Laken Riley's mom, sister invited to sit with first lady during Trump's Congress address
President Donald Trump signs the Laken Riley Act at an event in the East Room at the White House on Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The White House on Tuesday unveiled the list of guests who will sit with first lady Melania Trump at the Capitol during President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress, according to The Hill.
Fifteen individuals will sit with the first lady, with the invited guests intended to highlight President Trump’s accomplishments six weeks into his second term and his administration’s priorities, particularly on immigration.
The backstory:
The White House invited Allyson and Lauren Phillips, the mother and sister of Laken Riley, a college student who was killed roughly a year ago while jogging on the University of Georgia campus in Athens. Riley was attacked by Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan migrant who had been arrested for shoplifting and paroled ahead of the attack. Her death became a rallying cry for Trump on the campaign trail. Ibarra was found guilty in November and sentenced to life without parole.
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The Laken Riley Act was also the first piece of legislation Trump signed into law after he was re-elected president.
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Other guests include the mother of a 12-year-old girl who was killed by two individuals who entered the country illegally, and Roberto Ortiz, a border patrol agent who has served for nearly a decade.
What we know:
The White House also invited Marc Fogel, who was released from Russia last month; two guests who will highlight Trump’s executive actions banning transgender athletes from women’s sports and restricting access to gender-affirming care; the family of Corey Comperatore, who was killed during an assassination attempt at Trump’s Pennsylvania rally; the widow of a New York police officer killed during a traffic stop last March; a steel plant worker from Alabama; a 15-year-old victim of deepfake images; and a college student who benefits from an initiative championed by the first lady to assist foster children.