Was Decarlos Brown Jr really an illegal immigrant? Fact-checking Donald Trump's State of the Union Claims

In a major development in the brutal killing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was brutally stabbed aboard a Charlotte light rail train in August 2025, President Donald Trump brought the case to the national spotlight during his 2026 State of the Union address. Moreover, Zarutska's grieving mother was also invited to attend the event, invoking the tragedy as part of his broader push for stricter law-and-order measures. While delivering his speech, Trump described Brown as a 'career criminal', alleging that he entered the United States as a result of what he called open-border policies. But how true is this? Let's find out if Decarlos Brown Jr is really an illegal alien.



Let's rewind a bit. Decarlos Brown Jr, the 34-year-old murder suspect, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing.

While authorities have identified him as a repeat offender and also noted a documented history of mental health issues. On the other hand, during his State of the Union address, Donald Trump referred to Brown as a 'hardened criminal', claiming he entered the United States due to what he described as open-border policies.

The president also called for the death penalty, framing the case as emblematic of what he argues were lenient criminal justice approaches under previous administrations.



Based on the information shared on his Facebook profile, Brown is originally from Charlotte and attended West Charlotte High School. He later enrolled at the Earle C. Clements Job Corps Academy in Kentucky, where he studied from 2008 to 2010, reports the Charlotte Observer.

His most listed employment on the platform indicates he worked at a Campbell's warehouse in Charlotte. Moreover, as per multiple reports, he is described as homeless and has a criminal history spanning more than a decade.

So it is less likely that he is an illegal alien. Times Now also noted that he was a US citizen born in Charlotte, North Carolina.

As per the NY Post, he has faced at least 14 arrests since 2011 on a range of charges, including felony theft, armed robbery, burglary-related offences, assault and criminal threats. He completed a five-year prison sentence for a 2014 armed robbery and was released in September 2020.

Less than five months later, he was arrested again, accused of assaulting his sister at her residence in Charlotte.