Honoring Families of Crime Victims: A New Day at the White House

President Donald Trump will sign a proclamation on Monday, naming February 22 as “Angel Family Day. ” The day will pay tribute to families who lost loved ones in violent incidents linked to illegal migration. The choice of date honors Laken Riley, a 22‑year‑old nursing student from Georgia who was murdered during a run on February 22, 2024. Riley’s killer, Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan national, was convicted for the crime. Following Riley’s death, Congress pushed forward the Laken Riley Act, which President Trump signed into law in January 2025. The act mandates that illegal migrants charged with offenses such as burglary or theft be detained at the federal level.

The ceremony will feature families of other victims, including Katie Abraham from Illinois, who died in a drunk‑driving crash caused by an undocumented Guatemalan driver; Rachel Morin of Maryland, who was killed during a hike by an illegal migrant from El Salvador; and Kayla Hamilton, also from Maryland, who was raped and murdered by an undocumented migrant from El Salvador. Riley’s mother, Allyson Phillips, and her sister attended the State of the Union address last year. She, along with an NYPD officer who apprehended Ibarra on a child‑endangerment charge, will attend the Monday event. The White House described this gathering as “the first event of its kind to honor angel families. ” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, border czar Tom Homan, and other officials are expected to join the families at the ceremony. The event aims to spotlight the human cost of illegal migration and support those grieving while reinforcing policy measures that address the root causes of crime linked to undocumented individuals.

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