Teacher Killed After Driver Fleeing ICE Crashes Near School
A man ICE agents sought after a 2024 deportation order fled, ran a red light and fatally struck a Savannah special education teacher, officials said.
Overview
A Guatemalan man fleeing Immigration and Customs Enforcement crashed into a teacher’s car on Feb. 16, killing Linda Davis and prompting the suspect’s arrest, authorities said.
ICE said agents attempted a traffic stop to enforce a 2024 deportation order and that Oscar Vasquez-Lopez initially complied before making a U-turn and running a red light.
Chatham County police said they were unaware of the ICE operation before the crash, and school officials and local leaders questioned whether better coordination could have prevented the death.
Vasquez-Lopez, 38, faces charges including first-degree homicide by vehicle, reckless driving, driving without a valid license and failure to obey a traffic control device and remained jailed as of Feb. 17, officials said.
Chatham County police said an investigation is ongoing, and the school district offered counseling to staff and students while local officials debated ICE tactics and coordination.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources employ mild editorial framing by foregrounding the teacher victim and local officials' criticisms of ICE, using sympathetic detail and placing scrutiny of the agency early. Language (e.g., 'aggressive tactics' context), selection of camera footage and questioning of pursuit necessity emphasize accountability, while ICE defenses are included but less emphasized.
Sources (8)
FAQ
ICE can issue a deportation order against noncitizens who participate in criminal acts, are a threat to public safety, or violate their visa terms[5]. Under federal law, ICE can detain individuals for up to 180 days after receiving a final removal order[1]. After the first 90 days, ICE conducts a "post-order custody review" to determine whether the person poses a danger to the community or is a flight risk[1]. The detention can be extended beyond 180 days if the person has certain criminal convictions or if the government determines they are a risk to the community[2].
Most noncitizens encountered by ICE inside the United States have the right to appear before an immigration court[1]. However, the government has expanded use of "expedited removal," a process that allows rapid deportation without a judge hearing, now applicable anywhere in the country against undocumented persons who cannot prove continuous U.S. residence for two years before arrest[6]. The only exception is if the person claims fear of returning to their country and passes a fear screening interview, which may allow them to seek asylum[6]. Individuals who receive a removal order and fail to report for removal become targets for ICE arrest[2].
ICE can request local law enforcement to enforce immigration violations through policies that allow local officers to act as ICE agents and arrest people for immigration law violations[1]. However, compliance with these requests is voluntary, and many law enforcement agencies do not honor them[2]. According to the incident described, Chatham County police were unaware of the ICE operation before the fatal crash, highlighting potential gaps in inter-agency coordination that local officials questioned[2].
When ICE cannot physically deport a person from the United States, it has three options: detain the person while arranging physical deportation, grant a stay of removal and officially delay the deportation process through an Order of Supervision, or release the person on their own recognizance or parole[1]. If ICE releases someone with a final removal order, it must issue an Order of Supervision (OSUP), which functions similarly to probation or supervised release and specifies conditions such as regular ICE check-ins or electronic monitoring[2].
History
4 sources