CA Man Named By President Trump As State Of The Union Guest

CALIFORNIA — A California man whose brother was murdered in Tulare County in 2018 was invited by President Donald J. Trump to attend Tuesday's State of the Union address in Washington, the White House announced.

Jody Jones, from Farmersville, is one of 11 people invited by the president and first lady Melania Trump as guests to the State of the Union, scheduled for around 6 p.m. PST Tuesday.

Jones's brother, Rocky, 51, was shot in a random attack at an AMPM store in Visalia in December 2018. The homicide was part of a 24-hour rampage by Gustavo Garcia, 36, who shot several others, robbed a store and then died in a car crash while being pursued by police.

"Rocky leaves behind a precious daughter and 4 brothers who are still grieving the loss of their loved one," the White House said.

Garcia was an undocumented immigrant who had been previously deported, and some local law enforcement officials — as well as Trump — blamed California's "sanctuary state" law for making it harder to secure Garcia before his rampage.

Trump has frequently publicized violent crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, portraying them as part of a pattern that requires stricter immigration enforcement. Studies, however, have shown that crime rates among immigrant groups are lower than those of American-born citizens.

See also: President Trump's State Of The Union 2020: Time, How To Watch