Trump Declares National Angel Family Day and Honors Victims
Trump signed a proclamation naming Feb. 22 National Angel Family Day to honor Americans killed by illegal immigrants, citing Laken Riley’s Feb. 22, 2024 murder and the Laken Riley Act.
Overview
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation declaring Feb. 22 National Angel Family Day to honor Americans killed by illegal immigrants.
The proclamation recognized families including Allyson Phillips, whose daughter Laken Riley was stabbed to death on Feb. 22, 2024, by Jose Ibarra, who was convicted in November 2024.
Dozens of Angel Families spoke at the White House and Allyson Phillips thanked Trump while he said the media had censored their stories and accused Democrats of protecting criminals.
Trump said the Laken Riley Act, which he signed on Jan. 29, 2025, has produced more than 21,000 arrests, and he asserted that 11,888 murderers were allowed into the United States by the Biden administration.
Trump vowed to continue to crack down on Democrat-run 'sanctuary cities,' and his administration has dispatched border czar Tom Homan to meet with state leaders in Minnesota.
Analysis
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Sources (7)
FAQ
The Laken Riley Act is legislation that requires the federal detention of illegal migrants arrested for crimes such as burglary or theft[1]. President Trump signed it into law in January 2025 as the first bill of his second term[1]. According to Trump, the act has resulted in more than 21,000 arrests since its implementation[source summary].
Jose Ibarra was a 26-year-old Venezuelan national and undocumented migrant who was convicted of murdering 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley[1]. Ibarra killed Riley on February 22, 2024, while she was jogging on the University of Georgia campus[1]. Prosecutors stated that Riley died from blunt force head trauma and asphyxia, and that she "fought for her life" during the attack[1]. Ibarra was found guilty on all 10 charges in November 2024, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and tampering with evidence[2]. He was sentenced to life in prison[3].
Several victims were honored at the National Angel Family Day event, including Katie Abraham from Illinois, who was killed in a drunk driving accident in 2025 by a Guatemalan man without legal status; Rachel Morin, a Maryland mother killed by an illegal migrant from El Salvador while on a hike in 2023; and Kayla Hamilton, a Maryland woman who was raped and murdered by an illegal migrant from El Salvador in 2022[1].
February 22 was chosen as National Angel Family Day in remembrance of Laken Riley, who was killed on February 22, 2024[1]. The proclamation was signed to honor Americans killed by illegal immigrants, with Riley's case serving as the primary catalyst for the declaration and the subsequent Laken Riley Act[1].
History
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