Yoder Calls for Investigation into Immigration Status of Deputy Collins’ Killer

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Kevin Yoder (R-KS) is calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and specifically Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to open an investigation into how Adrian Espinosa-Flores, the man who has been arrested in connection with the killing of Johnson County Sheriff’s Master Deputy Brandon Collins, was able to be in the United States illegally following his arrest for driving under the influence in California in 2001. Representative Yoder is requesting the investigation to get answers with regard to this case specifically, and to find ways to improve America’s immigration system on the whole.

After sending a letter to DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson requesting the investigation, Yoder issued the following statement:

“The loss of Master Deputy Collins was absolutely tragic. What’s worse, now we’ve come to find out that the man who killed him is in our country illegally and has a criminal record. It’s inexcusable that he was able to be here to commit this crime and it's inexcusable the Obama Administration continues to tolerate and promote policies that prevent these types of criminals from being swiftly deported upon arrest. We must secure our border and place the safety and security of the American people above politics. No family should have to suffer the pain the Collins family is feeling right now.”

The text of the letter is reproduced below.

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September 23, 2016

The Honorable Jeh Johnson

Secretary

Department of Homeland Security

Washington D.C. 20528

Secretary Johnson,

On September 11, 2016 Johnson County, Kansas Sheriff’s Master Deputy Brandon Collins was struck and killed as he was performing a routine traffic stop. Reports have revealed that the alleged drunk driver, Adrian Espinosa-Flores, is in the United States illegally and has committed crimes in multiple states prior to killing Deputy Collins.  After fleeing from the scene, Espinosa-Flores was eventually captured and charged with involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a traffic crash involving a death.

In order to better understand the timeline of events surrounding Deputy Collins’ tragic death, the circumstances surrounding how this individual was able to remain in the country after encountering law enforcement in multiple states, and how this tragedy can be prevented from happening again in the future; I am requesting an investigation be conducted by your agency into Espinosa-Flores’ immigration and criminal history. I have listed several questions below that I would like to have answered as soon as possible:

1. Has Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ever been notified about Adrian Espinosa-Flores’ presence in the United States? In particular, was ICE notified as a result of his 2001 arrest for driving under the influence in California or 2013 traffic violation for driving without license in Kansas? If not, why not?

2. How many times in the last year has ICE been notified of any illegal immigrant's presence in the United States as a result of a criminal infraction? How many, and what percentage of those times resulted in the deportation of said individual?

3. Has ICE provided a particular set of criteria outlining which criminal infractions local law enforcement officials should be determining the immigration status of the offender as a part of the booking process? Does driving under the influence fall under that criteria?

4. What is ICE’s standard operating procedure for ensuring the deportation of an illegal immigrant who has been detained or arrested by local law enforcement as a result of a criminal infraction? Was this procedure followed in the case of Adrian Espinosa-Flores in 2001? If not, why not?

5. Has ICE provided local law enforcement with a list of known illegal immigrants in the United States to cross reference when making criminal detentions or arrests? If not, why not?

If you have any questions or need further clarification about this request, please contact Michael Brooks on my staff.  Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter, I look forward to your timely response.

Sincerely,

                                                            Kevin Yoder

                                                            Member of Congress