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Illegal immigrant accused of shooting at small-town officer in high-speed chase faces possible deportation

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Illegal immigrant accused of shooting at small-town officer in high-speed chase faces possible deportation

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An illegal immigrant from Guatemala is accused of firing at a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper multiple times after a traffic stop turned into a dangerous pursuit, according to court documents.

Tennessee authorities initially pulled Eugenio Abraham Solis Klarks over Jan. 12 around 6:30 p.m. in Lenoir City for speeding and asked if he had any ID. An source familiar with the matter confirmed to Fox News Digital the suspect was living illegally in the United States from Guatemala.

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Upon being pulled over, Klarks allegedly presented a Guatemalan consular ID card. And when authorities began to issue a citation, he apparently fled, “leading officers on a high-speed pursuit into Knox County,” court records state.

“The Defendant eventually lost control of his vehicle on Watt Road. When the first trooper approached his vehicle, the Defendant exited the vehicle holding an assault rifle, raised the weapon, and aimed at the trooper,” court documents state. “The defendant was struck during the exchange of gunfire. Multiple firearms were recovered from the Defendant’s vehicle.”

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECT IN RACHEL MORIN’S MURDER EXPECTED TO ARGUE FOR CHANGE OF VENUE

Eugenio Abraham Solis Klarks, 31, was charged with evading arrest in a shooting involving a Tennessee Highway Patrol officer. (Knox County Jail)

Klarks’ vehicle was apparently spotted in Macon, Georgia, and Indianapolis before the shooting.

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has since filed an immigration detainer against the suspect, who is in custody at the Knox County Jail. He is charged with evading arrest but may be facing more charges in the future.

SMUGGLERS TRANSPORTING VANS PACKED WITH 26 CHINESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DETAINED IN FLORIDA: POLICE

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and other Republican state politicians are considering a bill that would establish a “centralized immigration enforcement division” within the state’s Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security to crack down on illegal immigration and crimes like the Jan. 12 shooting. 

The bill is part of the governor’s immigration agenda that the Tennessee legislature will consider during a special session this week.

Lee visits the border

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee joins Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other governors for a press conference along the Rio Grande at the U.S.-Mexico border to discuss Operation Lone Star and border concerns Feb. 4, 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas.  (Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

“Last year, Gov. Lee directed key state agencies to begin preparing for federal immigration policy implementation,” Elizabeth Johnson, a spokesperson for the governor, told Fox News Digital in a statement Tuesday. 

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“In this special session, we will ensure the state is best positioned to coordinate with federal, state and local law enforcement to implement the Trump Administration’s plan to enforce the federal immigration laws on the books.”

Johnson added that the president “has made it clear that states will play a major role in partnering with his administration to make our communities safer.”

“Tennessee is heeding the call,” she said.

FLORIDA ABDUCTION REPORT LEADS TO DISCOVERY OF U-HAUL VAN FILLED WITH MOSTLY CHINESE MIGRANTS

Tennessee is one of dozens of states that have seen increases in crimes by illegal immigrant suspects, including those affiliated with the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. 

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The division would incentivize collaboration between federal immigration enforcement and state and local government entities, as well as prohibit state and local governments from enacting so-called “sanctuary city” policies in which local officials do not cooperate with ICE.

Tennessee State Capitol

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and other Republican state politicians are considering a bill that would establish a “centralized immigration enforcement division” within the state’s Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security in an effort to crack down on illegal immigration and crimes like the Jan. 12 shooting.  (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Additionally, the division would hire a chief immigration enforcement officer, appointed by Gov. Lee, who would oversee “state and local collaboration with federal immigration agencies” and facilitate “efficient communication between state, local, and federal agencies with respect to immigration policy and enforcement,” among other duties, according to a summary of the bill.

“With this legislation, Tennessee continues to lead the nation in fighting illegal immigration,” state Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson said in a statement. “This bold proposal will help alleviate the burden of illegal immigration on local governments by centralizing immigration enforcement, making it easier for the state and local governments to work with federal authorities to remove dangerous illegal immigrants from our communities. Additionally, we are taking action to hold local officials accountable for unlawfully harboring illegal immigrants, in clear violation of our state’s sanctuary city ban.”

Democrats have criticized the proposed legislation as a “distraction” from the governor’s pro-school choice voucher legislation, which will also be considered during the special session, along with disaster funding for areas impacted by Hurricane Helene.

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“Gov. Bill Lee’s push for divisive immigration policies is a cynical distraction from his plan to expand his failed private school voucher scam statewide,” Senate Democratic Caucus spokesperson Brandon Puttbrese told The Tennessean. “By mirroring Donald Trump’s extreme promise to deport immigrant workers, Gov. Lee is engaging in a calculated effort to divide Tennesseans in order to advance his political agenda.”

