A Mexican citizen with 16 previous deportations killed an American on a Colorado highway while driving a semi-truck, but somehow it’s local authorities who helped him avoid ICE custody that should make your blood boil.

At a Glance

• Ignacio Cruz-Mendoza, an illegal alien truck driver with 12 prior deportations, was convicted after a fatal semi-truck crash in Colorado
• Cruz-Mendoza received only a light sentence of “careless driving resulting in death” despite killing Scott Miller by losing control and dumping metal rods
• Local law enforcement policies forced ICE agents to wait outside the jail rather than taking custody inside, risking the criminal’s release
• The trucking industry’s increasing reliance on illegal alien drivers for cheaper labor threatens both American jobs and public safety

16 Deportations Wasn’t Enough to Keep Him Out

Just when you think our border crisis couldn’t get more absurd, here comes the tale of Ignacio Cruz-Mendoza, a 47-year-old Mexican citizen who’s been deported from the United States an astonishing 12 times since 2002. Add in four “self-deportations,” and we’re looking at 16 total removals. Yet somehow, this revolving door illegal alien not only managed to re-enter our country repeatedly but also secured a job driving an 80,000-pound semi-truck on American highways.

The predictable result? In June 2024, Cruz-Mendoza lost control of his semi on Highway 285 in Colorado, dumping a load of metal rods onto the roadway that killed Scott Miller and injured others. But in true liberal justice fashion, he was charged only with misdemeanor “careless driving resulting in death.” Not vehicular homicide. Not operating a commercial vehicle without proper licensing. Just a traffic ticket with a body count attached.

Sanctuary Policies Put Americans at Risk

After serving approximately one year in jail, Cruz-Mendoza was released from Jefferson County’s Detention Center. And here’s where the liberal insanity of sanctuary policies kicks into high gear. Instead of simply transferring custody to ICE inside the jail, Colorado’s sanctuary policies forced federal agents to conduct a stakeout operation outside the facility. Multiple ICE agents had to divert their time from catching other criminals just to ensure this repeat immigration violator didn’t disappear into Denver’s streets again.

ICE field director Robert Guadian didn’t mince words about what would have happened without their intervention: “If we weren’t here, this person would have been released back to the community of Denver.” Let that sink in. A man who illegally entered our country 16 times and killed an American citizen would have been free to roam Colorado streets if ICE hadn’t deployed multiple agents for a parking lot apprehension. Your tax dollars at work, courtesy of progressive immigration policies!

The Hidden Crisis in American Trucking

Beyond the immediate tragedy lies a larger crisis that’s transforming American roadways into potential danger zones. The trucking industry is increasingly hiring foreign drivers, including illegal aliens, who work for substantially lower wages than American truckers. This isn’t just about economic competition—it’s about public safety. These drivers often lack proper training, English language proficiency, and familiarity with U.S. roads and regulations.

American truck driver Shannon Everett’s warning should alarm anyone who shares the road with commercial vehicles. These aren’t just jobs being lost—they’re lives at stake. While corporations celebrate their cheaper labor costs and Washington politicians preach about “jobs Americans won’t do,” families like Scott Miller’s pay the ultimate price. And what consequences did Cruz-Mendoza face for taking a life? A slap on the wrist followed by his 17th coming deportation—with nothing preventing attempt number 18.

A Crisis of America’s Own Making

This case exemplifies everything wrong with our current immigration system. We have a porous border that allows the same criminals to enter repeatedly. We have sanctuary policies that prioritize protecting illegal aliens over cooperating with federal authorities. We have an economic system that rewards companies for hiring illegal labor at the expense of American workers and safety standards. And we have a justice system that treats the killing of an American citizen as merely careless driving when committed by someone who shouldn’t have been in the country in the first place.

Cruz-Mendoza now sits in ICE’s Denver Contract Detention Facility awaiting removal from the U.S.—again. But the system that allowed this preventable tragedy remains firmly in place. Unless Americans demand real border security, the end of sanctuary policies, and accountability for employers who exploit illegal labor, more innocent people will die. Scott Miller’s death wasn’t just a traffic accident. It was the predictable outcome of deliberate policy choices that value cheap labor and political correctness over American lives and laws.