GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Mexican national who was unlawfully present in the U.S. received a 39-year prison sentence on Thursday for the murder of his girlfriend, an incident that has come to underline discussions in the current U.S. presidential campaign regarding immigration issues.

Brandon Ortiz Vite, aged 26, addressed the judge in Grand Rapids, offering an apology that he claimed represented not only himself but also the broader immigrant community. “The actions I took on the night of March 22 do not define who my people are. I apologize with the utmost respect to all immigrants from all walks of life,” he said.

In September, Ortiz Vite entered a guilty plea to several charges, including murder. His girlfriend, Ruby Garcia, was discovered shot dead alongside a highway in Grand Rapids. Authorities reported that the two had been involved in a heated argument inside a car on U.S. 131 when Ortiz Vite allegedly shot Garcia in the head, subsequently removed her body from the vehicle, and left the scene.

The case gained significant attention last spring when former President Donald Trump accused the Biden administration of allowing Ortiz Vite to re-enter the country after he had been deported in 2020. It remains unclear when he returned to the U.S.—whether it was during the latter part of the Trump administration or the early Biden administration.

A nationwide survey, known as AP VoteCast, which gathered responses from over 115,000 voters, indicated that Trump’s base was primarily concerned with issues related to immigration and inflation during the recent election.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Mark Trusock did not hold back in his condemnation of Ortiz Vite’s actions. “You, sir, are a cold-blooded murderer,” he stated. “This is an intentional crime, and you are a danger to society.”

In his defense, Ortiz Vite alluded to drug use on the day of the crime, stating, “I can’t explain my mind that night… However, deep down within, I knew I was wrong.”