker’s reckless policies keep putting Illinois families at risk,” Niemerg tweeted. “Instead of protecting citizens, Democrats continue to protect those here illegally — and our communities are paying the price.”
In Tuesday’s press release, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Pacheco-Meza entered the United States illegally at an unknown time, while Morales-Martinez illegally entered the country in December of 2023 and was released by former President Joe Biden’s administration.
“Two innocents were killed because this criminal illegal alien chose to drive under the influence,” Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. “President Trump and Secretary Noem have unleashed ICE and CBP in Illinois to restore law-and-order and remove criminal illegal aliens from our communities.”
“Anyone who is in the U.S. illegally and thinks they can roam free while breaking our laws and harming Americans is in for a rude awakening,” McLaughlin added. “If you are in our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, arrest you, remove you, and you will never return.”
A picture of Pacheco-Meza was shared on Tuesday by the Department of Homeland Security on social media.
