Trump honors lives of Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray while celebrating strides on securing border

President Donald Trump delivered a powerful address to a joint Congress on Tuesday, honoring the lives of Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray, two young women who were brutally killed by illegal immigrants under the Biden administration. Trump highlighted the heinous crimes committed by members of the Venezuelan prison gang, Tren De Aragua, who were responsible for the murders of Laken and Jocelyn.

In his speech, Trump announced that he had officially designated Tren De Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization, placing them in the same category as ISIS. He vowed to take swift and decisive action to round up and remove all terrorists who had been welcomed into the U.S. by the Biden administration. Those deemed too dangerous would be put on trial in the U.S., ensuring that they could never return to the country.

Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student, was brutally beaten to death by illegal immigrant Jose Antonio Ibarra while on a run on the University of Georgia campus. Ibarra, a Venezuelan national who entered the U.S. illegally in 2022, was granted border parole and subsequently arrested in New York City for various charges. Trump emphasized that Ibarra was arrested while trespassing across the open southern border under Biden’s policies.

Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl, was sexually assaulted and murdered by two illegal immigrants from Venezuela in June of 2024. Trump expressed his condolences to Jocelyn’s mother, Alexis Nungaray, and renamed a wildlife refuge in Texas in honor of the young girl, highlighting her love for nature and animals.

During his address, Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law, directing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain illegal immigrants arrested or charged with theft-related crimes or assaulting a police officer. He also spoke about the administration’s crackdown on border security and immigration, achieving record-low numbers of illegal border crossings.

In memory of Laken and Jocelyn, Trump pledged to never forget their lives and the tragedies they endured. By renaming the wildlife refuge in Texas and signing the Laken Riley Act into law, he ensured that their legacies would live on. Trump’s address served as a poignant reminder of the devastating impact of illegal immigration and the importance of prioritizing national security and protecting American citizens.