Saying her life had been cut short by a violent criminal and undocumented immigrant who should have never have been allowed to remain in the country, President Donald Trump spent several minutes during his joint address to Congress Tuesday night honoring the life of Laken Riley.
Riley’s mother and sister, Allyson and Lauren Phillips, were in the audience seated next to first lady Melania Trump. When Trump recognized the Woodstock residents, it was one of the few moments of his speech that drew bipartisan applause.
The remarks about Riley came during the portion of Trump’s speech dedicated to highlighting his efforts to stop illegal immigration and reduce crossings at the southern border.
“Last year, I told Laken’s grieving parents that we would be sure their daughter would not die in vain,” the president said.
He noted that the first bill he signed into law after being sworn in for a second term was the Laken Riley Act, which will allow immigration enforcement agencies to begin deportation proceedings against migrants accused of a variety of crimes.
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