Texas Wildlife Refuge Honors Jocelyn Nungaray
Bill Proposed by Cornyn to Legalize Trump Executive Order Rebaptizing Refuge as Jocelyn Nungaray Haven
In a heartfelt ceremony, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum retitled a Texas wildlife refuge, the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge. This is a solemn dedication to the 12-year-old Houston girl, tragically taken by two purported illegal immigrants associated with the violent Tren de Aragua gang in 2024.
EXCLUSIVE: Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is deliberating a bill to cement President Donald Trump's executive order, renaming a national park after Jocelyn Nungaray. This proposed legislation, to be jointly brought forward with U.S. Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, targets making it harder for future administrations, regardless of political affiliation, to change the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge's name.
"The unfathomable loss of Jocelyn Nungaray occurred due to brutal killers in the U.S. unlawfully due to President Biden's open-border policies. Her legacy should endure eternally," Cornyn told our website Digital, expressing his intention to lead this bill.
*JOCYLN NUNGARAY MURDER: HOUSTON PROSECUTORS SEEK ICE, CBP RECORDS ON ILLEGAL ACCUSED OF CHILD KILLING*
The Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, once sprawled across Texas, underwent a transformative renaming ceremony in 2025.
During his joint address to Congress in March, Trump announced the renaming of the 39,000-acre sanctuary along the Texas Gulf Coast, previously known as the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. This marked the inception of the long-standing tribute to the beloved Houston girl.
Former President Joe Biden, Jocelyn Nungaray, President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
The bill aims to fix the sanctuary's revised name in law, thereby further complicating any future alterations.
"The harrowing murder of Jocelyn Nungaray shook our community to the core, and it never should have happened," Babin said, commenting on the bill's significance. "We are introducing legislation to sanctify Jocelyn's memory and reinforce a clear message: securing our border and enforcing the rule of law must be prioritized, not an option."
He added, "Honoring Jocelyn isn't a Republican or Democrat issue - it's a national issue."
*JOCYLN NUNGARAY'S MOTHER REVEALS HORRIFIC TIMELINE OF DAUGHTER'S MURDER IN HEARING ON OPEN-BORDER CRIME*
Cornyn's bill endeavors to make it harder for the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge's name to be changed.
"Given the proximity of Jocelyn's hometown, Houston, it seems fitting to honor her love for animals by redesignating the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge," the proposed bill text reads.
The bill comes as a result of Cornyn getting to know the deceased girl's family, who expressed their loved one's passion for nature. The senseless murder of Jocelyn, along with other devastating incidents involving illegal immigrant suspects, resulted in heightened focus on immigration issues during the 2024 presidential election while Donald Trump campaigned on promises to deport criminals unlawfully within the U.S. borders.
Nungaray, a Houston resident, was kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and subsequently strangled to death by Franklin Pena, 26, and Johan Martinez-Rangel, 22, Harris County prosecutors stated. Both individuals, alleged members of Tren de Aragua, faced capital murder charges and the possibility of the death penalty for their heinous crime.
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Louis Casiano is a correspondent for our website Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].
- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is deliberating a bill to cement President Donald Trump's executive order, renaming a national park after Jocelyn Nungaray, aiming to make it harder for future administrations to change the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge's name.
- Babin commented on the bill's significance, stating, "The harrowing murder of Jocelyn Nungaray shook our community to the core, and it never should have happened."
- Cornyn's bill also targets securing the border and enforcing the rule of law, a priority during the 2024 presidential election.
- The proposed legislation endeavors to fix the sanctuary's revised name in law, thereby further complicating any future alterations.
- Trump announced the renaming of the 39,000-acre sanctuary along the Texas Gulf Coast during his joint address to Congress in March, marking the inception of the long-standing tribute to Jocelyn Nungaray.
- The Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge underwent a transformative renaming ceremony in 2025, becoming the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge.
- The senseless murder of Jocelyn, along with other devastating incidents involving illegal immigrant suspects, resulted in heightened focus on immigration issues during the 2024 presidential election.
- Other than politics and general news, the topics covered in the article include crime-and-justice, as well as digital app download instructions.
