Trump invites mother of MS-13 gang victim to State of the Union

Rodriguez will join a handful of guests whom Trump is expected to honor during his remarks to Congress. Most of them have connections to his administration’s agenda, or have been affected by the GOP tax reform bill he signed into law late last year.

A lifelong Democrat, Rodriguez would normally be a peculiar guest for a Republican president to invite to his joint address. However, the 49-year-old mother already has a relationship with the Trump administration. When then-Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions visited Central Islip, N.Y., during the fall of 2016, Rodriguez met with him to discuss the problems that her daughter faced. And when Trump visited Suffolk County last July, she was in the crowd waiting to share various suggestions with him.

Rodriguez’s daughter Kayla, and her friend Nisa, were fatally attacked by members of the predominantly Latino gang on Sept. 13, 2016, according to the New York Times, which first reported her State of the Union invitation. Three of the four gang members who were charged in the deaths of both girls had immigrated to the U.S. illegally.

Trump has regularly placed a spotlight on the victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants. He spoke often of the 2015 killing of Kate Steinle, after whom the House-passed legislation “Kate’s Law” is named, during his presidential campaign. He invited victims of illegal immigrant crimes to his joint address last year.

Rodriguez told the Times that while she’s nervous about attending the president’s high-profile speech, she is grateful for the opportunity to honor her daughter.

“She’s opening more doors for me,” Rodriguez said. “Who would have thought that President Trump would speak with me?”

Rodriguez will also have a chance to meet the president and members of his staff at the White House ahead of his speech at the Capitol on Tuesday.

The White House did not return a request for comment.