In a recent congressional hearing, Patty Morin, whose daughter was allegedly murdered by an undocumented immigrant, expressed her disappointment with the lack of communication from the Biden-Harris administration.
According to the New York Post, during her testimony, Morin revealed that the administration had not reached out to her family to offer condolences nor discussed their immigration policies in light of the incident.
At the House Homeland Security Committee hearing on the U.S. border crisis, Patty Morin spoke about the tragic death of her daughter, 37-year-old Rachel Morin, who was savagely beaten and strangled in August 2023 by Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez, a migrant with gang affiliations from El Salvador.
Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez was arrested and is currently facing first-degree murder and rape charges. He entered the U.S. illegally in February 2023 and allegedly was involved in other assaults, including an attack on a young girl and her mother in Los Angeles before being apprehended in June 2024.
In her emotional address to the committee, Patty Morin articulated frustration over the administration's reluctance to acknowledge problems associated with border control and immigrant vetting processes. "People are living in fear, and just because you ignore it and don’t acknowledge doesn’t mean that it’s not true," said Morin.
Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green underscored the rise in unvetted migrations and the challenges posed by the administration's policies.
In his opening remarks, he referenced over 10.3 million encounters of inadmissible aliens since the Biden-Harris administration took office.
During the hearing, Maryland’s proximity to the crisis was highlighted by Patty Morin, despite the state being almost 2,000 miles from the southern border. "It’s every state, every county, every city," she stressed, voicing her apprehension that safety was a nationwide concern, not confined to border states.
Michael Morin, Rachel's brother, also spoke at the Republican National Convention, where he emphasized the preventable nature of his sister’s death and criticized the current administration's response or lack thereof.
He contrasted this with former President Donald Trump, who had personally reached out to offer condolences, showing a stark difference in leadership and empathy.
Congressional Republicans are utilizing this tragedy to spotlight what they deem are significant flaws in the Biden-Harris handling of immigration policies. They argue that these policies have failed to protect U.S. citizens from potential threats posed by poorly vetted migrants.
Rep. Mark Green critiqued the administration's reactive stance on the ongoing border crisis, questioning the motivation and consequences of their immigration policies amid rising national security concerns.
In conclusion, the hearing painted a vivid picture of a family devastated by a violent act, attributing part of their grief to what they perceive as negligent federal policies on immigration and border security.
The testimonies provided by the Morin family and the statements by political leaders encapsulate the deeply personal and political ramifications of immigration policies in the U.S.
