Patty Morin, mother of 37-year-old Rachel Morin, who was brutally murdered in Maryland in August 2023, is calling on lawmakers to take immediate action on illegal immigration. At an emotional hearing on Capitol Hill, Morin urged Congress to close the U.S.-Mexico border, citing the role of her daughter’s alleged killer, Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador with a history of violent crime, including a murder charge and accusations of rape.
Rachel Morin was attacked while jogging near her home, and her body was later found in a culvert. Martinez-Hernandez, who is also linked to a rape in Los Angeles, entered the U.S. illegally. Morin believes that had border protocols been followed—such as taking DNA swabs or conducting proper background checks—her daughter’s life could have been spared, as Interpol had already issued a warrant for the suspect’s arrest.
In her testimony, Patty Morin recounted her own experience as a kidnapping survivor, revealing for the first time the trauma she endured as a teenager. She compared her ordeal to the horrific violence her daughter suffered, expressing her frustration with what she described as lenient border policies. She argued that tighter immigration controls would help prevent violent criminals from crossing into the U.S.
The hearing, titled “The Biden-Harris Border Crisis: Victim Perspectives,” was marked by emotional testimonies from Morin and others who have lost loved ones to crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. While some lawmakers, including Democrats, expressed condolences to the witnesses, there was sharp political division. Several Democrats accused Republicans of exploiting the victims’ tragedies for political gain, which angered Morin and others testifying.
Morin criticized the lack of response from the Biden administration, noting that neither President Biden nor Vice President Harris had contacted her family since the murder. She called for immigration reform that would prioritize the safety of American citizens while supporting legal immigration processes. Despite the political undertones of the hearing, Morin maintained that her concerns were about public safety, not partisanship.
Her heartfelt plea was a powerful reminder of the real-life consequences of the ongoing immigration debate, as she urged lawmakers to implement policies that could prevent other families from suffering similar tragedies.
