Department of Homeland Security officials and others who attended this week’s White House event honoring immigration and border agents heaped praise on Trump for taking a “passionate” stand in support of law enforcement, and said his words will not soon be forgotten at the agency.
Erica Aguilar lost her husband, U.S. Border Patrol Agent Luis A. Aguilar, in the line of duty 10 years ago, and she said Monday’s White House event was the first time that any president had personally invited her to Washington to hear her story.
“It makes you feel like you’re not alone. it’s wonderful that they have not forgotten about my husband and the sacrifices he made for our country and for our family,” Aguilar said in a phone interview with the Washington Examiner.
“Everything that was said by the president and the vice president and the homeland security secretary just shows me that they are passionate about law enforcement just like my husband was passionate,” she added. “It just brings so much emotion … It really filled my heart and mind with peace and comfort knowing that we continue to move forward and we never forget our loved ones.”
Aguilar, who lives in El Paso, Texas, and works for the Border Patrol Foundation, said Trump introduced himself to her and her two kids, Luis Jr. and Arianna.
“He was very just gracious and wanted to know who my husband was, what department he worked for, and he thanked us for his service and sacrifice,” Aguilar said. “He looked at us straight in the eye … It’s just very powerful and [there was] lots of emotion from the words that came from him.”
Aguilar was joined by three other families of fallen agents who made the trip to Washington. She said the Border Patrol Foundation stepped in to cover some of the costs for the trip in order to make it possible for them to attend.
Trump honored a number of active U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees, as well as those who died while on the job. He repeatedly told the hundreds of guests the federal agents are “loved.”
[Read: Trump tells ICE agents: ‘We always will stand with you’]
“It is truly an honor for the men and women of CBP to have been recognized this way. As the president pointed out, there are heroic acts being conducted by CBP employees every day,” CBP’s Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Public Affairs, Andrew Meehan, said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
Liz Johnson, the director of public affairs at ICE, said the positive reinforcement was appreciated now more than ever because of the calls from many Democrats for the agency to be dismantled.
“It means a lot to our workforce to have the president recognize and honor the service of ICE’s law enforcement officers. He’s made that a priority since the beginning of his administration, and it’s especially meaningful at a time when there are so many unfair, false attacks against the courageous men and women of our agency,” Johnson wrote in an email.
Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., spoke on a related panel at the White House Monday afternoon and said Trump sent a loud message to the country.
“President Trump’s message to these heroes was very clear: We have your backs, and we appreciate what you do,” Perdue wrote in an email to the Washington Examiner. “We saw an impassioned president who’s going to do all he can to support our law enforcement officers and their efforts to keep us safe.”
Aguilar arrived back home in Texas late Tuesday but said the memories of the event will remain.
“We’re 10 years out. There’s not one day that goes by that we don’t still miss Luis. And to honor him and remember his this week just reminds us of the beautiful memories he left us,” she said.
