Angel Families is a term used to describe families of victims killed by illegal immigrants in the United States.[1] President Donald Trump has invoked Angel Families to argue for his immigration policy,[2][3] though some of the families have objected to the politicization of their loved one's death.[4]

Trump began to spotlight the issue during his 2016 presidential campaign, a tactic that some media organizations compared to candidate Hillary Clinton's campaigning alongside Mothers of the Movement (a group founded in the wake of the death of Trayvon Martin to raise awareness about racial profiling), but has been accused of using bereavement to promote racism.[5]

On June 22, 2018, Trump hosted an event at the White House for Angel Families during which 14 relatives held 11 photos of deceased relatives who had been killed by undocumented immigrants who were criminally in the country as illegal aliens.[6] Among those attending the event were Mary Ann Mendoza, mother of Sgt Brandon Mendoza; Laura Wilkerson, mother of Josh; Juan Piña, father of Christy Sue Piña; Steve Ronnebeck, father of Grant; and Michelle Root, mother of Sarah.[7][8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Angel Families, conservative activists hold rally at San Ysidro POE". KFMB-TV CBS 8. December 14, 2018. Retrieved March 1, 2019. Mary Anne Mendoza, a representative of the national Angel Families organization
  2. ^ "Trump hosts victims of illegal aliens amid family separations row". BBC. June 23, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
  3. ^ Yee, Vivian (June 25, 2017). "For Grieving Parents, Trump Is 'Speaking for the Dead' on Immigration". The New York Times. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  4. ^ Luke Nozicka (September 1, 2016). "Mollie Tibbetts' father says daughter would not want to be face of immigration debate". Des Moines Register. Retrieved December 15, 2019. Rob Tibbetts said his family was grateful to the politicians who heard his appeal and stopped using his daughter's death to promote agendas. But others did not, instead choosing to "callously distort and corrupt Mollie's tragic death," he said.
  5. ^ Reinhard, Beth (June 6, 2016). "Trump Brings New Voices to Bitter Debate". The Wall Street Journal. ProQuest 2015471478.
  6. ^ "Trump autographs photos of people killed by immigrants for 'Angel Families' event". The Hill. June 22, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
  7. ^ "Remarks by President Trump and Members of the Angel Families on Immigration". whitehouse.gov. June 22, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2018 – via National Archives.
  8. ^ Vogel, Kenneth; Rogers, Katie (July 4, 2018). "For Trump and 'Angel Families,' a Mutually Beneficial Bond". The New York Times. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
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