Speaking to the families of those who have lost loved ones at the hands of illegal immigrant criminals Saturday afternoon in Houston, Texas, Donald Trump eviscerated the nation’s leaders for failing to protect American lives.

Speaking at a luncheon hosted by The Remembrance Project, the Republican presidential nominee said the victims of illegal alien crime had been “forced into the shadows” because politicians and media at large refuse to hear their stories and validate their grievances. Expressing his support for the families in their “lonely fight for justice,” Trump promised to stand with them and hold the government accountable for its “most fundamental duty” — to protect American lives.

“Our nation should not accept one lost American life because our country failed to enforce its laws.”

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“There are a lot of numbers in the immigration debate. But let me give you the most important number of all,” Trump said. “That most important number of all is the number of American lives it is acceptable to lose in the name of illegal immigration. Let me tell you what that number is: ZERO,” he added. “Our nation should not accept one lost American life because our country failed to enforce its laws.”

Speaking softly to the audience members gathered at the event, Trump said that The Remembrance Project, which advocates for families who have lost loved ones at the hands of illegal immigrants, helped to bring attention to an issue that has become a “personal passion” for him.

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“I have met many incredible people during the course of this campaign. But nothing has moved me more deeply than the time I’ve spent with the families of The Remembrance Project, and the incredible strength and courage you’ve shown in your often lonely fight for justice,” Trump said. “You are heroes. And your actions will help us to save the next thousand American citizens from losing their brothers, sisters, sons, daughters or parents.”

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Trump lambasted the policies of the Obama administration and the policies promoted by Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton that have led to the release of nearly 13,000 criminal aliens between 2008-2014 back into the U.S. after their home countries refused to take them back, according to a report from The Boston Globe. Decrying Clinton’s plans for “total amnesty,” protecting Sanctuary Cities and authorizing a “catch-and-release” border policy, Trump called Clinton to account for her failures.

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“Most of these 13,000 releases occurred on Hillary Clinton’s watch — she had the power and the duty to stop it cold and she didn’t do it,” Trump told the grieving families. “Now, my opponent will never meet with you. She will never hear your stories. She will never share in your pain. She will only meet with the donors and the special interests and the open border advocates.”

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Trump promised to enforce the rule of law and work as an advocate for these families if he is elected on Nov. 8.

“Your cause and your stories are ignored by our political establishment because they are determined to keep our borders open at any cost. To them, your presence is just too inconvenient,” Trump said. “This must end. And it must end right now. Not one more American life should be given up in the name of open borders.”

Immediately after Trump’s speech, his campaign released a statement from Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions — a vocal Trump surrogate and fervent advocate for clamping down on illegal immigrant crime.

“This serious problem was well known to Hillary Clinton the entire time she was secretary of state. Yet she failed to stop this practice when she had the duty and responsibility do so as secretary of state, failing to follow clear legal requirement passed by Congress,” Sessions said. “Hillary Clinton must explain to the American people, and especially to the victims of these criminal aliens who were not deported, why she did not act to prevent these tragic events.”