President Donald Trump on Monday designated Feb. 22 as National Angel Family Day in honor of 62 people who were killed by illegal immigrants and two others who survived attacks.
Trump signed a proclamation making the designation official at an event at the White House with the families of the victims.
“Everyone in this room not only suffered an infinite loss,” Trump said from the East Room. “They were the victims of politicians who put the comfort of foreign criminals before the safety of American citizens and American patriots. Their stories were censored and suppressed like maybe almost never before so that the politicians could open our borders and allow our nation to be invaded.”
The president cited the story of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student killed by a Venezuelan illegal immigrant on Feb. 22, 2024, while jogging at the University of Georgia. The migrant, Jose Ibarra, had been previously arrested but released.
“I personally arrested Jose Ibarra for endangering the welfare of a child,” said NYPD Officer Ethan Curreri. “A few months later, I saw his face again in the news after he viciously murdered Laken Riley. I did my job. I put him in custody. The system failed, no detainer, no accountability, no deportation, and an innocent American life was taken.”
Riley’s murder led Congress to pass a bipartisan measure cracking down on illegal immigration, the first piece of legislation that Trump signed into law last year.
Allyson Phillips, Riley’s mother, was invited by Trump to speak briefly during the event.
“I’m beyond blessed and thankful that you’re honoring not just Laken, because she’s one [of] a ton of people that have suffered at the hands of illegal immigrants,” said Phillips. “She’s not the only one, and so thank you for honoring all of them.”
Trump also thanked Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and border czar Tom Homan for cracking down on illegal immigration at the United States-Mexico border.
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“We have a border that’s 100% closed now,” Trump declared.
The border crisis is sure to be among the topics Trump addresses during Tuesday’s prime-time State of the Union address.