By Andy Sher
Nashville Bureau
NASHVILLE —; The case of an illegal immigrant driver who allegedly killed a Mount Juliet, Tenn., couple while fleeing police became an issue in the governor’s race Monday.
State Sen. Jim Bryson, a Republican gubernatorial hopeful, and Heather Lynn Steffek, daughter of the couple killed in the June 8 crash, criticized Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen’s opposition to having Tennessee Highway Patrol officers enforce federal immigration law.
Sen. Bryson, R-Franklin, accused Gov. Bredesen of “leadership failure” for blocking a bill this year that would have required federal training in immigration law for some patrol officers.
“I will be talking a lot about this issue,” Sen. Bryson said. “It will be a part of our platform, and we will have the most stringent illegal immigration policy in America. It’s too important an issue to ignore. Lives are literally at stake.”
Prior to Sen. Bryson’s news conference, Gov. Bredesen said he did not want to turn the Highway Patrol into an arm of the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service.
“I think doing that’s just trying to make political hay out of a difficult problem,” he said.
Earlier this month, according to news accounts, Donna and Sean Wilson, died when a vehicle driven by illegal immigrant Gustavo Garcia, 28, crashed into the couple’s car as he sought to elude police. He faces vehicular homicide charges.
“No one should ever have to feel this way,” said Ms. Steffek, the Wilsons’ daughter. “Part of the shock of this tragedy is learning there are simply no laws in place at the local or state levels to aid deportation of a serial criminal who is an illegal alien.
“Those local and state governments let my family down,” she said.
Nashville’s City Paper reported Mr. Garcia had four previous DUIs among 17 police encounters that began in 2001.
The encounters included a May 21, 2001, speeding ticket issued by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Safety Department spokeswoman Julie Oaks said.
Subsequent encounters included assaulting a police officer, but federal immigration authorities appear not to have been notified.
“I think clearly something broke down in the system where somebody could be arrested as many times as this person apparently was and federal authorities not be informed,” Gov. Bredesen said.
Bredesen campaign spokesman Will Pinkston said in a statement that Sen. Bryson was “trying to exploit what is obviously a tragic situation.”
Sen. Bryson said Ms. Steffek initially contacted him.
At least two states, Alabama and Florida, have entered into agreements with the federal government to enforce federal immigration law.
Sen. Bryson vowed to require local governments to enforce immigration law.
Larry Goodwin, president of the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, urged Sen. Bryson to reconsider.
E-mail Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com
Nashville Bureau
NASHVILLE —; The case of an illegal immigrant driver who allegedly killed a Mount Juliet, Tenn., couple while fleeing police became an issue in the governor’s race Monday.
State Sen. Jim Bryson, a Republican gubernatorial hopeful, and Heather Lynn Steffek, daughter of the couple killed in the June 8 crash, criticized Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen’s opposition to having Tennessee Highway Patrol officers enforce federal immigration law.
Sen. Bryson, R-Franklin, accused Gov. Bredesen of “leadership failure” for blocking a bill this year that would have required federal training in immigration law for some patrol officers.
“I will be talking a lot about this issue,” Sen. Bryson said. “It will be a part of our platform, and we will have the most stringent illegal immigration policy in America. It’s too important an issue to ignore. Lives are literally at stake.”
Prior to Sen. Bryson’s news conference, Gov. Bredesen said he did not want to turn the Highway Patrol into an arm of the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service.
“I think doing that’s just trying to make political hay out of a difficult problem,” he said.
Earlier this month, according to news accounts, Donna and Sean Wilson, died when a vehicle driven by illegal immigrant Gustavo Garcia, 28, crashed into the couple’s car as he sought to elude police. He faces vehicular homicide charges.
“No one should ever have to feel this way,” said Ms. Steffek, the Wilsons’ daughter. “Part of the shock of this tragedy is learning there are simply no laws in place at the local or state levels to aid deportation of a serial criminal who is an illegal alien.
“Those local and state governments let my family down,” she said.
Nashville’s City Paper reported Mr. Garcia had four previous DUIs among 17 police encounters that began in 2001.
The encounters included a May 21, 2001, speeding ticket issued by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Safety Department spokeswoman Julie Oaks said.
Subsequent encounters included assaulting a police officer, but federal immigration authorities appear not to have been notified.
“I think clearly something broke down in the system where somebody could be arrested as many times as this person apparently was and federal authorities not be informed,” Gov. Bredesen said.
Bredesen campaign spokesman Will Pinkston said in a statement that Sen. Bryson was “trying to exploit what is obviously a tragic situation.”
Sen. Bryson said Ms. Steffek initially contacted him.
At least two states, Alabama and Florida, have entered into agreements with the federal government to enforce federal immigration law.
Sen. Bryson vowed to require local governments to enforce immigration law.
Larry Goodwin, president of the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, urged Sen. Bryson to reconsider.
E-mail Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com
