As families across the United States marked Father’s Day, the Department of Homeland Security highlighted fathers whose children were killed or severely injured in crimes connected to people who were in the country illegally or to cartel-linked violence.
The recognition came through the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office, known as VOICE, which has been relaunched under the Trump administration after being closed during the Biden administration. DHS says the office is intended to help victims and surviving relatives navigate the aftermath of crimes with an immigration-related connection.
The office provides information about offender custody status, victim services, enforcement and removal processes, and referrals to support resources. According to DHS and ICE figures cited in the report, the office has received nearly 900 calls over the past year, with victims and family members making up most callers.
The Trump administration has made the office part of its broader immigration enforcement message, arguing that families harmed by crimes involving illegal immigrants deserve more visibility and support. Critics of that framing often warn that such cases should not be used to broadly characterize immigrant communities, but supporters say the government has a duty to help families whose losses are tied to immigration enforcement failures.
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Among the fathers highlighted was Joe Abraham, whose daughter Katie Abraham was killed in a crash that he says was caused by an illegal immigrant who was driving drunk. Katie was 20 years old. Her family says she should have been celebrating her college graduation this year.
Abraham said Father’s Day has become another reminder of the future his daughter will never experience. He described Katie as intelligent, loyal and full of promise, and said efforts to remove dangerous criminal offenders could help prevent other families from suffering similar losses.
DHS also highlighted Doug Quets, whose son Nicholas Quets, a Marine Corps veteran, was killed in Mexico in October 2024. Quets has said his son was ambushed during a failed carjacking by people tied to the Sinaloa cartel while traveling to Rocky Point. He has connected the killing to broader concerns about cartel violence, border security and the ability of criminal groups to operate across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Quets praised Trump’s move to designate major Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, saying families like his want stronger action against groups that have harmed Americans.
Another father, Marcus Coleman, has become an advocate after his daughter Dalilah suffered catastrophic injuries in a crash involving an illegal immigrant. Coleman, who founded Stand With Dalilah, has pushed for reforms related to commercial driver licensing and public safety rules.
Unlike Abraham and Quets, Coleman is not mourning the death of a child. But he said Father’s Day is still tied to advocacy, protection and the responsibility to turn pain into action.
The stories show how immigration policy can become deeply personal for families who have lost loved ones or seen their lives permanently changed. For these fathers, debates over border security, deportation and enforcement are not abstract political arguments. They are tied to empty chairs, missed milestones and years of grief.
At the same time, the issue remains politically sensitive. Immigration advocates often argue that policy should avoid using individual crimes to stigmatize millions of immigrants, many of whom have no criminal record. Supporters of VOICE counter that acknowledging victims does not require ignoring that broader reality.
The renewed focus on Angel Families gives the Trump administration a human-centered way to defend its enforcement agenda. It also gives grieving parents a platform to tell stories they believe were overlooked in previous years.
Why It Matters
The issue matters because it sits at the intersection of crime victims’ rights, immigration enforcement and national politics. For Angel Dads, Father’s Day is a reminder of children lost or permanently harmed. For policymakers, the debate is about how to support victims while avoiding broad claims that go beyond individual cases.
What Comes Next
DHS is likely to keep promoting the VOICE office as part of its immigration enforcement strategy. Lawmakers may also continue debating whether more resources should go toward victims of crimes connected to immigration violations, while critics push for careful language that does not unfairly generalize immigrant communities.
A social media post highlighted DHS recognition of Angel Dads whose families were affected by crimes tied to illegal immigration or cartel activity.
DHS honors three “Angel Dads” this Father’s Day—Marcus Coleman, Joe Abraham, and Doug Quets—whose children were harmed or killed in crimes tied to illegal immigration and cartel activity. VOICE supports victims; the fathers advocate for policy changes, b… https://t.co/l6B4uBuFIl
— Drew Grimaldi (@Grimillionaire) June 21, 2026
