WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security marked Father's Day by honoring fathers whose children suffered or died in crimes the agency linked to immigration violations. The event focused on the relaunched Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office (VOICE).

President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement order reestablished VOICE within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after the Biden administration closed it. The Department of Homeland Security reported that VOICE received nearly 900 calls over the past year.

Callers to VOICE identified 815 crimes linked to immigration violations, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The agency said 87% of VOICE callers over the past year were either victims or their family members. The office provides victims and families access to offender custody information, victim services, referrals, and guidance on immigration enforcement and removal issues.

Of the callers, 25% requested victim services or referrals, and 62% sought case status information or custody updates. The reports from callers included various types of crimes: 32% reported violent assault, 15% reported rape or sexual assault, and 9% reported homicide or manslaughter. Additionally, 7% reported family or partner violence, and 6% reported stalking or intimidation.

Marcus Coleman, who founded Stand With Dalilah, discussed his experiences. His daughter, Dalilah Coleman, sustained serious injuries at age 5 in a crash that the Department of Homeland Security attributed to a driver in the country illegally. "She taught me that being a father is more than providing — it's protecting, advocating, and refusing to stay silent when change is needed," Coleman said.

Joe Abraham, whose 20-year-old daughter Katie Abraham died in a crash the Department of Homeland Security attributed to a driver who was in the country illegally and driving drunk, spoke about the impact. "This Father's Day, our family is once again facing the unimaginable reality that Katie is not here," Abraham said. The VOICE hotline operates Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.