Jesús Daniel Romero from Miami Strategic Intelligence for Poder & Dinero and FinGurú
Summary
On May 2, 2025, Larisha Sharell Thompson, a 40-year-old mother of two from Lancaster, South Carolina, was shot and killed while driving to visit friends. Her vehicle was found on Riverside Road with her body slumped over the steering wheel. Authorities described the act as random, brutal, and senseless (New York Post, 2025).
Suspects and Charges
Six individuals, aged between 13 and 21, have been arrested and charged in connection with Thompson's murder. All are reportedly undocumented immigrants from Honduras. The suspects include Asael Aminadas Torres-Chirinos (21), Jarby Ardon Ramos-Odari (18), Jeyson Sobied Pineda-Salgado (17), and three minors aged 13, 14, and 15. The charges include murder, armed robbery attempt, and second-degree robbery. Torres-Chirinos also faces charges for possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime and illegal possession of a firearm by an undocumented alien (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2025).
Illegal Possession of Firearms: An Aggravated Offense
It is a federal crime for an undocumented immigrant to possess firearms under Title 18 of the U.S. Code, Section 922(g)(5). However, at least one of the defendants in this case had illegal access to a firearm and used it to commit homicide. This exposes a serious failure in law enforcement, both at the border and within the national territory.
Legal Framework and Sovereign Enforcement
The United States has a legal and moral responsibility to enforce its immigration laws. Border security, the integrity of the visa system, and the deportation of individuals illegally present are not expressions of xenophobia. They are essential government functions.
Failure to execute these responsibilities creates systemic risks, the consequences of which fall directly on families and communities like Larisha Thompson's. Her death was not an isolated tragedy; it was the direct result of ineffective deterrence policy, weak internal enforcement, and a lack of inter-agency coordination among security agencies.
Public Policy Implications
This case will undoubtedly reignite the debate over current priorities in enforcing immigration and gun control laws in the U.S. Several key questions arise:
- How effective are current screening and detention protocols for identifying high-risk individuals?
- Are violations of gun laws committed by foreigners being properly prosecuted?
- Is there effective coordination among DHS, ATF, ICE, and local law enforcement to prevent future tragedies?
Public safety must be a non-negotiable priority. Immigration policy can be compassionate but cannot be negligent. Protecting borders, conducting background checks, and deporting violent offenders are indispensable requirements for upholding the rule of law and protecting American lives.
Legal Status Under U.S. Immigration Law
Federal law defines 'illegal alien' as any person who enters or remains in the United States without valid legal status. This includes both those who cross the border illegally and those who violate the terms of their visas. The legal bases are found in 8 U.S. Code § 1325 and § 1227.
Summary of 8 U.S. Code § 1325(a):
Any alien who:
- Enters at a time or place other than as designated by immigration officers,
- Avoids examination or inspection by immigration officers, or
- Gives false or misleading information,
is in violation of federal law and may be subject to criminal prosecution.
Summary of 8 U.S. Code § 1227(a)(1)(B):
Any alien present in the United States in violation of immigration law is deportable.
Conclusion: A System that Failed Larisha
The United States failed Larisha Thompson. Her death was not a coincidence but the direct consequence of institutional failures compounded by the politicization of immigration law enforcement and a lack of will to prioritize national security.
This failure extends beyond the executive branch. Nationwide, certain judges and sanctuary jurisdictions have actively obstructed the enforcement of federal immigration law. Judicial decisions have blocked immigration detainers. Local governments have implemented policies that hinder cooperation with federal authorities. The result is that individuals with criminal records or without legal right to stay in the country continue to move freely in American communities.
These actions do not protect justice. They undermine it. When the legal system allows illegal aliens with criminal histories to remain in the country, the conditions are created for avoidable tragedies. The case of Larisha Thompson is not an isolated incident but a reflection of a broader institutional failure.
Larisha was a working mother. An American citizen. Law-abiding. She was killed by people who should not have been here. Her death was preventable.
Until the federal government, the courts, and local authorities prioritize public safety over political agendas, American families will continue to pay the highest price.
The cost of inaction is measured in human lives. Larisha Thompson was one of them.
References
Legal Information Institute. (n.d.). 8 U.S. Code § 1325 - Improper entry by alien. Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1325
Legal Information Institute. (n.d.). 8 U.S. Code § 1227 - Deportable aliens. Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1227
Legal Information Institute. (n.d.). 18 U.S. Code § 922 - Unlawful acts. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/922
Departamento of Homeland Security. (2025, May 15). Six illegal aliens charged in the brutal murder of a mother in South Carolina during a robbery attempt. https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/05/15/six-illegal-aliens-charged
New York Post. (2025, June 2). Six migrants charged with the murder of a mother in SC detailed the crime in disturbing messages: 'Just the beginning'. https://nypost.com/2025/06/02/us-news/six-migrants-charged
ABC News 4. (2025, May 13). Six arrested for the death of a woman in SC, all wanted by immigration. https://abcnews4.com/news/crime-news/six-arrested-in-death-of-sc-woman
Jesús Daniel Romero is a retired Commander of Naval Intelligence of the United States, and has also served in a distinguished diplomatic capacity representing his country.
He has led interagency teams for the fight against drug trafficking in Central America and served in the Persian Gulf aboard U.S. Navy ships.
Additionally, he is a writer, having already published his first book, a best seller on Amazon titled "Final Flight: The Queen of Air," and is finalizing a new trilogy on national security issues (drug trafficking, terrorism, transnational crime, narco-states, etc.).
He is a go-to consultant in his specialty topics for major media outlets in the state of Florida, United States.
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