An illegal alien accused of killing two teenagers in Wisconsin is igniting national outrage after DHS blamed sanctuary policies for the deadly crash. According to the Department of Homeland Security, 30-year-old Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila—a Honduran national—was driving drunk the wrong way on I-90 when she slammed into a car carrying 18-year-old Hallie Helgeson and 19-year-old Brady Heiling.

Both teens died from their injuries. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin declared the tragedy preventable, saying, “They would still be alive today if it weren’t for Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila—a criminal illegal alien from Honduras.” She slammed Dane County’s sanctuary policies, accusing local officials of creating an environment that allows “murderers and other heinous criminals” to remain on U.S. streets.

ICE has placed a detainer on Martinez-Avila to ensure her deportation, but federal officials are wary that Dane County may ignore it—just as it has with previous detainers in the past.

This isn’t Martinez-Avila’s first run-in with the law. She was convicted of drunk driving in 2020 and ordered to install an ignition interlock device. At the time of the fatal crash on July 20, no such device had been installed. She was also reportedly driving with a revoked license, violating a court order, and under the influence.

The West Central Tribune reported she was driving a Chevrolet Suburban the wrong way on the interstate when she collided head-on with the teens’ Volkswagen Tiguan. Helgeson died shortly after the crash; Heiling was flown to the hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.

Martinez-Avila now faces a slate of charges, including two counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, knowingly operating without a license causing death, and multiple other felonies tied to reckless driving and prior violations.

Despite the severity of the incident, Martinez-Avila is eligible for release if she can post a $250,000 bond. If freed, she would be barred from driving, drinking, or contacting the victims’ families. But ICE officials remain on alert, fearing she could disappear before facing justice if local authorities fail to cooperate.

This case has reignited the debate over sanctuary jurisdictions, with DHS warning that refusing to honor detainers not only endangers public safety but directly costs innocent lives. “Under Secretary Noem,” McLaughlin said, “these precious victims will not be forgotten, and we will fight for justice.”

The families of Helgeson and Heiling have not yet made public statements, but their loss is already shaping a broader conversation about border enforcement, immigration accountability, and whether sanctuary cities are putting American lives at risk.