Justice Department Holds the First Attorney General’s Summit on Victims of Violent Crime

On Thursday, the Attorney General gathered victims and survivor families together at the first Summit on Victims of Violent Crime ahead of a memorial for National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims held on September 25. At the Summit, Justice Department officials also announced the "Assisting Neighborhoods and Governments with Enforcement of Laws" (ANGEL) Grant Program in honor of Americans killed by illegal aliens, violent offenders, and illicit drugs. Local law enforcement can apply by October 20, 2026 and are eligible to receive up to $500,000. Applicants can find more information here.

"This event was extraordinarily helpful, insightful, and motivational," said Attorney General Todd Blanche. "When victims of violent crime and surviving families share their testimonies, you make a difference. Our prosecutors are spending every day focused on violent crime and illegal immigration and for the first time in history, DEA, FBI, and Marshals are doing Title 8 work. This isn't the end of the conversation, it is just the beginning."

"This Summit brought us together to acknowledge and discuss our shared obligation to make our communities safer and ensure that fewer families have to carry the heavy weight of violent crime," said Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter. "That mission is advanced every day by the leadership of Attorney General Blanche and President Trump, whose commitment to restoring public safety and the rule of law has resulted in historically low violent crime figures."

"Our Angel Families are the most powerful advocates for building a brighter, drug-free future," said Director Sarah Carter of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. "We want to empower your voices as they carry forth the memory of your children to save the lives of others. Through it all, you are making a difference and this Administration will stand beside you."

"Angel Families remind us why we must be a nation governed by the rule of law and committed to law and order," said Director Kash Patel of the Federal Bureau of Investigations. "The FBI will continue standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our state, local, tribal, federal, and international law enforcement partners to protect the American people, uphold the Constitution, and ensure our communities remain safe."

"Every criminal alien we remove from this country makes our communities safer," said White House Border Czar Tom Homan. "We're going to keep pushing. We're not going to apologize. We're not going anywhere. ICE will continue doing their job every day across this country, especially in sanctuary cities where we'll surge resources and flood the zone. We're going to enforce the law without apology, you have my word on that."

"Few understand loss firsthand-- we must never forget the testimonies we've heard over the past two days," said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr. "Under the leadership of President Trump, the Department of Justice is committed to supporting communities impacted by violent crime and to cultivating a strong partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement in our continued effort to Make America Safe Again."

"Today, we stood with the families and survivors whose lives have been forever changed by violent crime and the devastating loss of a loved one. For far too many Americans, that violence is connected to illicit fentanyl-a poison trafficked by cartels designated as foreign terrorist organizations and concealed in counterfeit pills and other drugs," said Principal Deputy Administrator Daniel Salter. "The Drug Enforcement Administration is working tirelessly to identify and hold accountable those responsible for distributing this deadly poison. Through enforcement, prevention, and public awareness, DEA remains steadfast in its commitment to build a Fentanyl Free America."

"On behalf of the 93 United States Attorneys, I want to reaffirm our collective commitment to work hand in hand with the victims of violent crime to bring the perpetrators to justice, and to develop strategies to prevent the next victim," said US Attorney Tom Wheeler for the Southern District of Indiana.

Other speakers included:

Joe Abraham- Joe is a lifelong Illinois resident, husband, and father of three. A corporate finance professional at a Fortune 50 company, he has dedicated his life to family and community. Joe is also the father of Katie, who was killed by a drunk-driving illegal alien in January 2025. Since her death, he has spoken on national media, including Fox News, and published multiple op-eds to raise awareness about the impact of current policies on families like his.

Jennifer Bos- Jennifer lives in Illinois and is the mother of Megan Bos. Her daughter's tragic and gruesome death exposed catastrophic failures in immigration enforcement and drug trafficking policy. The investigation into her death continues, but one truth is already painfully clear: dangerous gaps in our system allowed an illegal alien to exploit our laws-and her daughter paid the ultimate price. Jennifer speaks locally and nationally about the four crises that compounded her tragedy: illegal immigration, sanctuary policies, fentanyl, and cashless bail.

Michelle Esquenazi- Michelle is the President and CEO of Empire Bail Bonds, the largest bond company in New York State, offering bail bond services to clients in almost every area. She is a proud Mom of four children, a grandmother and a Domestic Violence Survivor and escapee. Michelle was thrust into the bail profession about three decades ago, as she became a single Mom of public assistance and saw a way to help people in need of navigating the criminal justice system. She speaks with victims at all hours of the night and equips them with resources, including safe housing and legal assistance. Michelle has been advocating for crime victims and accountable bail release policies since 2012.

