The mother of an autistic woman who was tragically raped and murdered by members of the US MS-13 gang has received recognition from the Department of Homeland Security in a poignant Mother’s Day message.
A video tribute, shared with the Post, features Tammy Nobles discussing the horrifying loss of her 20-year-old daughter, Kayla Hamilton, who was strangled in 2022 by Walter Martinez, an MS-13 member from El Salvador.
The nearly three-minute clip shows Nobles revealing her shock upon learning about her daughter’s brutal death, which she learned was the result of an illegal gang rape. This shocking incident contradicts her initial belief that the Biden administration had effectively secured the borders against such threats.
“I was absolutely shocked, I didn’t know what to think,” Nobles states in the video, created by the Immigrant Crime Engagement (Voice) office.
She expresses her sentiment that the measures taken by Homeland Security were supposed to protect against such tragedies. “I thought the borders knew that homeland security was doing their job under the Biden administration,” she reflects. “These aren’t just kids coming across the border.”
Nobles later expressed gratitude to former President Trump and DHS Executive Director Kristi Noem for their efforts to shield families from such violence, emphasizing the need to prioritize children’s safety nationwide.
Martinez, who crossed the border during the Biden administration, pleaded guilty to Hamilton’s murder and received a 70-year prison sentence.
In a statement, Tricia McLaughlin, director of the Department of Homeland Security, said, “This Mother’s Day, Secretary Noem honors Tammy Nobles and all mothers who have lost loved ones to illegal crimes.”
McLaughlin added, “Kayla’s life was tragically taken away by illegal criminal aliens and known MS-13 gang members released into our country by the previous administration. We must never forget Kayla and the many other beautiful Americans lost to illegal alien crimes.”
She emphasized the daily reminder of the importance of having a secure border, noting, “These sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters should still be with us today.”
This Mother’s Day tribute also brought attention to other brutal crimes committed by MS-13 members, including a horrific quadruple murder at a Long Island park in April 2017.
Omar Antonio Viralta, a sixth gang member involved in this brutal case, received a 55-year prison sentence for his role in the heinous attack.
When Noem took office earlier this year, she revitalized Voice, the agency designed to support victims and families affected by crimes committed by illegal immigrants. Trump has previously designated MS-13 and other notorious gangs as foreign terrorist organizations.
