Family of People Killed by Undocumented Immigrants Speak Out at RNC

A series of intensely personal speeches at the convention.

ByABC News
July 18, 2016, 10:32 PM

— -- Family members of victims killed by undocumented immigrants emotionally recounted their stories to the Republican Convention Monday night, pleading for border control to prevent similar tragedies.

Mary Ann Mendoza, Sabine Durden and Jamiel Shaw each described the pain of each having lost and at the same time, heaped praise on the presumptive nominee, Donald Trump, describing him as a “lifesaver” sent from God.

Two of the parents, Mendoza and Shaw, invoked the most recent unrest involving violence targeting police officers and the police shootings of African-Americans in Louisiana and Minnesota.

Mendoza’s police officer son, Sgt. Brandon Mendoza, was killed in a car accident with an undocumented immigrant in 2014. The suspect in the case wasn't deported after a conviction in Colorado.

The Arizona woman described her son to the GOP convention as a “good cop story that was cut short.”

"He was a modern day beat cop. He went door-to-door and met everyone in his beat. They invited them in for dinner, he checked in on the elderly, he got drug dealers out of the neighborhood, he advocated for children, he provided an annual Thanksgiving dinner, he shopped for children at Christmas and he inspired children to stay in school. A memorial is still up in the area he patrolled,” said Mendoza, describing her son’s death in 2014.

"My son's life was stolen at the hands of an illegal alien. It is time that we have an administration that cares more about Americans than about illegals, putting all of our children’s lives at risk. It’s time for Donald Trump,” Mendoza said.

Durden’s son, Dominic, was a 911 dispatcher killed when his motorcycle was hit by an undocumented immigrant who reportedly had a history of DUI arrests. The California woman’s description of the 2012 event left delegates at the GOP convention in tears.

"He killed my Dom. He was given a misdemeanor and served just 35 days in jail,” Durden said. The suspect in that case was reportedly deported.

Durden got the crowd cheering as she described Trump as her “lifesaver."

"I have been talking about illegal immigration since 2012. Since he got killed and no one listened. Until Donald Trump. Donald Trump is not only my hero, he's my lifesaver. Hillary Clinton, or as we know her, crooked Hillary always talks about what she will do for illegal aliens and what she will do for refugees. What Donald Trump talks about iswhat he will do for Americans,” Durden said.

Jamiel Shaw described how his teenage son, Jazz, was killed by an undocumented gang member in 2008, reportedly because he was mistaken for a rival gang member because of his red Spider-Man backpack. The convicted killer was sentenced to death, according to KTLA.

Shaw lashed out at President Obama and the Black Lives Matter movement.

"The D.A. proved Jazz was murdered because he was black. The coroner testified while he was on his back, bleeding from a stomach wound, his hands were up and his second bullet went through his hand and into his head. It was also proved that the killer's gang targeted black males. You would think Obama cared and black lives matter, no. We all know Hillary is Obama's third term. Only Trump called me on the phone to see how I was doing. Only Trump will stand against terrorists and end illegal immigration,” Shaw said.

Shaw said Trump was sent from God.

"I will say it again, like I said before, Trump is sent from God. Support Trump and Pence.”

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