In Grand Rapids, Michigan, former President Donald Trump stirred controversy at a campaign event when he claimed to have spoken with the family of Ruby Garcia, a 25-year-old woman allegedly murdered by an undocumented immigrant. However, Garcia's sister, Marvi Garcia, vehemently denied Trump's statement, saying that he did not speak with any members of their family, and criticized him for politicizing her sister's tragic death.

Speaking in an interview with NBC affiliate WOOD-TV, Marvi Garcia expressed shock at Trump's words, stating, "He did not speak with any of us. So it's kind of shocking seeing that he had said he had spoken with us... misinforming people on live TV." Garcia highlighted the issue of Trump focusing solely on crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, questioning why he failed to address the crimes committed by American citizens.

The Trump campaign declined to comment on whether Trump had indeed spoken with a member of Ruby Garcia's family. They stated that the details of his conversations with individuals are kept private unless the family gives their consent to share them.

Garcia made it clear that neither Trump nor anyone from his presidential campaign reached out to her family. She expressed her resentment towards the former president for politicizing her sister's death, emphasizing that Americans should not be overlooked when discussing heinous crimes.

During the campaign event, Trump described Ruby Garcia as an incredible young woman, mentioning her contagious laughter and the light she brought into a room. Trump had previously expressed his desire to have the Garcia family present at the event, but they did not respond to multiple requests for further comment from NBC News.

Court records reveal that the suspect in Ruby Garcia's murder, Brandon Ortiz-Vite, confessed to the crime and dumping her body along a Grand Rapids highway. Trump alleged that Ortiz-Vite had been deported in 2020 but had returned to the U.S. illegally during the Biden administration. However, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) clarified that while Ortiz-Vite was indeed deported when Trump was president, it is unclear when he returned.

ICE confirmed that Ortiz-Vite's DACA status expired in May 2019 and he was arrested on local charges in August 2020 before being deported in September 2020. The agency stated that Ortiz-Vite reentered the U.S. "at an unknown date and location... without inspection by an immigration official."

Trump has frequently highlighted crime rates in the U.S. during his campaign events, often attributing the blame to migrants. The death of college student Laken Riley, killed by a Venezuelan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally, has previously been mentioned by Trump as an example.

Democratic critics accused Trump of trying to "politicize a tragedy" and spreading hate and division. Biden-Harris 2024 Michigan Communications Director Alyssa Bradley condemned Trump's visit to Grand Rapids, stating that he was attempting to divert attention from his own failures to serve the people of Michigan.

Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan called Trump's actions "shameful" and accused him and his supporters of exploiting Ruby Garcia's death for political gain.

As questions surround Trump's claim of speaking with Ruby Garcia's family, her sister's denial raises doubts about the former president's statements. The controversy surrounding the politicization of such tragedies continues to evoke strong reactions from both sides of the political spectrum.