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Officials say that the suspect in an Indiana car crash that killed two people, including Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson, on Friday morning was an undocumented immigrant (an illegal) who had been deported twice.

According to a release from the Indiana State Police, the 26-year-old NFL player was riding as a passenger in an Uber vehicle when he became sick at around 4 a.m. The vehicle's driver, 54-year-old Jeffrey Monroe, then pulled the Uber over on Interstate 70 to assist Jackson.

As the two men were standing next to the car on the shoulder of the highway, police say that a black Ford F-150 plowed into the pair, killing them both.

The suspected driver of the pickup truck, 37-year-old Manuel Orrego-Savala, tried to flee on foot but was eventually apprehended.

According to Indiana State Police, Orrego-Savala gave a fake name when he was first arrested. It was later discovered that he is a citizen of Guatemala who is in the United States illegally and had previously been deported in 2007 and 2009.

Police say that Orrego-Savala was intoxicated and driving without a license when he hit and killed Jackson and Monroe. Officials are currently working with prosecutors on potential criminal charges against him.

The Colts released the following statement on Sunday regarding Jackson's death:

"We were heartbroken to hear the news of Edwin Jackson’s passing. Edwin was loved by all in the Colts organization. We admired his outgoing personality, competitive spirit and hard-working mentality. He was well-respected among all with whom he crossed paths."

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Activists and politicians on various sides of the national debate over immigration reform took to the internet Monday to wax political following the news that the man arrested for the drunk driving death of Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson and Uber driver Jeffrey Monroe is in the country illegally.

Supporters of stricter border security called for harsher immigration laws and renewed their call to build a wall on the southern border. Supporters of reforms that would allow undocumented immigrants — and especially children — a path toward citizenship cautioned lawmakers not to conflate criminals with law-abiding children. 

The ongoing debate — fought in dueling social media posts and releases — intensified when Indiana State Police detectives announced that the driver, Manuel Orrego-Savala, a 37-year-old Guatemalan citizen, had twice been deported. ISP also said Orrego-Saval gave authorities the alias Alex Cabrera Gonsales after the early Sunday crash.

"It's so unfortunate what happened, this is very, very sad," said Ana Kotchkoski, president of the Venezuelan Association of Indiana.

▶︎ How Colts' Edwin Jackson died: Everything you need to know

Kotchkoski's organization regularly lobbies for "Dreamers" and DACA recipients. 

The DACA program was formed through an executive order by former President Barack Obama in 2012 and allowed certain people who came to the U.S. illegally as minors to be protected from immediate deportation. 

"I agree with current law that punishes people who do not follow the law," Kotchoski said. "This goes against everything were trying to fight for and pursue for DACA." 

Michael Joyce, Indiana communications director for the Republican National Committee, issued the following statement:

“The tragic passing of Edwin Jackson and Jeffrey Monroe should not be lost on Hoosiers. Their lives were taken by a twice-deported illegal immigrant who was not only two times the legal limit to drive, but attempted to flee the scene of the crime in a cowardly fashion. These horrific events only further underscore the need for immigration reform and stronger border security measures that can further prevent these tragedies from happening in the future.”

 
Indianapolis Colts inside linebacker Edwin Jackson
 

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