In a unanimous vote Monday evening, the House of Representatives passed a bill that memorializes a twelve-year-old Texas girl who was allegedly murdered by two illegal aliens last year.
The legislation renames the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge to the "Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge". The refuge boasts 39,000 acres that serve as a home for migrating birds and other wildlife.
The vote was 372-0, with 59 lawmakers not present for the vote. The bill will now be passed to President Trump for his official signature, which would make the bill permanent law.
"Ms. Nungaray loved animals," said the bill. "And, given the close proximity of her hometown of Houston, it is fitting that the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge be renamed in her honor."
Jocelyn Nungaray was twelve years old when she was assaulted and brutally murdered in Houston, Texas, in June 2024. She was found with her hands and ankles bound in a bayou.
In an interview with Fox News, Jocelyn's mother Alexis Nungaray described her daughter as "a very creative, talented, free-spirited 12-year-old girl."
"We've still got a long way to go," said Alexis Nungaray. "But I will always advocate for her and be her voice and stand up for better border control and immigration laws. Because I know 1 million percent, Jocelyn's death should have been preventable."
Two illegal aliens from Venezuela are charged with her murder. Franklin Jose Pena Ramos and Johan Jose Rangel Martinez are allegedly members of the Tren de Aragua gang.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said the prosecution will seek the death penalty for both of the men.
“Jocelyn’s murder was as vile, brutal and senseless as any case in my tenure as district attorney,” said Ogg in a statement. “And it was made worse by knowing that these two men were here illegally and, had they been held after being captured at the border, they would never have had the opportunity to murder Jocelyn and destroy her family’s future.”
Martinez-Rangel and Peña had been arrested by U.S. Border Patrol in March 2024 near El Paso for being illegally present within the United States. Both men were released and ordered to appear in court on a later date.
"Do they deserve death for the rape and murder of Jocelyn? Or should they spend their life in the penitentiary?" said District Attorney Ogg. "What I don't want is some backdoor deal done in the quiet of the night and a long time after people have forgotten the horror of this case. I just want people to remember Jocelyn, and I want them to hear and make a decision about the evidence."