Trump Meets Rachel Morin’s Mother During Angel Family Memorial Ceremony
During an Angel Family Memorial Ceremony at the White House on Monday, President Donald Trump took a moment to speak with Patti Morin, the mother of Rachel Morin. He inquired about her health and upcoming eye surgery.
Trump lightheartedly commented, “I gave her money to fix her eye. I gave her a lot of money to fix her eye. That doctor scammed me. But that’s OK.”
Patti Morin explained that her surgery had been postponed to Wednesday, stating, “It was delayed because I was told I had a heart attack due to grief.” Rachel, her daughter, was tragically raped and murdered in August 2023 by Victor Martinez Hernandez, an undocumented immigrant who will serve a life sentence without parole.
The president shared, “Her vision would be 20/20. She’s almost blind. Cataracts. She’s almost blind.” He went on to assure her, “He’s an expensive doctor. Top notch, right? But guess what? You’ll have 20/20 vision.”
At the ceremony held in the East Room of the White House, Trump paid tribute to families affected by crimes committed by illegal immigrants. He stated, “Americans are gathered in this hall who are grieving the loss of parents, siblings, children, grandchildren, and other loved ones due to the scourge of illegal immigration perpetrated by the previous administration.”
Alison Phillips, mother of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student murdered in February 2024 by a Venezuelan national while jogging at the University of Georgia, also spoke during the event. Several family members shared their personal experiences, vividly expressing their loss.
Steve Ronnebeck, whose 21-year-old son Grant was killed in Arizona by an undocumented immigrant, called for more stringent enforcement of immigration laws, declaring, “We could have stopped them. We could have done more.”
As the event drew to a close, Trump signed a proclamation declaring February 22nd as “National Angel Families Day.” The White House emphasized, “We stand with the Angel families, many of whom remain without justice,” committing to a significant deportation effort aimed at removing dangerous individuals from the country and addressing violence against law enforcement.
