Angel families urge tougher border enforcement and blame open-border policies for fentanyl and violent deaths

A group of relatives of people killed in incidents involving noncitizens told lawmakers at a Republican-organized congressional event that stronger border enforcement is needed to prevent further deaths and stop the flow of fentanyl into American communities.

The speakers, who described themselves as "angel families," gave personal accounts of murders and drug poisonings they said were linked to lax immigration enforcement. Nicole Kiprilov, executive director of the advocacy group American Border Story, told assembled representatives that the group had brought families to Washington and supported measures such as the American Border Story Memorial Act. "We are so incredibly grateful to Chairman Pfluger, Chairwoman Lisa McClain, and the Republican Study Committee," Kiprilov said, thanking members for creating “space for these families to be heard.”

The families framed their experiences as preventable. One speaker said many cases involved prior offenses that, if enforced, would have kept offenders out of U.S. communities. Representative Mary Miller told the audience the tragedies were "preventable," criticized sanctuary jurisdictions for shielding criminals and urged Congress to pass legislation to codify enforcement measures she described as those of the current administration.

Several witnesses recounted specific incidents. Sandy Snodgrass said her son died Oct. 26, 2021, in Anchorage after ingesting a fentanyl-laced pill and described a local mass-poisoning event. "He was 30 feet away from a McDonald's drive-through where his body was found," Snodgrass said. She blamed foreign suppliers and Mexican criminal organizations for shipping more-potent fentanyl analogs and called for sustained interdiction, prevention and treatment efforts.

Bonnie Driscoll, identified as an "angel mom," said her daughter's killers received multiple life sentences after a lengthy prosecution but that recent changes in California sentencing and parole rules were raising fears among victims' families. "We fought like hell to get a conviction, to have an arrest, a conviction," Driscoll said, urging officials of both parties to act.

Robbie Volkmar described his brother's 2011 death in a motorcycle crash he said was caused by an intoxicated driver with three prior DUI convictions. "Get him out and get him out now," Volkmar said, calling for deportation of the person he said was responsible.

Speakers repeatedly tied fentanyl and violent crime to border policy, urging lawmakers to act legislatively and administratively. Organizers and several Republican lawmakers praised President Trump’s actions on the issue, including a reported designation of drug cartels as terrorist organizations and the signing of a law referred to in testimony as "Bruce’s Law." Kiprilov also noted a presidential proclamation designating Feb. 22 as National Angel Family Day.

No formal votes, motions or committee actions were recorded during the event. Organizers emphasized the political and moral urgency of the families' accounts and urged passage of enforcement-focused measures mentioned during remarks, including bills cited by members as HR 2 and the "Save America Act." The event closed after multiple families finished their remarks and members expressed solidarity and calls for legislative action.

The event centered on personal testimony and policy appeals; no legislative text was adopted during the session and no agency commitments were recorded on the record.