New Jersey crash renews scrutiny on sanctuary policies after deaths of mother and daughter
The lives of a New Jersey mother and her young daughter were cut tragically short in a head-on car crash allegedly caused by an undocumented immigrant with a lengthy criminal record.
According to The Christian Post, Maria Pleitez and her 11-year-old daughter, Dayanara Cortes, were killed on July 26 in Lakewood, New Jersey, after Raul Luna-Perez allegedly drove impaired and crossed into oncoming traffic, sparking ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement and local sanctuary policies.
At approximately 11:20 p.m. on the night of the crash, Lakewood Township Police responded to a serious accident after a Dodge Durango, driven by Luna-Perez, collided head-on with a Nissan Sentra. Pleitez, who was driving the Sentra, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her daughter, Dayanara, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, was rushed to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus. She later died from her injuries. Another 11-year-old girl, a friend of Dayanara's, riding in the back seat, survived after treatment at the same hospital.
Authorities reported that Luna-Perez appeared impaired at the scene. A court-authorized blood sample was taken while he was receiving treatment at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
Driver Had Two DUI Arrests Months Before
Luna-Perez has since been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and assault. He is being held at the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed he entered the country illegally from Mexico, though the date of his entry remains unknown.
Federal officials said Luna-Perez has a criminal record that includes two separate DUI arrests in March and April of this year, as well as a domestic violence incident in June 2023. Despite his history, he remained free in the community at the time of the crash.
Two passengers in Luna-Perez’s vehicle were also hospitalized but have since been released. The incident has prompted further scrutiny of local and state policies surrounding immigration enforcement and how repeat offenders are handled.
Over 150 Gather for Emotional Farewell
In the days that followed, more than 150 family members, friends, and community members gathered at the Lakewood Funeral Home in Howell, New Jersey, to mourn the loss of Pleitez and Dayanara. T-shirts printed with images of the mother and daughter were worn by many mourners.
The 11-year-old survivor of the crash attended the service, along with Maria Pleitez’s father. One scene at the wake was particularly heartbreaking when a mourner leaned over Pleitez’s casket and quietly sobbed, asking in Spanish, “porque (why)?”
The grief and pain on display at the service reflected a community struggling to come to terms with a senseless tragedy resulting from what many believe could have been prevented.
Federal Government Issues Response
Following the crash, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued an arrest detainer and began removal proceedings against Luna-Perez on July 28. Federal officials expressed frustration that Luna-Perez remained on the streets despite previous criminal behavior.
Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at DHS, reacted strongly to the tragedy. “Governor Murphy and his sanctuary policies released this serial criminal into New Jersey communities,” McLaughlin said. “Now, this innocent family is shattered by their failed leadership.”
She continued, “President Trump and Secretary Noem will continue to do everything in their power to remove these criminal illegal aliens before they destroy more lives.”
White House Pushes for Policy Changes
President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January 2025, reiterated his administration’s opposition to sanctuary policies in the wake of the Lakewood crash. In a post on Truth Social, the president announced steps were being taken to withhold federal funding from cities and states that allow sanctuary jurisdictions.
Referencing the broader issue, Trump described sanctuary cities as “death traps” that “protect the criminals, not the victims,” underlining his administration’s focus on stricter immigration enforcement at all levels of government.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s office did not respond to a request for comment on the incident from The Christian Post. The lack of response has fueled already growing political tensions surrounding how state and federal authorities handle undocumented individuals with prior convictions.
Local and National Tensions Intensify
Immigration remains a deeply polarizing issue across the nation, with local communities often caught in the middle of broader federal debates. In this case, the deaths of Pleitez and Cortes have become a focal point for critics of sanctuary policy and proponents of stricter immigration control.
Supporters of tightened enforcement argue that Luna-Perez should not have been free in the community given his criminal history, particularly two DUI arrests only months earlier. Opponents of such enforcement have raised concerns in other contexts about civil rights and due process.
As debates continue, for one New Jersey community, the losses are personal and profound. A mother and daughter’s lives are gone, and a family is grieving—as the country grapples with questions of accountability and public safety.
