Trump Proclaims Angel Family Day, Signaling Immigration Focus Before State of the Union

2026-02-23 politics

Washington D.C., Monday, 23 February 2026.
Honoring Laken Riley and 62 other victims, this designation of February 22 cements border enforcement as a central policy pillar immediately preceding the President’s address to Congress.

Ceremony Designates February 22 as Day of Remembrance

On Monday, February 23, 2026, President Donald Trump hosted a solemn ceremony in the East Room of the White House to officially proclaim February 22 as “Angel Family Day.” [1][3] The event, which took place at 10:00 a.m. EST, was designed to honor the families of victims of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. [3][5] The date was specifically chosen to mark the anniversary of the death of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was killed on February 22, 2024, by a Venezuelan national unlawfully present in the United States. [4][6] During the ceremony, the President paid tribute to two survivors and 62 individuals killed by illegal immigrants, reinforcing the administration’s focus on the human cost of border policy failures. [1][6]

Legislative Backdrop and Enforcement Measures

The establishment of “Angel Family Day” serves as a symbolic extension of the administration’s legislative agenda, specifically the Laken Riley Act, which was the first bill President Trump signed into law during his second term on January 29, 2025. [1][6] This legislation mandates the federal detention of undocumented immigrants arrested for theft or burglary. [1][5] At the Monday event, the President was joined by key administration figures, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Czar Tom Homan. [1][6] White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the President has “delivered accountability” by securing the border and deporting “criminal illegal aliens” admitted under previous administrations. [5][6] The ceremony also highlighted the recent conviction of Jose Ibarra, who was found guilty of Riley’s murder in January 2026. [1][6]

Voices of the Grieving Families

Several families directly affected by migrant crime were in attendance, including Allyson Phillips, Laken Riley’s mother, who addressed the President directly during the remembrance ceremony. [2] Phillips noted that Trump had promised not to forget her daughter immediately following the 2024 murder, stating, “You have fought a fight that most people would not want to have to fight.” [2] In addition to the Riley family, the event honored other victims such as Rachel Morin, a Maryland mother killed in 2023; Kayla Hamilton, who was murdered in 2022; and Katie Abraham, an Illinois woman killed in a 2025 drunk driving incident involving an undocumented driver. [1][4] The administration utilized these personal narratives to underscore the President’s assertion that these families were “victims of politicians who put the comfort of foreign criminals before the safety of American citizens.” [2]

Strategic Timing Ahead of State of the Union

This executive action occurs exactly one day before President Trump is scheduled to deliver his State of the Union address on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. [3] By centering immigration enforcement and victim advocacy immediately prior to his address to Congress, the White House signals that border security remains a primary domestic policy pillar. [3] However, the administration’s hardline stance faces scrutiny; reports indicate that two-thirds of Americans believe Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should be reformed or abolished, and recent incidents, such as the shooting of Ruben Ray Martinez by ICE officers in Texas, have fueled public debate regarding enforcement tactics. [5] Despite this opposition, a White House official characterized the Monday event as a reminder of why “deportations of the worst of the worst must continue.” [1]

Sources

Immigration Policy Executive Action