WASHINGTON – In an exclusive announcement, The Post has learned that President Trump is set to declare Monday as “Angel Family Day” in a commemoration aimed at honoring the family of Laken Riley and others who have suffered from crimes committed by illegal immigrants.
This tribute is strategically timed as the president gears up for his upcoming State of the Union address, where he is expected to spotlight the ongoing border crisis and his strategies for addressing illegal immigration.
On Monday, Trump will officially sign a proclamation that designates February 22 as “Angel Family Day.” This date holds special significance as it marks the anniversary of Riley’s tragic death on February 22, 2024. The proclamation will honor two survivors and 62 individuals who lost their lives due to crimes by illegal immigrants.
This event marks a historic first in recognizing “angel families”—those who have endured the loss of loved ones at the hands of illegal alien criminals, according to a White House official who spoke to The Post.
The ceremony is set to be held at 10 a.m. in the East Room of the White House. Described as a “solemn ceremony,” it aims to highlight the importance of continuing deportations of dangerous criminals, as emphasized by the official.
Among those attending will be Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Czar Tom Homan, two key figures in the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts, who will join several members of angel families for the occasion.
Trump has become a champion of angel families. He’s vowed to help them find justice, and has turned them into a political force.
“President Trump is proud to have delivered accountability for Angel Families by ushering in the most secure border in history, deporting the criminal illegal aliens let into our country by prior Administrations, and upholding the rule of law by strongly enforcing our immigration laws,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
“The first bill President Trump signed into law was the Laken Riley Act to prevent these senseless tragedies from happening again and to keep innocent American citizens safe. The President and our nation will join Angel Families in honoring the memory of these amazing men and women.”
Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student, was out jogging when she was murdered by a Venezuelan man in the country illegally, and became a nation-wide symbol for such crimes. Her name became a rallying cry for Republicans who want stricter immigration laws. Jose Ibarra was convicted of Riley’s death in January.
Her murder inspired the Laken Riley Act, which requires federal detention of illegal immigrants arrested for burglary or theft. Trump signed the act into law on January 29, 2025 — the first bill of his second term. Riley’s mother Allyson Phillips and sister attended his State of the Union address last year.
Phillips and NYPD Officer Ethan Curreri, who arrested Ibarra for child endangerment, are scheduled to attend Monday’s event at the White House.
The president will honor several victims at the event, including Katie Abraham, Rachel Morin and Kayla Hamilton, whose family members are scheduled to be on hand for the signing.
Abraham, an Illinois woman, was killed in a drunk driving accident in 2025 by a Guatemalan man who lacked legal status. Morin, a Maryland mother, was killed by an illegal El Salvadoran while out hiking in 2023. Hamilton, a Maryland woman, was raped and murdered by a teenage El Salvadorian national in 2022.
Angel families have given Trump strong support, backing his policies and urging lawmakers on Capitol Hill to support the president. Abraham’s father has appeared in White House videos backing the president’s agenda.
And Patty Morin, Rachel’s mother, made an impassioned plea in the White House briefing room in May of last year to encourage congressional Republicans to pass President Trump’s “big beautiful bill,” which ultimately became law.
Patty Morin is scheduled to be at Monday’s event, as is Tammy Nobles, the mother of Hamilton.
The president has made removing illegal immigrants from the country a top priority, which has led to clashes between federal officials and protesters of their work.
Trump is expected to defend his agenda when he addresses the nation on Tuesday night.