Patti Fox- Patti is a Colorado mother, speaker, and advocate for lawfulness, public safety, and victims' rights. After her daughter, Carissa, was critically injured in a hit-and-run by an unlicensed, uninsured illegal alien who fled the scene, Patti left her career in marketing to become a full-time caregiver. She now speaks out on the real-world consequences of failed sanctuary policies, the cost of selective law enforcement, and the urgent need to uphold the rule of law to keep American communities safe.

Stephen Federico- Stephen Federico is the father of Logan Hailey Federico, a 22-year-old from Waxhaw, North Carolina, who was killed during a home invasion in Columbia, South Carolina, in May 2025. Since Logan's death, Stephen has become an advocate for changes to how repeat violent offenders' criminal histories are tracked and handled. His advocacy has led him to testify before lawmakers and speak publicly about Logan's case. Stephen has also worked with lawmakers, including Rep. Russell Fry, on proposed legislation commonly referred to as Logan's Law, aimed at creating a nationwide registry/database containing information about people convicted of serious offenses.

Anne Fundner- Anne is a mother, advocate, public speaker and national voice in the fight against the fentanyl crisis. Her advocacy began after the devastating loss of her 15-year-old son, Weston, who died in 2022 after taking a counterfeit pill containing fentanyl. Since Weston's death, Anne has dedicated herself to raising awareness about fentanyl, counterfeit pills, youth drug exposure and the devastating consequences of the nation's addiction and illicit-drug crisis. She founded the Forever Weston Foundation in honor of her son and works to educate families and communities while advocating for policies intended to prevent other families from experiencing the loss she endured. Anne gained national attention in 2024 when she spoke at the Republican National Convention, sharing Weston's story with a national audience. She has subsequently testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, where she urged policymakers to recognize the human cost of the fentanyl crisis and take action to prevent additional deaths.

Anne Giaritelli- Anna is an investigative journalist who joined the Washington Examiner in 2015. As homeland security reporter, she spearheads coverage of immigration and national security. She has deployed to the nation's borders on more than 60 occasions, delivering on-the-ground reports on complex cartel infrastructure, shifting migration dynamics, domestic terrorism, the multi-front war on drugs and aviation security. Her dedicated reporting made her a finalist for the 2024 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. Beyond her reporting on federal law enforcement, Anna is a prominent victim advocate and the author of the memoir, "Under Assault: A Crime Reporter's True Story of Overcoming Sexual Trauma and Exposing Injustice." The book details her personal survival of a violent daylight attack in Washington, D.C. and chronicles her investigation into how local law enforcement manipulated crime data to erase cases like her own from public statistics.

Jessica Gorman- Jessica Gorman is a grieving mother, victims' advocate and national voice for public safety following the tragic death of her 18-year-old daughter, Sheridan Grace Gorman. Sheridan was a freshman at Loyola University Chicago with a bright future ahead of her. On March 19, 2026, Sheridan was shot and killed near Chicago's lakefront while out with friends. In the months following her daughter's death, Jessica has courageously shared Sheridan's story and called for meaningful changes to policies and systems that she believes failed to protect her daughter. Jessica recently spoke at the 2026 Republican National Midterm Convention in Dallas with her husband, Tom Gorman, and daughter Madelon.

Jennifer Harrison- Jennifer serves as the executive director of Victims Rights Reform Council. She was forced to become an expert on victims' rights and criminal justice issues when both her boyfriend of 6 years and his best friend were murdered on January 15, 2005. Ultimately only one person served just 9.5 years for killing two people. Jessica has dedicated her life to helping other victims ever since, connecting with support groups on both the national and local level. She has become an advocate against some of the atrocities she witnessed and helps other survivors of homicide victims connect with the resources they need to navigate through their endless nightmare. Jennifer continues to advocate against dangerous criminal justice reforms that have been implemented in multiple states across the country, such as Bail Reform, along with other dangerous social justice initiatives.

Nicole Kiprilov- Nicole is a Republican political operative and strategist. A native New Yorker, she graduated in 2019 from Duke University with a double B.A. in Political Science and French, a specialization in political theory, a minor in Philosophy, and a certification in Philosophy Politics and Economics (PPE). Nicole is the Executive Director of The American Border Story (TABS), the President of the Coalition for Military Excellence (CME), and leads several initiatives at The America Fund focused on fighting for the America-First movement. Nicole is also an Independent Women's Forum Fellow. Nicole frequently appears on Newsmax, One America News, and Real America's Voice. She is a contributor at Daily Caller and writes for several other publications.

Connie Sheely- Connie has served as the president of the National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children since 2005. She became involved in the organization following the murder of her brother, Joel Holbrook who was found murdered in his home in Kansas City, Missouri in 1999. His case remains unsolved. Connie found POMC to be a tremendous help in dealing with her brother's murder. She values the importance of POMC, its members and advocating for other survivors. She has shared her experience with community groups, promoting public awareness of POMC and has spoken to prison inmates on victim impact.