Protect the Border and the Ballot Box

Terence P. Jeffrey
Tue, 10 Mar 2026 18:42:37 -0700
Opinion

Department of Homeland Security deportation officer Terrell Dillard presented an affidavit this month in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Part of it described what Miguel Abrajan-Morales, a Mexican national, did in 2016 — when then-President Barack Obama was responsible for securing our borders.

"On or about October 13, 2016, defendant was ordered removed from the United States to Mexico," said the DHS officer's affidavit. "On or about October 13, 2016, defendant was physically removed from the United States to Mexico."
Updated: Wed Mar 11, 2026

Department of Homeland Security deportation officer Terrell Dillard presented an affidavit this month in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Part of it described what Miguel Abrajan-Morales, a Mexican national, did in 2016 — when then-President Barack Obama was responsible for securing our borders.

"On or about October 13, 2016, defendant was ordered removed from the United States to Mexico," said the DHS officer's affidavit. "On or about October 13, 2016, defendant was physically removed from the United States to Mexico."

What did this deported alien do after he arrived back in Mexico? In less than a week, he recrossed the border into the United States — and was ordered removed again.

"On or about October 19, 2016, defendant was ordered removed from the United States to Mexico," said the DHS officer's affidavit. "On or about October 19, 2016, defendant was physically removed from the United States to Mexico."

Did this twice-deported illegal border-crosser stay in Mexico? No.

This month, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California filed two criminal complaints against Abrajan-Morales, charging him with carjacking and "being an illegal alien found in the United States following deportation or removal."

The alleged carjacking took place at a neighborhood shopping center in Placentia, California, that resembles the sort of shopping center that can be found in cities and towns all across this country. It has, among other venues, a KFC, a Chipotle, an Original Pancake House, a Starbucks, a nail salon, an optometrist, a dentist — and a large parking lot.

An affidavit submitted to the federal court by Homeland Security Investigations special agent Nicholas DeSimone describes what allegedly happened there at about 11:30 p.m. on the night of Feb. 27.

At that time, a man (named in the affidavit as "G.P.G.") and a woman ("E.L.O.") were getting off work at one of the local restaurants.

"E.L.O. explained that she walked to her car and entered her vehicle, a green 2025 Ford Bronco, and sat in the driver's seat," the affidavit alleges. "Unexpectedly, and without E.L.O.'s permission, ABRAJAN-MORALES opened and entered the Ford Bronco's front-passenger (door) and struck E.L.O. in the face several times. To escape from ABRAJAN-MORALES, E.L.O. left the Ford Bronco from the driver's door and left the car running."

This is when G.P.G. got involved.

"G.P.G., in an effort to defend E.L.O., ran towards the Ford Bronco and initiated a fight with ABRAJAN-MORALES," the criminal complaint alleges. "Following this, ABRAJAN-MORALES, and G.P.G. struck each other several times.

"Following the fight, ABRAJAN-MORALES walked around to the driver's side of the Ford Bronco, entered the driver's seat, and drove away in the vehicle without E.L.O.'s permission."

The complaint then describes a sequence of events police uncovered from a "review of surveillance video from the shopping center."

"E.L.O. and G.P.G. were standing behind the Ford Bronco when ABRAJAN-MORALES entered the driver's seat and began to drive away," it alleges. "ABRAJAN-MORALES then appeared to turn the Ford Bronco towards E.L.O. and G.P.G. as he drove from the parking spot, and turned the Ford Bronco again towards E.L.O. and G.P.G. as he pulled away.

"Both times it appears that E.L.O. and G.P.G. had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck by ABRAJAN-MORALES," alleges the complaint. "ABRAJON-MORALES then collided with a parked Honda Civic near where E.L.O. and G.P.G. were standing.

"Based on his erratic driving," alleged the complaint, "E.L.O. and G.P.G. believed ABRAJAN-MORALES was intentionally trying to strike them with the Ford Bronco as he left the parking lot."

When local police officers arrived at the scene they noticed that "E.L.O. had redness to the right side of her face, and G.P.G. had a cut on his forehead and ripped clothing."

E.L.O. then allegedly "identified ABRAJAN-MORALES by name as an individual with whom E.L.O. previously had romantic relations and as the person who attacked her and stole her car."

The police showed E.L.O. a photo of Abrajan-Morales from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. She allegedly "confirmed that ABRAJAN-MORALES — the person in the photograph — was the perpetrator of the carjacking offense."

He was arrested two days later in Ontario, California.

Meanwhile, in this nation's capital, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has taken an adamant stand against the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, aka the SAVE America Act. This act, cosponsored by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), is simple and straightforward. It would require states to remove noncitizens from their voting rolls, obtain proof of citizenship from someone registering to vote, and require people to bring a valid photo identification with them when they go to vote.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, President Donald Trump said, "I, as president, will not sign other Bills until this is passed."

This outraged Schumer, who argues that requiring people to prove their identity and their citizenship before they vote is an outrageous attack on democracy.

"If Trump is saying he won't sign any bills until the SAVE Act is passed, then there will be total gridlock in the Congress," Schumer said on the Senate floor on Monday.

"On the other hand," said Schumer, "if the SAVE Act does pass, our Democracy will be in very serious danger."

This is the leader of a party that does not want to protect our borders against illegal crossers, nor our elections against illegal voters.