Context:

Victor Martinez-Hernandez, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, was sentenced to life without parole for the brutal murder, kidnapping, and rape of Rachel Morin, a Maryland mother of five. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem expressed her anger over the crime, stating that Martinez-Hernandez should never have been in the country. Rachel Morin was abducted from the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland, and her body was found in a nearby drain pipe a day later. Her murder has sparked public advocacy from her family and criticism of the current administration's immigration policies. The Trump administration is using this case to highlight its efforts on mass deportations and the reopening of the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement office to support victims and their families.

Dive Deeper:

• Rachel Morin, a 37-year-old mother from Maryland, was brutally murdered, kidnapped, and raped on August 5, 2023, by Victor Martinez-Hernandez, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador. Her body was discovered in a drain pipe near the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland.

• Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem criticized the presence of Martinez-Hernandez in the U.S., stating that illegal immigrants responsible for such crimes should have never entered the country, and highlighted the failures of the current administration's border policies.

• In response to Rachel Morin's murder, her family has become vocal advocates, pushing for stricter immigration controls and supporting the Trump administration's hardline approach, which includes mass deportations and the reopening of the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement office.

• Victor Martinez-Hernandez was arrested in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June 2024, after entering the United States during the Biden-era border crisis, and was found guilty of the charges in April 2025. He received two life sentences plus an additional 40 years.

• Rachel Morin's family, including her children and mother, spoke at the sentencing, sharing the profound impact her absence has left on their lives, as they continue to honor her memory by advocating for justice and protection against similar tragedies.