The story of Ariana Funes-Diaz’s death is saddening because it was completely preventable. Our initial report failed to determine her alleged murderers had already been detained and released a year before she was killed.

MS-13 gang members Josue Rafael Fuentes-Ponce and Joel Ernesto Escobar were in the custody of Prince George County in Maryland with ICE detainer orders on them, but the sanctuary rules in the jurisdiction allowed their release. They allegedly claimed another victim less than a year later, had another detainer put on them following their arrest, and have again been released so they could avoid deportation.

Let that sink in. Murder suspects have been released by law enforcement because of sanctuary rules in place. There is absolutely no way for Democrats to spin this, but in their minds they’re doing the right thing because the rights of gang member illegal immigrants are higher than the rights of American citizens.

ICE has rightly condemned the rules that allowed this and the law enforcement agencies that are failing to protect Americans.

Sanctuary rules give the freedom of criminal illegal aliens higher priority than the safety of American citizens. Ariana Funes-Diaz would be alive today if her MS-13 gang member murderers weren’t protected by Democrats. It’s infuriating.

SACRAMENTO – Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) issued the following statement after the Assembly Transportation Committee held an extensive hearing on the California High-Speed Rail project today.

“The more we look at this project, the more uncertainties come to light. Whether it is the loss of federal funds, the looming deadlines, or the failure to comply with the requirements of Proposition 1A, these hearings have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the California High-Speed Rail Authority is incapable of building anything that resembles what they promised the voters.

“Sacramento Democrats can no longer pretend they don’t know this project is off the rails. It is a shameful waste of taxpayers’ dollars and we must stop throwing our hard-earned money down the drain. It is time to kill the big rail fail,” said Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove.

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Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove represents California’s 16th Senate District which encompasses large portions of Kern, Tulare and San Bernardino counties and including the cities of Bakersfield, Barstow, California City, Exeter, Frazier Mountain, Joshua Tree, Mojave, Needles, Ridgecrest, Rosamond, Taft, Tehachapi, Twentynine Palms, Tulare, Visalia, Yucca Valley and portions of the Kern River Valley. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

For press inquiries or questions, please contact Jacqui Nguyen, press secretary for the Senate Republican Caucus, at 858.999.7706.

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SACRAMENTO – The state senate has unanimously passed SB 601, by Senator Mike Morrell (R-Rancho Cucamonga), to waive or reduce government licensing fees for businesses recovering after a disaster.

After events like wildfires, floods, and earthquakes, victims face many challenges including increasing expenses. For small businesses, recovery can also include having to replace paperwork such as state licenses needed to operate in California.

“State licensing fees can often be a hurdle as entrepreneurs begin their careers,” said Morrell. “For businesses that have already played by the rules and contributed to our economy, SB 601 helps them get back on their feet after a disaster. While we need licensing reforms and relief across the board, I am grateful to my senate colleagues for their support of this good government measure.”

In recent years, California has seen several of the most damaging and costly natural disasters in its history. The 2017 Tubbs Fire, Southern California mudslides, and 2018 Camp Fire combined have claimed over 100 lives, destroyed more than 25,000 structures, and impacted an estimated 381,784 businesses.

Morrell has led past efforts on licensing reform in California, including the authoring of SB 999 (2018) to repeal certain licensing requirements in the fields of barbering and cosmetology as well as the authoring of SB 1155 (2017) to waive initial licensing fees for veterans entering the civilian workforce.

The bill unanimously passed the senate and will next be considered in the State Assembly.