President Trump recognizes Grand Island mother during State of the Union address
President Donald Trump recognized Jacqueline Medina during his State of the Union address Tuesday
WASHINGTON (KSNB) - President Donald Trump recognized Jacqueline Medina during his State of the Union address Tuesday, citing the murder of her daughter, Lizbeth Medina, a former Grand Island resident, in a segment focused on immigration.
Lizbeth Medina was born and raised in Grand Island and had lived in Edna, Texas, for one year before she was murdered in December 2023. Investigators say she was stalked for weeks by Rafael Govea Romero before her death.
Trump’s remarks
“Lizbeth’s killer was a previously arrested illegal alien who had broken in and brutally, really just brutally extinguished the brightest light in her family’s life, violently and viciously,” Trump said. “Her heartbroken mother is in the gallery to remind everyone in this chamber exactly why we are deporting illegal alien criminals for our country at record numbers. And we’re getting them the hell out of here fast. We don’t want them.”
Jacqueline Medina was present in the gallery during the address. Last year, Romero accepted a plea deal that reduced his charge from capital murder to murder.
Democratic response
Trump’s address drew multiple Democratic responses. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger offered one of those responses and directed criticism at the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.
“Our president told us tonight that we are safer because these agents arrest mothers and detain children? Think about that,” Spanberger said. “Our broken immigration system is something to be fixed, not an excuse for unaccountable agents to terrorize our communities.”