White House Hosts Patty Morin
In an unscheduled White House briefing Wednesday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt presented a detailed case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an MS-13 gang member recently deported to El Salvador, while sharply criticizing efforts by Democratic lawmakers to reverse his removal.
Leavitt was joined by Patty Morin, mother of Rachel Morin, a Maryland woman murdered in 2023 by an illegal immigrant with gang ties, underscoring the administration’s broader crackdown on violent foreign criminals.
According to Leavitt, Abrego Garcia’s deportation was initially categorized as an administrative error but has since been confirmed as lawful based on his criminal background and gang affiliations. Leavitt stated that Garcia had an active deportation order and was twice identified by U.S. judges as a member of MS-13—a designation that has not been challenged in court.
.@PressSec @KarolineLeavitt: “Today, we have officially learned Democrat officials still refuse to accept the will of the American people. Maryland’s Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen rushed to Dulles Airport this morning to fly to El Salvador, potentially using taxpayer dollars… pic.twitter.com/0OznM4nZqC
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 16, 2025
Leavitt disclosed new court documents indicating Garcia's wife had filed for protective orders on multiple occasions in 2021, citing domestic abuse. She presented these filings as further evidence of Garcia’s violent behavior and emphasized that his removal was both legal and justified.
The White House condemned Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) for traveling to El Salvador to intervene on Garcia’s behalf. Leavitt accused Van Hollen of using taxpayer funds to advocate for the return of a “foreign terrorist” and dismissed efforts to portray Garcia as a family man. “There is no Maryland father,” she said. “Kilmar Abrego Garcia is an illegal alien, MS-13 gang member, and foreign terrorist.”
Leavitt provided further context, describing gang symbolism found on Garcia at the time of arrest, including attire associated with MS-13's visual messaging. She also reiterated the Trump administration’s classification of MS-13 as a foreign terrorist organization, citing the gang’s role in organized crime, sex trafficking, and violence in both the U.S. and Central America.
Patty Morin, mother of a woman brutally murdered by an illegal immigrant ignored by most of the White House press corps, begs reporters: “Please tell the truth.”
One of the most powerful moments I’ve ever witnessed. pic.twitter.com/M9937VGt4W
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) April 16, 2025
President Trump has repeatedly emphasized the need to remove criminal aliens and tighten immigration enforcement. This case was used by the administration to highlight the contrast between its policy priorities and those of congressional Democrats, whom Leavitt accused of prioritizing illegal immigrants over American victims.
Despite Senator Van Hollen’s efforts, Salvadoran officials refused to grant access to the prison housing Garcia or permit his return. The Salvadoran government, under President Nayib Bukele, has supported Trump’s position, stating that Garcia will not be released.