Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett Under Fire Over Murdered Autistic Woman Comments [WATCH]

A House Judiciary Committee markup session Wednesday turned contentious when Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) dismissed the case of Kayla Hamilton, a 20-year-old autistic woman murdered in 2022 by an illegal alien, as the use of a “random dead” person in political debate.

Hamilton was killed in Aberdeen, Maryland, in July 2022 by 16-year-old Walter Javier Martinez, an illegal alien from El Salvador who was affiliated with the MS-13 gang.

Martinez had been apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in March 2022 and was transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which placed him with a sponsor in the United States shortly afterward.

During the committee’s markup of the Kayla Hamilton Act, legislation introduced by Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC) to address dangerous placements of unaccompanied alien children (UACs), Crockett accused Republicans of politicizing Hamilton’s death.

✅PASSED THE COMMITTEE: H.R. 4371, the Kayla Hamilton Act, sponsored by @RepRussellFry.

For unaccompanied alien children (UACs) 12 years and older, the Kayla Hamilton Act requires HHS to request the UACs’ criminal records in their home country and determine if they have gang… pic.twitter.com/rPKJYH9kZv

— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) September 10, 2025

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“I’m tired of y’all cherry-picking one horrible event! Because that’s what y’all do!” Crockett said during the exchange.

“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!”

She continued: “Stop playing these games and acting like you care about one particular situation. 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! Stop just throwing a random dead person’s name on something for your own political expediency!”

🚨 DISGUSTING BEHAVIOR: Rep. Jasmine Crockett just called Kayla Hamilton, a young girl murdered by an illegal alien, a “random dead person.” pic.twitter.com/pSqBF0RAc5

— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) September 10, 2025

The remarks drew strong reactions from Republican members, who argued that the committee was considering legislation named in honor of Hamilton to prevent future tragedies involving unvetted UAC placements.

Rep. Fry first introduced the Kayla Hamilton Act to Protect American Communities from Dangerous UAC Placements in July.

The bill would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to consider whether an unaccompanied minor poses a risk to themselves or the community before assigning them to a sponsor.

Hamilton’s murder has remained a focal point in debates over border security and vetting of UACs.

A May 2023 report from the House Judiciary Committee detailed how Martinez was allowed into the country despite warning signs.

“The Committee’s and Subcommittee’s oversight has revealed that the Biden Administration insufficiently vetted Kayla’s murderer and allowed him to enter the country,” the report stated.

“Tragically, [Homeland Security] Secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas and his department missed key warning signs about the alien’s propensity for violence, which law enforcement officials investigating the murder later uncovered.”

The report concluded that stronger vetting procedures could have identified Martinez’s gang ties prior to his release into the U.S.

Hamilton’s case has drawn national attention not only because of her murder but also because of her vulnerability as a young woman with autism.

Advocates have argued that her death highlights systemic flaws in how UACs are processed and placed after crossing the southern border.

The Judiciary Committee debate underscored the divide between Republicans, who say Hamilton’s death demonstrates the urgent need for reforms to immigration policy, and Democrats, who contend that individual cases are being used to advance a broader political agenda.

The Kayla Hamilton Act remains under consideration as lawmakers continue to debate how federal agencies handle the placement of unaccompanied minors and the broader implications for public safety.