A Mexican national previously deported from the United States four separate times pleaded guilty to killing an 11-year-old California boy in a Thanksgiving-eve hit-and-run that has reignited fierce debate over sanctuary state policies and border security.
Four Prior Deportations Before Fatal Crash
Hector Amador Balderas, 44, admitted Friday to felony hit-and-run causing death after striking Aiden Antonio Torres De Paz in Escondido, California on November 26, 2025. Federal records show Balderas was deported four times between 2004 and 2010—on March 19, 2004, June 10, 2004, June 15, 2004, and March 4, 2010—before illegally re-entering the country a fifth time. The young victim ran into the street near East Washington Avenue and Hickory Street around 5 p.m. to retrieve a soccer ball when Balderas struck him and fled without rendering aid.
Emergency responders rushed Aiden to Rady Children’s Hospital, where he died Thanksgiving morning. Balderas surrendered to authorities days later and remains jailed without bail. Court documents indicate he faces between two and three years in state prison at his sentencing scheduled for early June.
Sanctuary Laws Block Federal Detainer
The case became a political flashpoint after Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a detainer requesting notification before any release from custody. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office rejected the federal request under California’s sanctuary state restrictions, citing the California Values Act signed by former Governor Jerry Brown. Lieutenant David Collins confirmed the denial followed state law requiring a criminal history review that deemed the detainer unenforceable under California Government Code 7282.5.
Federal Officials Demand Accountability
Former Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin publicly called on Governor Gavin Newsom to honor the ICE detainer. She criticized sanctuary policies as threats to public safety, stating the case proves Americans are being used as collateral damage for failed border policies. Newsom’s office disputed federal claims, calling them a complete lie and insisting California honors federal criminal warrants while maintaining the federal government can do its job without state assistance. The boy’s mother discovered her son unconscious in the street moments after hearing the crash impact.