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Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, referred to Kayla Hamilton, a young woman murdered by an MS-13 illegal immigrant, as a “random dead person” during a Wednesday House Judiciary Committee markup discussing a bill written in her name.
Kayla Hamilton, 20, was sexually assaulted, restrained, and strangled to death by Walter Javier Martinez, a 17-year-old migrant in the U.S. under Unaccompanied Alien Child (UAC) status. Martinez was sentenced to 70 years in prison in April.
“You take a situation, and then you exploit what has happened to not only that person, but you exploit those families, and you make it a game,” Crockett shouted during the committee debate. “Stop just throwing a random dead person’s name on something for your own political expediency.”
Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett dismissed the young woman murdered by an MS-13 migrant as a “random dead person” in a House Judiciary Committee markup. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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Prior to her statement, Crockett argued that Republicans were ignoring the alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein, telling GOP members to “stop pretending like you care” about the individuals which certain pieces of legislation are named after.
“Y’all find one terrible situation that took place, and then you say that person’s name, and you wear it out, and you make it political,” Crockett added.
The committee was debating a bill by Congressman Russell Fry, R-S.C., the Kayla Hamilton Act, which would mandate the Department of Health and Human Services secretary to determine whether an illegal immigrant under the age of 18, or unaccompanied alien child, poses a danger to themselves or their community.
Kayla Hamilton, who was murdered by an illegal migrant in 2022, is seen celebrating her birthday. (Tammy Nobles)
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Fry responded to Crockett’s comments in a statement to Fox News Digital, saying for Crockett “to dismiss her life so callously is not only disgusting rhetoric, it’s shameful behavior.”
“Let me be clear: Kayla Hamilton was not just a random person,” Fry told Fox. “She was a young woman with a family and a future.”
“Sadly, this is what we’ve come to expect from Democrats, who will take any opportunity to downplay the tragedy of Americans killed by criminal illegal aliens,” Fry added. “I expect Mrs. Crockett to issue a full, public apology to Kayla’s family and to every American who has suffered because of her party’s reckless, open-borders agenda.”
Rep. Russell Fry introduced the Kayla Hamilton Act. (Al Drago/Bloomberg)
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Fox News Digital spoke with Kayla Hamilton’s mother in July, who emphasized the positive impact that this legislation could have.
“The Kayla Hamilton Act is necessary to ensure background checks of unaccompanied alien children occur before they are released, Tammy Nobles, Kayla’s mother, told Fox. “If that had happened in the case of Kayla’s murderer, authorities would have known he was an MS-13 gang member.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett’s office but did not receive a response.
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston
