Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) discussed the toll of sanctuary policies in a recent House Judiciary Committee hearing, speaking with Angel Families and accusing Democrats of ignoring them.
Angel Mother Patricia Fox
Rep. Biggs first spoke with Patricia Fox, mother of Carissa "Luu" Aspnes, a young woman who was struck by an illegal alien in Colorado in a 2025 car accident that has left her permanently disabled, unable to speak or move.
Fox claimed that the detective investigating the accident lied about the perpetrator's immigration status, with Fox only discovering that the perpetrator, Valeria De Los Angeles Bermudez Marcano, was an illegal alien from Venezuela six months later.
"Did they ever attempt to explain to you just why they think that these sanctuary laws are necessary, these policies are necessary, and if they did, they give you any justification whatsoever?" Rep. Biggs asked.
Fox said no, further explaining that Colorado officials "were very vague."
The Arizona congressman referred to a Phoenix roundtable that Fox attended, asking, "We invited Republicans and Democrats from the Arizona delegation. Do you remember any Democrats from the Arizona delegation showing up to that?"
"No, there was no one," Fox answered, adding, "Just the Republicans and Angel Families... We are all diverse. There's black Angel Families, there's white Angel Families, there's brown Angel Families. Clearly, we only hear from one side of the aisle. We only have solutions from one side of the aisle."
Angel Father Marcus Coleman
Biggs turned to Angel Father Marcus Coleman, whose five-year-old daughter Dalilah was similarly left permanently disabled as a result of an illegal alien from India who had been issued a commercial driver's license (CDL) in California.
"There is no structure in California for the licensing policy," Coleman told Biggs, adding, "Pretty much anybody can go over there and get a driver's license. You do not have to be an American citizen to grab one. Clearly, you do not have to know how to drive to grab one either."
That prompted Biggs to say that he introduced the VERIFY CDL Act in January, which would require an applicant's employment for a trucking company to be subject to the E-Verify system before they can receive a CDL.
