A heartbroken South Texas mother, Maria Vega, testified before Congress about the tragic day her son, a U.S. Marine veteran, was shot and killed by illegal immigrants during a violent ambush on their family property in July 2014.
Vega, a legal immigrant from Mexico, recounted the trauma before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee during a hearing titled “Biden’s Border Betrayal.” She described how a peaceful family barbecue in La Feria, Texas, turned into a nightmare when two illegal immigrants opened fire without warning.
“Our beautiful day turned into a nightmare when two criminal illegal aliens decided to ambush us in an attempt to steal both four-wheel drive trucks,” she said. “The two illegals jumped out of the stolen vehicle they were driving, and without hesitation or a warning, they began shooting at us.”
Her son, Javier “Harvey” Vega Jr.—a former Marine and Border Patrol agent—was killed while trying to protect his family. Her husband was also seriously injured and now lives with permanent damage from the attack. Vega said she, her daughter-in-law, and her young grandchildren remain deeply traumatized.
“Open borders have consequences,” she said. “And you can see from what I have experienced because of the crimes committed by illegals, the pain lives with us for the rest of our lives.”
Fighting back tears, Vega shared the most haunting moment of that day: her son’s final words. “Do you know what it’s like to hear your son’s last words to his father? ‘Keep shooting, Dad.’ Keep shooting were his last words,” she said. “That should never have happened.”
Calling the ordeal a nightmare, Vega emphasized that had she and her husband not returned fire, everyone there might have been killed. She also noted that the two attackers had prior criminal records, had harassed neighbors, and had already been deported before the incident.
She described the ongoing toll the tragedy has taken on her mental health and family. “Eleven years I have lived with flashbacks during every waking moment,” she said. “We’ve celebrated birthdays, graduations, weddings, and new careers without my baby.”
Vega urged lawmakers to recognize the human cost of weak immigration enforcement. “Illegal aliens have impacted American lives in a very negative way,” she said. “They have no regard for human life.”
She concluded with a pointed message to senators: “Had our immigration laws been enforced, our son would be here. Barack Obama failed me, my family, our community, and our nation.”
“You took an oath to uphold the Constitution and work for we the people,” she said. “You are supposed to work together, ensuring that those coming in are obeying our immigration laws. They need to be properly vetted—not only for their safety, but yours and ours.”
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Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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