According to Breitbart News, CatholicVote's new advertisement campaign spotlights Vice President Kamala Harris’s handling of U.S. border policies.
The ad ties a grim event—the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Texas—to perceived border security lapses under the Biden-Harris administration.
The campaign began in Arizona, a state significantly affected by border issues, focusing on a distressing incident that occurred on August 12, 2023, in Pasadena, Texas. Maria Gonzalez, an 11-year-old migrant girl, was tragically found dead by her father beneath a bed, having been raped and murdered.
The prime suspect, Juan Carlos Garcia-Rodriguez, is an 18-year-old illegal immigrant who had settled in the same housing complex as the Gonzalez family. He was released into the U.S. despite legal stipulations while awaiting a court date.
Garcia-Rodriguez had been classified as an Unaccompanied Alien Child upon his arrival at the U.S. border in January 2023. This status is part of the challenge in tracking and managing migrant movements, as federal efforts to monitor such individuals post-release are minimal.
The advertisement uses powerful imagery, including a photograph of Maria set against her casket, to make a poignant statement on the real-world consequences of immigration policies. The phrase “Protect the vulnerable, not the votes” accompanies these visuals, suggesting a prioritization of political gain over safety.
Brian Burch, Vice President of CatholicVote, spoke at length about the implications of the administration’s border policies:
Vice President Kamala Harris’ shameful mismanagement of the border is morally indefensible. Her failures have cost the lives of American citizens, while putting tens of thousands of vulnerable migrants at risk of rape, sexual assault, and exploitation. While cartels, sex traffickers, and drug dealers profit, real people, including children, are suffering. It’s clear that Kamala Harris has put politics and votes ahead of the lives of real people.
Furthermore, the ad criticizes Harris for “being in charge of the border for 3 years,” highlighting a continuity in her role and the ongoing issues at the border.
The incident and the subsequent ad campaign bring to light the ongoing debates over U.S. border management and immigration policy. The Gonzalez family had immigrated to the U.S. in 2019, driven by policies that often led to familial separation at the border.
This story not only underscores the potential human toll of these policies but also serves as a rallying call for more stringent border security and immigration law enforcement actions.
Mr. Burch further voiced his frustration, stressing that “Catholics are disgusted by this moral catastrophe,” reflecting a broader dissatisfaction among some groups about current U.S. immigration policies.
The six-figure ad campaign aims to inform and influence public opinion by connecting personal tragedy with policy critique. As elections approach and debates intensify, stories like Maria’s highlight the intersection of policy, politics, and human rights, forcing a reevaluation of the balance between security and humanity at the U.S. border.
CatholicVote launched an ad targeting Vice President Kamala Harris for the rape and murder of 11-year-old Maria Gonzalez by an illegal alien in Texas. The ad, part of a campaign in Arizona, criticizes Harris for her role in border management and highlights the failures of the current administration. It ends by urging Harris to prioritize protecting people over securing votes, using a poignant image of a casket with flowers.
