Illegal Immigrant Charged with Murder in Maryland

Gerber Luis Sanchez-Centeno, a 23-year-old Salvadoran illegal immigrant, was arrested in Montgomery County, Maryland, for the first-degree murder of his 18-year-old girlfriend, Dania Cruz-Mejia. Sanchez-Centeno had been apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, in June, and was placed into the Alternatives to Detention (ATD) program with a GPS monitor, from which he absconded by early August. Cruz-Mejia's body was discovered by her family on September 18, and Sanchez-Centeno was arrested two days later. The case has sparked criticism over the handling of illegal migrants by the Biden-Harris administration, particularly the decision to release Sanchez-Centeno despite available detention space. ICE has lodged an immigration detainer against Sanchez-Centeno while he awaits further legal proceedings. Cruz-Mejia had come to the U.S. earlier this year seeking a better life and was known for her positive attitude and enthusiasm for learning English.