Press Releases

Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) Introduces the Kayla Hamilton Act to Protect American Communities from Dangerous UAC Placements

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) introduced the Kayla Hamilton Act, critical legislation designed to close dangerous loopholes in the federal government’s handling of unaccompanied alien children (UACs) and to prevent tragedies like the murder of Kayla Hamilton, an autistic 20-year-old woman from Maryland. Congressmen Troy Nehls (TX-22) and Barry Moore (AL-01) are original cosponsors of this legislation.

Kayla was brutally murdered by Walter Javier Martinez, a UAC who was released to a sponsor—an individual responsible for housing and supervising the UAC—by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) before any background checks were completed. Because the Biden-Harris administration did not complete background checks prior to a UAC’s release, authorities were unaware that Martinez was in fact an El Salvadorian with a criminal history and affiliation with the MS-13 gang. Once authorities then took him into custody, Martinez also admitted to having committed four murders, two rapes, and other crimes. 

To prevent such tragedies from happening again, the Kayla Hamilton Act mandates that the HHS Secretary consider whether the UAC poses a danger to themselves or the community when determining potential placements for them.

Additional reforms in the Kayla Hamilton Act include:

• Requires HHS to contact the consulate or embassy of a UAC’s home country to determine any criminal history or gang affiliation for UACs aged 12 and older.
• Mandates that HHS screen for gang tattoos during standard medical assessments and requires UACs with such indicators to be placed in secure facilities.
• UACs with known gang ties or tattoos must be housed in secure HHS facilities, not released into communities.
• Prohibits UAC placement with sponsors who are in the United States illegally.
• Requires HHS to collect and share background information on all potential sponsors and their adult household members—including immigration status and results of FBI fingerprint checks—with the Department of Homeland Security.
• Removes discretionary authority that previously allowed HHS to ignore risk factors such as gang activity or criminal history during placement decisions.

“The tragic murder of Kayla Hamilton was preventable,” said Congressman Fry. “The Biden Administration’s policies opened the door to criminal exploitation of our immigration system—and the Kayla Hamilton Act ensures that no future administration can make those same reckless decisions. It’s time we put public safety, accountability, and the protection of American citizens first. This bill makes clear that the integrity of our immigration system can no longer be an afterthought.”

“No one else should ever again have to suffer the way my daughter Kayla did,” said Tammy Nobles, Kayla Hamilton’s mother. “The Biden-Harris Administration’s policies prioritized the comfort of illegal aliens, like Kayla’s killer, over the safety of innocent Americans. The Kayla Hamilton Act is necessary to ensure background checks of unaccompanied alien children occur before they are released. If that had happened in the case of Kayla’s killer, authorities would have known he was an MS-13 gang member.”

“The Biden Administration’s failed policies regarding unaccompanied alien children put the American people at risk and resulted in one of the largest state-sponsored child trafficking operations in human history,” said Congressman Nehls. “The failure to conduct criminal background checks on the UACs cost the life of Kayla Hamilton, and the failure to vet UAC sponsors resulted in thousands of children likely being trafficked for labor or sex. I’m proud to cosponsor Congressman Fry’s Kayla Hamilton Act to prevent any future administration from releasing UAC gang members into our communities or failing to vet UAC sponsors, putting the safety of the American people first.”

"The tragic murder of Kayla Hamilton should have never happened,” said Congressman Moore. “This heartbreaking case is a direct result of reckless catch and release policies seen under the Biden Administration and the failure of Democrats in Congress to put the safety of American citizens first. We must ensure unaccompanied minors aren't placed with dangerous individuals or illegal aliens without proper vetting. I am proud to be a co-sponsor of Rep. Fry’s bill, The Kayla Hamilton Act, which gives us the opportunity to close threatening loopholes, stop the flow of gang members like MS-13 into our communities, and restore common sense and accountability to our immigration system.”

Congressman Fry serves on both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. To stay up to date with Congressman Fry and his work for the Seventh District, follow his official Facebook, Instagram, and X pages and visit his website at fry.house.gov.