George Alan Kelly is a 73-year-old rancher near Nogales, Ariz. He is currently being held on a $1 million bond at the county Jail. Kelly was arrested last week by the Santa Cruz County sheriff’s office for shooting an illegal immigrant whom Kelly claims was trespassing on his ranch. Kelly faces the charge of first-degree murder.
The incident is alleged to have occurred on Jan. 30. The body of Gabriel Cuen-Burtimea, 48, was recovered on the cattle ranch just north of the border. According to KOLD TV, Cuen-Burtimea was around 100-150 yards away from Kelly’s home when the incident occurred. A neighbor told the station that Kelly has had problems with trespassers before, but also believed that the rancher had acted in good faith.
Related: Illegal Aliens Now Qualify for In-State Arizona Tuition
The Daily Mail reports that Arizona law permits the use of deadly force if a homeowner believes it is immediately necessary to prevent trespassing. The Mail also notes that Cuen-Burtimea has a history of illegally crossing the border and has been deported before. Prior to the incident, area dispatchers received a call from a person identified as “Alan,” who reported people running and was unsure if someone had shot at him.
At his last court hearing, Kelly requested that the judge reduce his bail so he could get out, mainly because his wife was at the ranch by herself. The Mail cited the outlet Nogales International, which said Kelly told the court, “She’s there by herself… nobody to take care of her, the livestock, or the ranch. And I’m not going anywhere. I can’t come up with a million dollars.”
This was bound to happen at some point. The only surprise is that there have been no incidents prior to this one. And at some point, someone will likely shout “racism” and “privilege.” But it is no secret that along with those who may be seeking a new life and the American dream, traffickers, drug dealers, and terrorists also make use of the porous border. Consider the recent cartel-style murder of a teen mother, her 10-month-old son, and four other people in the household in Tulare County, Calif. Or the waves of fentanyl flooding the county via the southern border. Or for that matter, this recording of illegal aliens trying to break into an Edwards County, Texas, home.
Is it so far-fetched to believe that Kelly feared for his and his wife’s safety? This administration, no matter what rhetoric and rationale it may offer, has allowed the border to degenerate into chaos. The “border czar,” Kamala Harris has been busy creating Venn diagrams and coming up with comments best suited for a Big Little Book while studiously avoiding the issue. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas flat-out lied about border patrol agents whipping Haitian migrants and has contorted himself into a variety of knots to defend what amounts to an invasion. Should we be at all surprised that Americans are skittish when it comes to the border?
If we are truly seeking to place blame for Cuen-Burtimea’s death, we should begin with the Biden administration. If there is a crowning achievement of the Biden regime, it is that the president, his cabinet, and his media allies have convinced America that no problems exist, while at the same time still managing to blame them all on someone else. Impressive. Evil, but impressive.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member