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Swalwell faces social media backlash for post tying Trump to Georgia small plane crash

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Swalwell faces social media backlash for post tying Trump to Georgia small plane crash

Rep. Eric Swallwell, D-Calif., is facing backlash online after suggesting President Donald Trump is to blame for a small plane crash in Georgia this weekend.

Swallwell took to social media Monday morning to declare that Trump has had “more planes crash” in his first month in office than any other U.S. president. The lawmaker made the comment in reaction to a small private plane crash that took place this weekend in Covington, Georgia, which left two people dead.

Social media users began to pile on immediately, calling out Swallwell for what they saw as an unfair connection to Trump.

“Are you suggesting the catalysts for those crashes were all caused by policies changed in the last month?” one user wrote.

HARROWING VIDEO FROM MILITARY BASE SHOWS NEW ANGLE OF MIDAIR CRASH CATASTROPHE

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“You really do have TDS. Grab some coffee and take a walk,” wrote another user who goes by the name of SouthernRepublicanMomma.

Swallwell’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

FAA, NTSB TO BRIEF SENATORS ON WASHINGTON, DC, MIDAIR COLLISION

Georgia’s crash saw a single-engine airplane take off from the Covington Municipal Airport at 11 p.m. on Saturday. Ground control lost communication with the plane roughly 20 minutes later, at which point police officers located the plane crashed near the runway.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has addressed the public multiple times regarding recent plane crashes in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and elsewhere. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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The plane’s two occupants were immediately announced dead at the scene.

“On February 15, 2025, the Covington Police Department officers responded to the Covington Municipal Airport at approximately 11:21 p.m. after receiving a call from the FAA in reference to a single-engine aircraft that had taken off at approximately 11:00 p.m. There was no further communication from the aircraft after takeoff,” the Covington Police Department said in a statement.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has confirmed they are investigating the crash.

DC plane crash site

Wreckage is seen in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, on Thursday, Jan. 30.  (Petty Officer 1st Class Brandon Giles, U.S. Coast Guard via AP)

The incident comes in the wake of multiple other plane crashes in recent weeks, the most dramatic being the collision of a helicopter and a commercial airliner in the skies over Washington, D.C. last month.

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Orlando community mourns 7-year-old girl killed in drag racing accident: 'Pain of loss is immeasurable'

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Orlando community mourns 7-year-old girl killed in drag racing accident: 'Pain of loss is immeasurable'

A drag racing track in Orlando, Florida, is mourning the loss of a 7-year-old girl who died from injuries sustained in an accident over the weekend.

Elienisse Zoe Díaz Rodriguez died on Tuesday after an accident during a race at the Orlando Speed World Dragway on Sunday. Her family said on a GoFundMe account that she fought “for her life” for two days before she was declared brain-dead at 10:54 p.m. on Tuesday.

Orange County Fire Rescue received 911 reports of an accident between a car and a person at the Orlando Speed World track at 11:20 a.m. on Sunday.

Rodriguez was racing her Junior Dragster racecar when she lost control of it, striking a 34-year-old safety guide employee before crashing into a concrete wall, according to Florida Highway Patrol. The employee was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

DIRT TRACK RACING LEGEND KILLED IN TENNESSEE PLANE CRASH

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Elienisse Zoe Díaz Rodriguez, 7, died on Tuesday after an accident at the Orlando Speed World Dragway in Florida over the weekend, according to the racetrack. (Orlando Speed World Dragway/Facebook)

In a post on Facebook, the Orlando speedway said it is “deeply heartbroken” by the “tragic incident,” offering “thoughts and prayers” to the little girl’s loved ones and the racing community, in general.

“Motorsports is built on passion, but moments like these remind us of the risks that come with what we love. While injuries can heal, the pain of loss is immeasurable,” the post said, in part. 

It concluded: “We stand together in support, mourning, and prayer during this difficult time. We extend our deepest condolences to those grieving and will continue to uplift them in our thoughts.”

Orlando Speed World Dragway

Orange County Fire Rescue responded to an accident between a racing car and a person at the Orlando Speed World track at 11:20 a.m. on Sunday. (Orlando Speed World Dragway/Facebook)

INDYCAR DRIVER GOES AIRBORNE IN SCARY CRASH AT INDIANAPOLIS 500 PRACTICE 

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Rodriguez was a first-grade student at Eastland Christian School in Orlando, according to FOX 35, and was described as bright and beautiful by school officials.

“She was a bright light in our school community, and we are thankful for the time we had with her. Her beautiful smile will be deeply missed by all of us,” the school said in a statement. “We will hold Elienisse’s memory close to our hearts. Thank you for your understanding and support as we come together to mourn this loss and remember the joy she brought to all of us.”

Elienisse Zoe Diaz Rodriguez drag racer

The 7-year-old junior drag racer was declared brain-dead on Tuesday, two days after her accident at the Orlando Speed World Dragway. (Orlando Speed World Dragway/Facebook)

As of early Friday morning, the GoFundMe account set up to help the family pay for funeral costs had more than $25,300 in donations.

