Five-Time Deported Felon Gets 10 Years — A Stark Reminder of How Open-Border Policies Put Nevadans at Risk

A dramatic headline from KOLO-TV this week should serve as a wake-up call for every Nevadan: a man deported five times was just sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after being arrested in Las Vegas for serious violent and drug-related crimes.

According to local law enforcement and federal prosecutors, Jose Alberto Santacruz-Benitez, a Mexican national, had been removed from the United States on five separate occasions — yet continued to re-enter illegally. His record includes violent offenses, attempted murder, felony drug possession and involvement in a shooting that wounded multiple people.

This is not random criminality — it’s the predictable consequence of a border that remains porous and policies that incentivize illegal reentry.

Ten years in prison may seem substantial, but the real story is that someone with a history of deportations and serious felonies was able to slip back into our communities repeatedly and commit additional violent crimes before federal authorities could stop them.

Every time Santacruz-Benitez was removed — five times — he managed to get back in. That’s not luck — that’s a system that rewards persistence over legality. It’s unfair to hardworking Americans who play by the rules and pay taxes. It’s unfair to communities forced to pick up the pieces when serious crime occurs.

At the same time Republicans have been sounding the alarm on border security and illegal reentry, Nevada’s own Democrats — Representatives Susie Lee, Dina Titus and Steven Horsford — have doubled down on the same failed approaches. In fact, they were among the House Democrats who stood with leadership to force a 43-day government shutdown rather than oppose taxpayer-funded health care for illegal immigrants — a policy priority that put benefits for illegals over keeping federal paychecks flowing for Nevada families.

The National Republican Congressional Committee has repeatedly highlighted how these Democrats’ actions have been out of touch, choosing political point-scoring over keeping the government open, preserving essential services, and protecting citizens’ paychecks.

For Nevadans concerned about safety, government spending, and common sense immigration enforcement, this case and the political backdrop make one thing clear: we need leaders with a backbone, not talkers with excuses.

A five-time deported felon getting 10 years in federal prison is the end of one story — but the beginning of a broader conversation about accountability, border security, and who elected officials choose to protect.

Nevada deserves representatives who prioritize law-abiding citizens first — not endless reopenings of the border, not shutdown standoffs for special interests, and not policies that leave hardworking families paying the price.

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