Families who have lost loved ones to crimes committed by illegal immigrants and gang members are pressing Republican lawmakers to back US President Trump’s proposed “big beautiful bill.”The bill aims to strengthen border security and speed up deportations.In an open letter to Congress, these “angel families” emphasised the urgent need for action to prevent others from suffering similar heartbreak, reports the New York Post. Angel Families is a term used to describe families of victims killed by illegal immigrants in the United States. “We write to you not as politicians or pundits, but as parents — mothers and fathers who have buried our children because the United States government failed to secure its border,” the letter states. “There can be no justice for our children, but there can be accountability. There can be action. And there must be change.”More than 60 relatives of victims have co-signed the letter, including the mother of Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl allegedly murdered by two illegal migrants, and the family of Laken Riley, a nursing student from Georgia who was killed by a member of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang.What the border bill aims to achieveThe bill, currently under discussion by House Republicans, seeks $46.5 billion to extend the US-Mexico border wall, potentially adding up to 1,700 miles of fencing. It also proposes hiring 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers by 2030 and expanding detention centre capacity by up to 100,000 beds.In addition, the legislation would offer more than $2 billion in hiring and retention bonuses to Border Patrol agents. It aims to tighten the screening process for unaccompanied minors, particularly for gang affiliations, and accelerate deportation proceedings to potentially reach one million removals each year.Republicans divided over border funding despite angel families’ backingSome Republicans are worried about the bill’s cost. Representative Chip Roy of Texas criticised it for “backloaded savings” and “front-loaded spending,” concerned about the nation’s $36 trillion debt. Meanwhile, moderate Republicans from New York want higher state and local tax deductions than the current $30,000 limit.House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana is trying to settle these disagreements and push the bill through before Memorial Day. The bill is being considered under budget reconciliation, which lets it pass with a simple majority in both the House and Senate, avoiding a filibuster.Johnson invited Trump to speak to the House Republican conference on Tuesday to unite the party. Trump said, “It’s not a question of holdouts, we have a tremendously unified party. I don’t think we’ve ever had a party like this. There are some people that want a couple of things that maybe I don’t like or they’re not going to get.”Even with these debates, Republicans still strongly support more border funding. Many “angel families” are pushing for tougher immigration laws, sharing their personal losses as reasons why the bill is needed.In their letter, the angel families expressed frustration at being overlooked by policymakers. “For too long, we have been ignored, dismissed, or labeled as political props,” they said. “Every single one of us is living with a permanent hole in our lives because an illegal immigrant, who never should have been in this country, was allowed to stay and take an innocent life. These were preventable tragedies. And yet, year after year, Washington offers excuses instead of solutions.That must end now.”