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Trump's ICE crackdown could get boost in Florida with DeSantis' plan to deputize state patrol

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Trump's ICE crackdown could get boost in Florida with DeSantis' plan to deputize state patrol

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Gov. Ron DeSantis last week signed an agreement that could soon deputize Florida Highway Patrol officers to perform the functions of federal immigration officers, and the head of a union representing the majority of troopers has concerns about the decision. 

DeSantis held a series of discussions with law enforcement officials and Floridians affected by illegal immigration Jan. 29 about new legislation needed in the state to assist the Trump administration in countering illegal immigration, the governor’s office said in a statement.

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He signed a memorandum between the Florida Highway Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), giving troopers the authority to exercise immigration power.

“Governor DeSantis understands the role of law enforcement and wants to provide the strongest immigration law possible, empowering law enforcement to get to work and deport illegal aliens residing in the state,” Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner said in a statement with DeSantis’ announcement.

DESANTIS SIGNALS VETO OF IMMIGRATION BILL PASSED BY FLORIDA GOP LAWMAKERS: ‘FAILS TO MEET THE MOMENT’

A Florida Highway Patrol vehicle (Sam Navarro/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

“Troopers are going to do what they’re told to do. … We’re going to become the tip of the spear,” William Smith, president of the Florida Highway Patrol chapter of Florida’s Police Benevolent Association, told Fox News Digital. “But it would be nice to know that … we have additional funding.”

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The latest memorandum comes as DeSantis also criticized a new immigration reform bill passed by the Florida Legislature.

“The bill the Florida Legislature passed … fails to honor our promises to voters, fails to meet the moment and would actually weaken state immigration enforcement,” the governor said at a press conference.

“We must have the strongest law in the nation on immigration enforcement that will guarantee state and local deportation assistance, end catch and release, eliminate magnets such as remittances and adopt supporting policies that will protect Floridians.”

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS IN FLORIDA DEFY DESANTIS, SCRAPPING HIS SPECIAL SESSION AND CALLING THEIR OWN

DeSantis wants to mandate that counties and cities participate in the federal deportation program and pushed for the authority to suspend officials who do not comply. He also wanted to make it a state crime to enter the U.S. illegally and require that people show identification and their immigration status before sending money back home.

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The legislature’s immigration priorities have included a mandatory death penalty for an illegal immigrant convicted of a capital offense, enhancing sentences for illegal immigrant gang members, expanding shared intelligence among law enforcement agencies, strengthening enforcement of public officials’ compliance with state law banning sanctuary jurisdictions and financial incentives for training law enforcement officers who help ICE task forces.

Fox News Digital reached out to ICE and DeSantis’ office for comment.

CHINESE MIGRANTS FLOOD SOUTH FLORIDA VIA BOAT AS AUTHORITIES SEEK HELP WITH CUBAN SMUGGLERS

Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis delivers remarks at the 2023 Christians United for Israel summit July 17, 2023, in Arlington, Va.  (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“What’s going on with the Legislature and the governor right now … we’re almost caught in the middle,” Smith said. “There’s no additional funding to pay for those additional duties. … You know, it’s easy to sign a piece of paper and say, ‘we’re going to have troopers do that now.’ OK, well, are you going to pay me more money?”

Smith, who has served as a trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol for 41 years, stands by a need for immigration reform, but he believes the agency has already been underfunded for years and does not have enough money to operate. 

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“Our concern moving forward is we need to increase our pay. … The troopers and the folks that do the job every day … they need to know that they can still put food on the table and be able to buy a house and raise some kids and things of that nature,” he said. “Because, right now, a trooper at starting pay is a permanent apartment dweller.”

In the upcoming 2025-2026 budget, Smith said, the department is asking the Legislature for $12.9 million to raise pay and hire more troopers, whose starting pay is about $54,000. He explained that for the agency to be fully funded, it will need about $27 million. 

SENATE DEMS TO JOIN REPUBLICANS TO ADVANCE ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BILL NAMED AFTER LAKEN RILEY

Mexican migrants being deported and sent back to Mexico

Migrants walk into Mexico after being deported from the U.S. at El Chaparral pedestrian border bridge in Tijuana, Mexico, Jan. 21, 2025. (Felix Marquez/AP)

After DeSantis signed the memorandum, Smith disclosed that he was left with “more questions than answers.”

“There hasn’t been any guidance … from the governor’s office about what our role will be, what the training will be,” he said. “How many troopers does he want to assign to this?”

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DOZENS OF ILLEGALS ARRESTED IN TRUMP’S HOME COUNTY IN FLORIDA

Smith said there are nearly 150 trooper vacancies on the highway patrol right now and that the governor wants to cut 25 trooper positions.

“It’s like taking a step forward and two steps back,” Smith added. 

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

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