Houston Daily

Congressman Troy E. Nehls and Senator Roger Marshall have reintroduced the Justice for Angel Families Act. The bill aims to amend the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) to include support for angel families, defined as immediate relatives of homicide victims killed by illegal aliens, including in drunk driving incidents. Additionally, it seeks to codify the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

On April 10, 2025, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the relaunch of the VOICE office. Originally established by President Donald J. Trump in 2017, it was closed by the Biden Administration in 2021.

The CVF was created under the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984 and is managed by the Office for Victims of Crime. It provides financial assistance such as medical bills, counseling services, and lost wages to crime victims. The new legislation would require annual reports from the VOICE Office to Congress on crimes committed by unlawful criminal aliens.

"President Trump and his administration are restoring law and order and standing up for American citizens," stated Congressman Nehls. He highlighted cases like Jocelyn Nungaray, Laken Riley, and Rachel Morin as examples of lives lost due to illegal immigration under previous policies.

Senator Marshall remarked that "President Trump is righting the catastrophic wrongs" attributed to past administrations' open-border policies which affected many Angel Families permanently.

Support for this legislation comes from organizations such as the National Immigration Center for Enforcement (NICE), NumbersUSA, and Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime (AVIAC). RJ Hauman from NICE emphasized that VOICE is now fully operational again under Trump's leadership: "This stands in stark contrast to the previous administration."

Michael Hough from NumbersUSA commented on past policies necessitating this legislation: "It’s a shame that our past open border policies have made it necessary."

Don Rosenberg from AVIAC noted that while financial compensation cannot replace lost loved ones, this act will help reduce financial burdens on affected families.

Cosponsors in support include Representatives Paul Gosar, Don Bacon, Randy Weber, Lance Gooden, Barry Moore, Tom Tiffany, Brian Babin; Senators Ted Budd, Kevin Cramer; Bill Cassidy supports companion legislation in Senate.