Justice for Angel Families Act
- Sponsor
- Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS]
- Committees
- Judiciary Committee (primary)
- Last action
- May 13, 2025
Bottom line
The bill creates specific federal support and compensation pathways for victims of crimes committed by unlawfully present aliens or international drug cartel members, while establishing a dedicated DHS office for these victims.
What it actually does
This bill expands eligibility for federal victim compensation grants under the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) to a newly defined category called "angel families," which are immediate family members of homicide victims where the perpetrator is an unlawfully present alien or a member of an international criminal drug organization. It also establishes a new Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide support services and information to victims of crimes committed by unlawfully present aliens and their families.
Proponents argue
Proponents argue that the bill provides much-needed justice and support for "angel families" who have suffered unique trauma due to crimes committed by individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States or involved in dangerous international criminal organizations. They contend it addresses a specific gap in victim services and ensures that these victims receive dedicated resources, information, and compensation tailored to their particular circumstances.
Opponents contend
Opponents might argue that creating a separate category of victims based on the perpetrator's immigration status or affiliation politicizes victim compensation and could lead to a two-tiered system, potentially diverting resources or attention from other victims of violent crime. They may also raise concerns about the potential for discrimination and stigmatization of immigrant communities by establishing a dedicated office focused solely on crimes committed by unlawfully present aliens.
The bill is short and clearly written, making it accessible for an informed reader to evaluate its provisions quickly.
Section 2, amending 34 U.S.C. 20102(b)(1) and (d)
Expanding Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Compensation to "Angel Families"
This provision amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to include "angel families" as a distinct category eligible for compensation through state-operated victim compensation programs that receive federal VOCA grants. An "angel family" is defined as the immediate family members of any individual who is a victim of homicide committed by an unlawfully present alien or a member of an international criminal organization involved in drug trafficking. For these families, eligible expenses are expanded to include medical expenses for any injury (not just physical) and loss of wages attributable to emotional distress.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that this provision provides specific and necessary financial relief and acknowledgment for families who have experienced profound loss under particularly tragic circumstances, ensuring that their unique needs, including emotional distress, are adequately addressed by victim compensation programs.
Critics contend
Critics might contend that creating a separate, more expansive category for compensation based on the perpetrator's status politicizes victim assistance and could lead to a two-tiered system where some victims receive more comprehensive support than others, potentially undermining the principle of universal victim compensation.
Tradeoffs
The provision navigates the tension between providing targeted, specialized support for a specific group of victims and maintaining equitable and universal access to victim compensation services for all victims of crime, regardless of the perpetrator's identity or legal status.
Section 3, adding Section 104 to the Homeland Security Act of 2002
Establishing the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office within DHS
This provision mandates the establishment of the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office within the Office of the Secretary of Homeland Security. The office is tasked with providing proactive, timely, and professional services to victims of crimes committed by unlawfully present aliens and their family members. Its duties include creating a hotline for support, providing information on immigration enforcement and removal processes, liaising with social service professionals, directing victims to resources, assisting with automated custody status information for criminal aliens, and providing releasable criminal or immigration history about the perpetrator.
Section 3(d), adding Section 104(d) to the Homeland Security Act of 2002
Mandating Annual Report on Immigration Crime Victims
This provision requires the Director of the newly established VOICE Office to submit an annual report to Congress. The report must summarize a case study on providing services to victims of crimes committed by unlawfully present aliens and include detailed information regarding the demographics of such victims and criminal aliens, the locations and types of crimes committed, and whether the criminal aliens have committed multiple crimes.
For "angel families," the bill expands the scope of compensable expenses to include medical expenses attributable to *any* injury (not just physical) and loss of wages attributable to *emotional distress* (not just physical injury). This is a broader scope than for other victims of criminal violence, who are limited to medical expenses and wage loss attributable to a *physical* injury.
Section 2(1)(B)(i) and (ii)
Why it matters:While amending existing statutes often requires precise, nested language, the specific expansion of eligible expenses for "angel families" represents a key policy choice that could be easily overlooked by someone not performing a line-by-line comparison of the amended text against the original, or against the provisions for other victim categories.
Case for: Proponents would argue that the unique and profound trauma experienced by "angel families" warrants a more comprehensive scope of compensation, acknowledging that emotional and psychological injuries can be as debilitating as physical ones, and that the loss of wages due to emotional distress is a legitimate consequence of such crimes.
Case against: Opponents might argue that this differential treatment creates an inequitable two-tiered system for victim compensation, where one group of victims receives broader eligibility for non-physical injuries and emotional distress than other victims of criminal violence, potentially leading to perceived unfairness and resource allocation challenges within the VOCA fund.
Estimated impact: This expansion could significantly increase the financial payouts for "angel families" compared to other victim categories, as it broadens the types of injuries and losses for which compensation can be sought. The total impact would depend on the number of eligible cases and the extent of emotional distress and non-physical injuries claimed.