A lifelong Democrat whose newlywed son and daughter-in-law were killed in a crash involving an illegal immigrant truck driver says she is ashamed of her party’s immigration policies and wants Democratic lawmakers to finally change course, as reported [1] by Fox News.
Elizabeth Carter and her husband, Dennis Carter, spoke Thursday on “Hannity” about the deaths of their son, William Micah “Billy” Carter, 25, and his wife, Jennifer Lynn Lower Carter, 24. The young couple had been married for only 16 days.
I was just watching Hannity, and the story of William “Billy” Carter and his wife, Jennifer “Jenny” Lower, absolutely broke my heart. They had only been married for sixteen days when they were killed in a crash in 2025 caused by an illegal alien from India who entered the country… pic.twitter.com/qNOBif1ZEp [2]
— Gina Milan (@ginamilan_) September 18, 2026 [3]
Billy and Jennifer were killed in November 2025 after their Subaru struck a tractor-trailer that had jackknifed across both lanes of U.S. Highway 20 in Oregon. The truck was driven by Indian national Rajinder Kumar.
Kumar was charged following the crash and has pleaded not guilty. Federal immigration authorities later took him into custody and said he had entered the United States illegally near Lukeville, Arizona, in November 2022.
Authorities said Kumar was released by the Biden administration while his immigration proceedings remained pending.
According to Houston’s FOX 26, he later obtained work authorization and a commercial driver’s license issued in California.
Elizabeth said she was stunned to learn how Kumar had entered the country and remained in the United States. She directly criticized the immigration approach pursued under former President Joe Biden.
“I was shocked and heartbroken to hear that the man responsible for our son and daughter-in-law’s death, the driver of the 18-wheeler that they collided with, that he was a part of Biden’s catch-and-release policy,” Elizabeth told “Hannity” Thursday.
Elizabeth argued that the federal government’s immigration policies and state rules that allowed Kumar to drive commercially created the conditions surrounding the deadly crash.
“If it weren’t for that, our son and daughter-in-law would still be alive,” she said.
Her appearance on “Hannity” followed testimony on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, where she urged lawmakers to overhaul immigration policies.
The grieving mother offered a sharp description of what American families face under the government’s current approach.
“[My son and daughter-in-law] lost the Russian roulette game our government is forcing them to play,” Elizabeth said.
She also questioned why those admitted during the Biden administration should not be removed in the same sweeping fashion.
“We allowed 10 million people in under Biden. How is there a different suggestion as to how to process them other than the same way they came into the country, en masse, leaving?” she asked.
Elizabeth then turned her criticism squarely toward the political party she has supported throughout her life.
“I have to say, as a lifelong Democrat, I am ashamed of what my party is doing.”
Dennis focused his criticism on the policies that allowed Kumar to receive a commercial driver’s license.
He rejected the notion that simply being present in the country meant someone should be placed behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle without being able to perform the job.
“Just because someone is incompetent and can’t do the job that they wanted to do, just because they got here, that doesn’t mean, ‘Okay, they’re here, we should give them a job that they can’t do and just turn them loose on the road,’” Dennis told “Hannity.”
Dennis identified himself as a lifelong Republican, drawing a contrast with his wife’s Democratic affiliation.
He said their marriage shows that people belonging to opposing political parties can share a household without allowing those disagreements to become personal hostility.
“We have learned that the two parties can exist in the same household, and we actually get along,” Dennis said.
Elizabeth agreed, explaining that they know “how to disagree without tearing each other apart” and seek to understand the issues on which they differ.
Elizabeth also delivered a blunt challenge to the Democratic Party during the appearance.
She pleaded with Democrats to “grow up” and begin communicating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the state level, making clear that party loyalty would not silence her after her family’s loss.