April 10 (UPI) — The Trump administration has relaunched the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement office to offer resources and support to families who are victims of crimes committed by undocumented migrants.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made the announcement Wednesday during a press conference at ICE headquarters while being surrounded by victims of such crimes.
“With the relaunching of the VOICE office we are giving victims and their families access to resources and support services,” she said in a statement emailed to UPI. “President [Donald] Trump and I will continue to remove criminal illegal aliens from our streets and make America safe again.”
The office’s launch is part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on both legal and illegal immigration.
Since returning to office, Trump has sought to remove undocumented migrants from the country and has come under criticism — and attracted lawsuits — over sending hundreds of alleged gang members to a notorious prison in El Salvador.
According to DHS, the new office will provide victims with information on immigration enforcement and removal processes, migrants in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and criminal or immigration history about migrants.
Victims will also be told how to provide a victim impact statement in applicable cases and given access to social service professionals and contacts for local resources and service providers.
“I’m extremely proud of ICE’s entire workforce — the officers and agents on the ground who are enforcing immigration law fairly, the support staff who pull these operations together and handle logistics and those who help shine a light on those who have suffered harm at illegal aliens’ hands,” Noem said.
Trump first launched VOICE in 2017, despite criticism from opponents who said it would only further vilify undocumented immigrants.
Trump’s predecessor, President Joe Biden, terminated the program in 2021 and replaced it with the Victims Engagement and Services Line to provide a more comprehensive and inclusive victim support system to ensure all victims, regardless of the immigration statues of the victim or perpetrator, receive help.
Studies have repeatedly shown that undocumented immigrants commit fewer crimes than those born in the United States.