Washington, Sept 15: The brutal killing of Chandra Nagamallaiah, an Indian American motel manager in Dallas, has ignited fierce political condemnation, with President Donald J. Trump vowing to prosecute the Cuban immigrant accused of the crime “to the fullest extent of the Law” and opponents of President Biden’s immigration policies seizing on the case as a symbol of systemic failure.
Nagamallaiah was killed in front of his wife and son by a Cuban national living in the United States without legal status. The suspect, according to officials, had a history of serious criminal charges, including child sex abuse, grand theft auto, and false imprisonment. He had previously been ordered removed from the country, but Cuba refused to accept him.
“I am aware of the terrible reports regarding the murder of Chandra Nagamallaiah,” Mr. Trump said in a post Sunday night. “This individual was previously arrested for terrible crimes… but was released back into our Homeland under incompetent Joe Biden because Cuba did not want such an evil person in their Country. Rest assured, the time for being soft on these Illegal Immigrant Criminals is OVER under my watch!”
The president pledged that the accused, now in custody, would face charges of first-degree murder. He credited members of his administration — including Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Border Czar Tom Homan — for “doing an incredible job in MAKING AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.”
See Also: Violent rampage: Indian-origin motel manager beheaded in Texas (Lead)
The killing, first reported in Dallas media outlets, quickly ricocheted through Washington and beyond. Representative Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, called the crime “horrific,” noting in a social media post that the victim was “a hardworking Indian American immigrant” slain in front of his family.
“The murderer had multiple prior arrests for violent theft & child endangerment & was undocumented. He should not have been free on American streets,” Mr. Khanna wrote.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a former Republican presidential candidate, also weighed in, calling it “unconscionable” that the man remained in the United States despite a court order of removal.
“The murderer’s violent criminal history was so bad that Cuba refused to accept him, yet he remained in the U.S.,” he said. “This has to end.”
Mr. Ramaswamy added that the suspect had been released on Jan. 13, just before President Biden left office. “This is horrific. It’s time to restore the rule of law,” he said.
The case has underscored long-running tensions over immigration enforcement, particularly regarding foreign nationals with criminal records whom their home countries refuse to repatriate.
While the details continue to unfold, the images of police tape outside the Dallas motel and the accounts of Mr. Nagamallaiah’s family watching his death have already turned the killing into a rallying cry for tougher immigration laws. [5WH/VS]
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