President Donald Trump will formally proclaim February 22 as “Angel Family Day,” marking a new annual observance to honour families who have lost loved ones to crimes committed by individuals in the United States illegally. The ceremony is scheduled to take place in the East Room of the White House and will include relatives of victims, administration officials and invited guests. The date was selected in remembrance of Laken Riley, whose killing in 2024 became a focal point in the national immigration debate.
The White House said the proclamation will pay tribute to two survivors and 62 individuals killed in such crimes. Officials described the event as a solemn vigil recognising what the administration calls “angel families.” The announcement comes just ahead of Trump’s State of the Union address, where border enforcement and immigration policy are expected to be central themes.
Angel Family Day is intended to commemorate victims and highlight the administration’s immigration enforcement agenda. According to a White House official, it will be the first formal observance of its kind held at the presidential level. The ceremony is expected to underscore Trump’s pledge to continue deportations and expand enforcement measures.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Czar Tom Homan are slated to attend the event. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that the president is “proud to have delivered accountability for Angel Families” through stronger border controls and immigration law enforcement. She also noted that the first bill Trump signed in his second term was the Laken Riley Act.
The Laken Riley Act requires federal authorities to detain illegal immigrants arrested for burglary or theft. Trump signed the legislation into law on January 29, 2025. Supporters say the measure is designed to prevent repeat offences and strengthen public safety.
Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia, was killed while jogging on February 22, 2024. A Venezuelan national who was in the country illegally, Jose Ibarra, was convicted in January in connection with her death. Her case became a rallying point for those advocating stricter immigration controls.
Family members of Riley and other victims, including Rachel Morin, Katie Abraham and Kayla Hamilton, are expected to attend the White House ceremony. Morin was killed in Maryland in 2023, while Hamilton was murdered in 2022. Abraham died in a 2025 drunk-driving incident involving a Guatemalan national without legal status.
Angel families have publicly supported Trump’s immigration agenda and have appeared at campaign events and press briefings. The president is expected to reiterate his enforcement priorities during his address to the nation. Angel Family Day marks a symbolic extension of that policy emphasis into an annual observance.
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Yuvraj Tyagi is a Senior Copy Editor, specializing in security, national, international and defense affairs. With extensive experience covering the Ka...View More
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