Mississippi Governor Vows Crackdown After Illegal Immigrants Arrested for Murder, Lewd Acts in Women’s Bathrooms

Jesler Perez, 20, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, arrested in Mississippi for three counts of voyeurism. (Courtesy of the Harrison County, Mississippi Adult Detention Center)

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has issued a battle cry over recent arrests of illegal immigrants for murder and engaging in lewd acts, which he called “stark reminders” of the Biden administration’s border policy.

Mr. Reeves said, unlike other states, Mississippi won’t “refuse to simply ignore the problem and hope it goes away.”

“My administration will continue to use every tool at our disposal to keep you safe,” he posted on X. “If you’re a criminal in Mississippi—regardless of if you’re here legally or illegally—we are coming for you.”

Mr. Reeves cited two incidents, the first in which D’Iberville police arrested 20-year-old Jesler Perez, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, for three counts of voyeurism.

According to a local report, police responded to a complaint on Wednesday stating that the suspect was in the female bathroom of a Walmart looking under the stalls at young girls.

The parent of one of the girls told officers that the girls ran out when they saw the suspect “securing his pants.”

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Mr. Perez was arrested and taken into custody, where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detainer was placed on him.

“Absolutely disgusting,” Mr. Reeves said. “An illegal alien from Guatemala was arrested on our Gulf Coast for sneaking into a woman’s bathroom to watch young girls who were using it. It’s yet another reminder of how Biden’s border crisis affects every state in the nation and endangers Americans.”

Mr. Reeves cited an incident on Thursday in which a 43-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico named Alejandro Contreras was arrested in Jackson, Mississippi, for murder.

“Again—a person who was in our country illegally was arrested for murdering someone in Mississippi’s capitol city yesterday,” Mr. Reeves said. “They also seized multiple assault rifles while taking him into custody.”

According to a local report, the incident stemmed from a road rage encounter in which the suspect, who had his 5-year-old son with him, allegedly shot into another vehicle, killing 23-year-old Jesua Chaves, whom Jackson Police Department (JPD) reported the suspect knew.

JPD said the suspect has been charged with murder and child endangerment.

Mr. Reeves lambasted President Joe Biden “and his Democrat cronies” for not securing the border.

“It’s time to lead, get tough with your far-left radical base who want endless immigration and open borders, and do what it takes to keep Americans safe,” Mr. Reeves said. “It’s long past time to put public safety over politics—the lives of Americans are too important to risk.”

The Epoch Times contacted the Biden administration for comment.

Media’s Failure to Hold Biden Accountable

Mr. Reeves then decried mainstream media’s failure to hold the Biden administration accountable.

“They seem to be more interested in lecturing Republicans about why we shouldn’t care about securing the border than doing their job,” he said. “The combination of an incompetent president who allows far-left activists to dictate his border security policies and a liberal press who is willing to cover for him is putting all of us in danger. What’s happening at the border—and in our states as a result—is a legitimate threat to national security and your family’s safety.”

Laken Riley and Others

The suspect in the February death of Laken Riley is a 26-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela named Jose Ibarra, who entered the country 18 months ago.

The 22-year-old Ms. Riley disappeared after her morning jog around the University of Georgia, which led to a search during which her body was discovered.

Mr. Ibarra was charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, and concealing a death.

Ms. Riley’s death added to several incidents in which illegal immigrants have been arrested for assault, rape, and murder.

Also in February, 26-year-old Raad Almansoori was arrested in Arizona and held without bond by a county prosecutor who refused to release Mr. Almansoori back to New York.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, a Republican, said she would not agree to an extradition for Mr. Almansoori to be sent back to New York because of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s handling of violent offenders, she said.

Mr. Almansoori is wanted in New York for the murder of 38-year-old Denisse Oleas-Arancibia, who was found dead in a Manhattan hotel room on Feb. 8. He is accused of stabbing two women in Arizona and was previously arrested in Florida on charges of kidnapping and sexual assault.

“Having observed the treatment of violent criminals in the New York area by the Manhattan D.A. there, Alvin Bragg, I think it’s safer to keep him here and keep him in custody so that he cannot be out doing this to individuals, either in our state or county or anywhere in the United States,” Ms. Mitchell told reporters in Arizona.

Earlier in February, Mr. Bragg said that he didn’t have enough evidence to hold a group of illegal immigrants who were filmed during an assault on New York Police Department (NYPD) officers, so they were released without bail.