Staff Reports
Senator Chris Van Hollen’s recent trip to El Salvador has ignited outrage among Maryland families and many Americans who believe their elected officials are neglecting the safety and rights of U.S. citizens. At the center of the controversy is Patty Morin, the mother of Rachel Morin, a Maryland woman brutally raped and murdered by an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador in 2023. As Morin mourns her daughter and raises her five grandchildren left motherless, she is left questioning why her senator seems more invested in the well-being of an illegal immigrant than in seeking justice for American victims.
While the Morin family still grieves, Senator Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador to lobby for the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident deported due to what officials called an “administrative error.” Instead of prioritizing the needs of his constituents, especially those who have suffered at the hands of illegal immigrants, Van Hollen used taxpayer dollars to advocate for someone who is not a U.S. citizen and whose deportation has become a cause célèbre for the left. Many see this as a slap in the face to families like the Morins, who feel abandoned by their representatives.
The senator’s actions have been met with sharp criticism from conservatives and crime victims’ families alike. Patty Morin has been vocal in her disappointment, stating that Van Hollen “barely acknowledged” her daughter’s horrific death, yet went out of his way to check on the welfare of a deported non-citizen. This glaring disconnect highlights a troubling trend: some lawmakers appear more concerned with the rights of those who have entered the country illegally than with the suffering of American families devastated by their crimes. The left’s focus on “humanitarian” gestures for non-citizens often comes at the expense of the safety and recognition of law-abiding Americans.
The contrast could not be starker. While Van Hollen and other Democrats are busy advocating for the rights of individuals like Abrego Garcia, Republican lawmakers are calling for stronger immigration enforcement and prioritizing the needs of American victims. Representatives Riley Moore and Jason Smith, for example, have visited El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison to support the Trump administration’s tough deportation policies and underscore the importance of putting Americans first. Their message is clear: the government’s primary responsibility is to its citizens, not to those who have broken the law to enter and remain in the United States.
Ultimately, the uproar over Van Hollen’s trip is about more than just one senator or one case. It’s about the fundamental duty of elected officials to protect and serve their constituents. Families like the Morins deserve more than empty gestures and political posturing—they deserve justice, acknowledgment, and the assurance that their government will always put their safety first. As the debate over immigration and public safety continues, Americans are demanding that their leaders remember who they are supposed to represent.
