Share and Follow
Joe Abraham is staunchly supporting ICE’s “Operation Midway Blitz,” an enforcement initiative launched in Illinois. This comes after his daughter, Katie, was tragically killed by an undocumented immigrant. Meanwhile, Katie’s mother, Denise Lorence, has publicly criticized the Chicago-area operation, which was initiated in Katie’s memory.
“This mission transcends politics; it is a moral imperative,” Joe Abraham expressed. “Its purpose is to prevent others from experiencing the same tragedy that befell Katie. While it represents only a fraction of her legacy, I take pride in honoring her through this endeavor.”
Conversely, Denise Lorence has voiced her opposition to “Operation Midway Blitz,” asserting that Katie herself would not have endorsed such measures.
Regarding Joe’s position, Denise remarks, “He’s grappling with immense grief.”
Katie Abraham lost her life in a vehicular accident in Urbana, Illinois, in January, a location two hours from Chicago. Julio Cucul-Bol, an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala, was apprehended for drunk driving and fleeing the accident scene. Following a plea agreement, Cucul-Bol faces a 30-year prison sentence for his actions.
Katie’s dad has been a stalwart supporter of the president’s immigration policies and to show his continued support, Joe penned an op-ed published by the Chicago Tribune on Friday.
“My late daughter, Katie Abraham, touched many lives, each in their own way,” the grieving father wrote. “She had friends from every walk of life. She was kind, empathetic and endlessly curious. She made people feel seen and valued. Then her life was stolen by a criminal immigrant in the country illegally.”
“That’s why I have supported and continue to support the Donald Trump administration’s ‘Operation Midway Blitz,’ the mission launched in her honor,” he continued. “Contrary to some of the criticism about it, this mission is not political. It is moral. It is to prevent what happened to Katie from happening to anyone else. This will be only a small part of Katie’s legacy, but I’m proud to honor the beauty of her through this mission.”
He continued, writing, “Katie’s death was preventable. She was killed by a man, Julio Cucul Bol, who entered and remained in our country illegally. He was using multiple aliases, exploiting gaps in an overwhelmed and disorganized immigration system. Illinois’ sanctuary law allowed this monster to roam free. He should have been removed long before he could take my daughter’s life.”
Abraham also spoke to the inherent unfairness of allowing millions of illegals to flood our country.
“It would be unjust and unreasonable to separate my family’s loss from the policies that failed us,” he said. “We did everything right. We worked hard, obeyed the law, paid our taxes, and trusted that government would protect us in return. That trust was broken. Our leaders — from the governor’s office on down — have treated immigration as a numbers game, not as a matter of public safety or national security. Governor Pritzker is filling Illinois’ census rolls with unvetted illegal aliens simply to preserve congressional seats and get more federal funding. Katie paid for his scheme with her life.”
“Operation Midway Blitz, at its heart, is about restoring that balance. It seeks an immigration system that is both humane and secure. That’s what Katie would have wanted: a country that keeps its promises, a state that safeguards its citizens, and leaders who put their people first,” he wrote.
“Her death cannot be in vain. Her legacy belongs to all who loved her — and to a nation that still has the power to learn from its mistakes,” Abraham concluded.
The Department of Homeland Security launched “Operation Midway Blitz” in September in honor of Katie.
The Abraham family is torn on the policy, however. Katie’s mother, Denise Lorence, has spoken out against “Operation Midway Blitz,” and insists that Katie herself would not support such a policy. She added that Katie’s name is being used to support “Operation Midway Blitz” even though she is not here to give her consent to the use of her name and image.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: Facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston, or at X/Twitter @WTHuston
