Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Homeland Security Secretary, has spoken out after an illegal alien drove drunk and killed two teenagers, making the case that sanctuary policies in Wisconsin led to the untimely deaths of the two teens by permitting the drunk driver to live in the United States without obtaining citizenship.
For background, on July 27, 2025, Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned the sanctuary policies of Dane County, Wisconsin, following the tragic deaths of 18-year-old Hallie Helgeson and 19-year-old Brady Heiling, who were killed when Honduran illegal alien Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila drove drunk and got into the wrong lane on the highway.
Writing in a press release, DHS Assistant Secretary McLaughlin confirmed that Martinez-Avila had been charged with two counts of felony vehicular homicide and impaired driving, leading Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to lodge an arrest detainer that would lead to her removal from the country. Furthermore, the press release described Dane County, the site of the crash, as having “historically not honored ICE detainers due to sanctuary jurisdiction policies.”
Going further, Assistant Secretary McLaughlin indirectly attributed the tragic deaths of the two teens to Dane County’s sanctuary policies. She wrote, “Hallie Helgeson and Brady Heiling had their whole lives ahead of them—and they would still be alive today if it weren’t for Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila—a criminal illegal alien from Honduras.”
Continuing, the assistant secretary explained, “Martinez-Avila recklessly drove the wrong way on a highway while intoxicated and killed these two teens.”She added that Martinez-Avila was a “public safety threat,” clarifying that the “sanctuary jurisdiction” of Dane County “has a history of not honoring ICE arrest detainers often leading to the release of murderers and other heinous criminals.”
Concluding her statement, McLaughlin wrote that under DHS Secretary Noem, “these precious victims will not be forgotten, and we will fight for justice.” However, on July 29, 2025, Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett reportedly pushed back, saying that he was concerned that Martinez-Avila might be deported without a trial.
Writing in an email shared by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sheriff Barrett argued, “Deporting someone before they face trial allows them to evade… accountability — it’s essentially a ‘get out of jail free’ card.” However, Sheriff Barrett told the Journal Sentinel that one of his office’s “top priorities” was “ensuring the families of Helgeson and Heiling get justice.”
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According to press accounts, Martinez-Avila was charged with six felony and three misdemeanor counts related to her drunk driving and the killing of the two teens. Her cash bond was reportedly set at $250,000, but ICE agents told the Dane County Jail to keep her detained if she posted bond, which may lead to her deportation before a trial.
Featured image credit: DHS.gov