The mother of a Maryland woman who was killed by an individual who entered the country illegally addressed reporters at the White House on Wednesday as the Trump administration seeks to go on offense over the case of an individual who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.

Patty Morin, whose daughter Rachel’s 2023 killing became a flashpoint in the presidential campaign last year, was a “special guest” of the White House at a previously unscheduled briefing with reporters.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt opened the briefing by criticizing Democrats for their outrage over the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man the administration had acknowledged in court documents it mistakenly deported to a notorious El Salvador prison.

In her remarks to reporters, Patty Morin argued that deporting those in the country illegally was a matter of common sense and putting U.S. citizens first.

“Why should we allow violent criminals that have no conscience at all to murder our mothers, our sisters, our daughters?” Patty Morin said. “We are American citizens. We need to protect our families, our borders, our children.”

Patty Morin shared graphic details about her daughter’s death and how she was violently attacked. Her killer, Victor Martinez-Hernandez, was found guilty Monday. Martinez-Hernandez has been accused of illegally entering the United States from El Salvador.

Leavitt asked if any reporters had questions at the conclusion of Patty Morin’s remarks. While some reporters raised their hands and said they had questions, Leavitt ended the briefing without taking any.

“Please tell the truth. Tell how violent it really is. This is about protecting our children. It’s more than just politics or votes or just anything,” Patty Morin said as she left the room.

The impromptu briefing came amid a firestorm over the government’s deportation of Abrego Garcia, an El Salvador national with no connection to Morin’s death.

Leavitt also highlighted documents released by the Department of Homeland Security that showed Abrego Garcia’s wife sought a restraining order against him in 2021. Maryland court records show the complaint was dismissed after Abrego Garcia’s wife did not show up in court.

Attorney General Pam Bondi also shared documents on social media purporting to show legal documents from Prince George’s County, Md., and the Justice Department that relate to Abrego Garcia’s immigration status and an investigation into whether he was an MS-13 gang member, which he denies.

The administration’s refusal to return Abrego Garcia has caused an uproar among Democrats and civil rights groups, which have accused the government of violating his rights and ignoring due process.  

The White House has responded by more aggressively asserting that Abrego Garcia had ties to the MS-13 gang and insisting he would be deported again if he were returned to the U.S. Abrego Garcia’s family has denied he had ties to MS-13.