Mother of Rachel Morin testifies before Congress in immigration reform hearing

BALTIMORE -- The mother of murdered Maryland mom Rachel Morin testified on Capitol Hill for the second time this month to call for immigration reform.  

Patty Morin appeared as a witness before the Committee on Homeland Security on Wednesday. 

The hearing, titled "A Country Without Borders: How the Biden-Harris Open-Borders Policies Have Undermined Our Safety and Security," also featured testimony from a retired U.S. Border Patrol agent, a California lawmaker, and an Arizona sheriff.

Patty Morin told lawmakers her daughter's death was preventable. 

Rachel Morin, a mother of five, was found murdered near the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air last August. Her suspected killer, Victor Martinez-Hernandez, was arrested in June in Oklahoma and charged with first-degree murder, rape, and kidnapping. Prosecutors allege he entered the U.S. illegally.

Since the tragedy, the Morin family has advocated for immediate reform to address the ongoing border crisis and the threat posed by crimes committed by individuals in the country illegally.

"This issue is bigger than people think and it's not just the Southern border. It's every state, every county, every city," Patty Morin said. 

In her previous testimony before the House Committee on the Judiciary last week, Patty Morin stated, "It's because of these open borders - and I realize some of you are disinterested in this because you think it's just a partisan thing, but these are American people. These are American families. These are our children and pretty soon they will be our grandchildren."