The criminal illegal alien who killed Sarah Root in a drunk-driving accident was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison

WASHINGTON - The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) celebrates the sentencing of Eswin Mejia, the criminal illegal alien who killed 21-year-old Sarah Root in a drunk-driving accident, to more than 20 years in prison.

After being convicted on charges of motor vehicle homicide and flight to avoid arrest, Mejia was sentenced to 20 to 22 years in prison on Monday, February 2.

"The criminal illegal alien who stole Sarah Root's life was just convicted to 21 years. Nothing will bring her back but I am glad to see some justice for Sarah's family," said Secretary Kristi Noem. "I want to thank Homeland Security Investigations and our interagency law enforcement partners for extraditing Sarah's killer and bringing him back to the U.S. I also want to thank Senator Joni Ernst for her advocacy on behalf of Sarah and her family. Sarah should still be here today, and this illegal alien should have never been in our country in the first place. The Trump administration will always put the safety of Americans first."

Mejia was arrested in January 2016 for vehicular homicide after the crash that killed Sarah in Douglas County, Nebraska. His blood alcohol content was three times over the legal limit. He was arrested and released on a bond in February 2016, and he subsequently fled the country to evade prosecution.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Sarah's Law was introduced in the United States Congress. It was eventually added as an amendment to the Laken Riley Act, the first piece of legislation that President Donald Trump signed into law. Mejia was successfully extradited from Honduras by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in March of 2025. It was the first time that Honduras had ever extradited someone to the U.S. for homicide.

The extradition, arrest, conviction, and sentencing of this criminal illegal alien is the culmination of a decade-long battle for justice for Sarah Root and her family. President Trump and Secretary Noem are putting the safety of Americans first, ensuring that murderers and criminal illegal aliens will no longer be released into American communities.

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