In a tragic case that has sparked outrage across the nation, Arapahoe County, Colorado District Attorney Amy Padden’s decision to offer probation and community service to a 15-year-old illegal alien responsible for the death of a county resident is a glaring miscarriage of justice and an example of misplaced priorities on illegal immigration by our elected officials.
Kaitlyn Weaver, 24, a promising young woman with her life ahead of her, was killed when the unlicensed teen, driving at 90 mph in a 45 mph zone in an uninsured vehicle, slammed into her car. The sentence? Two years of probation, 100 hours of community service, and a requirement to attend school and obey the law. This amounts to a slap on the wrist for a reckless act that cost an innocent life.
Weaver’s death is a heartbreaking reminder of the consequences of leniency toward illegal aliens who break the law. The teen drove at a dangerous speed with other minors in the vehicle and caused a fatal crash. The juvenile’s mother says her son took the car without permission, so she is not legally responsible. Because the vehicle the teen stole was uninsured, Weaver’s family was stuck with nearly $1 million in medical bills. Yet, Padden chose a punishment so light it insults law-abiding residents in addition to Weaver’s grieving family.
According to reports, the plea deal requires the teen to admit guilt but imposes no jail time, allowing him to apply for asylum while remaining in the community. This decision sends a chilling yet all-too-common message: the life of an American citizen like Weaver is worth less than the political optics of appearing compassionate toward illegal aliens whose actions get innocent people killed.
Padden’s defenders argue that the sentence reflects the teen’s age and potential for rehabilitation. But this justification rings hollow when weighed against the irreversible loss suffered by Weaver’s family. A 15-year-old may be young, but the choice to drive recklessly at double the speed limit in a stolen vehicle demonstrates a disregard for human life that demands serious consequences.
By opting for probation, Padden has failed to uphold justice, leaving the community to question whether such leniency emboldens further lawlessness. The fact that Padden’s campaign reportedly received over $26,500 in George Soros-linked support only fuels suspicions that her decision was influenced by an agenda that prioritizes anti-borders ideology over the safety of Coloradans.
Compounding this injustice is Colorado’s Senate Bill 276, a piece of legislation that epitomizes the state’s embrace of policies that shield illegal aliens at the expense of public safety.
One of its most outrageous components is the restriction on local law enforcement’s ability to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, effectively creating a sanctuary state environment. The bill also allocates state resources to provide legal aid and protections for illegal aliens, diverting taxpayer funds from victims like Weaver’s family to those who have broken the law by entering or remaining in the country illegally.
The twisted irony is that Weaver’s death occurred in Aurora, a city already grappling with issues tied to illegal immigration, including reports of Venezuelan gang activity taking over apartment complexes. By limiting cooperation with ICE, SB 276 ensures that individuals who commit crimes—whether reckless driving or gang-related activities—can remain in communities, posing ongoing risks to residents.
The broader implications of Padden’s decision and SB 276 extend far beyond Colorado. They reflect a dangerous trend among progressive politicians who prioritize political correctness over public safety. This was seen in an investigation last year by my organization, the Immigration Reform Law Institute, which found that Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has created an office dedicated to dismissing or downgrading charges against criminal aliens to help them avoid deportation. We have since asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Krasner’s office for this practice.
It is time for reckoning. The American people must demand that elected officials, from district attorneys to state legislators, prioritize the safety of citizens over political posturing. Kaitlyn Weaver’s death was not just a tragedy; it was a preventable outcome of a system that has lost its way. Her memory deserves better than probation for her killer and policies that put others at risk.
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