12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray's murder in Houston becomes central to national immigration debate

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The murder of Jocelyn Nungaray has not only shocked our city, but the horrific murder has become a focus of the national immigration debate.

Former President Donald Trump brought up the 12-year-old's murder during Thursday's presidential debate.

ABC13 confirmed he spoke with Nungaray's family before the debate.

Other Republican elected officials in our state, including Senator Ted Cruz and Governor Greg Abbott, have called for the suspects to be put to death.

Jocelyn Nungaray was found strangled to death in a north Houston creek on June 17.

RELATED: Persons of interest now charged with murder in 12-year-old's strangulation, Houston police say

The two suspects in her murder are both undocumented immigrants and are being held on $10 million bonds.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick is now saying he will be pushing forward what he's called "Jocelyn's Law," which would automatically deny bail for those charged with capital murder.

Senator Joan Huffman has promised to sponsor the bill in the state senate.

Even though multiple studies by groups including Stanford University and the National Academy of Sciences show immigrants are less likely to commit violent crimes than those born in the United States, Nungaray's murder has become a major talking point when it comes to immigration.

On social media, former President Trump has called it quote "a new Biden migrant killing."

"I just spoke to the mother. They just had the funeral for this girl, 12 years old," Trump said during the debate. "This is horrible what is taking place. What's taking place in our country, we're literally an uncivilized country now."

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