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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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The mother of a Loyola University Chicago student who was allegedly shot and killed earlier this year by a Venezuelan national launched a scathing attack on Democrat sanctuary city policies during an emotional hearing on Capitol Hill.
Jessica Gorman, whose 18-year-old daughter Sheridan was killed in March, spoke Tuesday before a House Judiciary subcommittee examining the impact of sanctuary policies.
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What Happened To Sheridan Gorman?
Sheridan Gorman, a freshman at Loyola University Chicago, was shot and killed in the early hours of March 19 while walking with friends near Tobey Prinz Beach in the Rogers Park neighborhood, according to authorities.
Prosecutors say a man, later identified as Jose Medina-Medina, approached the group wearing dark clothing and a mask and opened fire as they ran, striking Gorman.
The suspect was arrested days later and has pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder, and weapons offenses.
Who is the suspect?
The Department of Homeland Security said in a March news release that Medina-Medina was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol on May 9, 2023, and released into the country under the Biden administration. He was released again on June 19, 2023, after an arrest on a shoplifting charge in Chicago.
Court records show Medina-Medina previously faced a misdemeanor shoplifting charge stemming from an incident at a Macy’s store on State Street in Chicago. A judge later issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear in court, and the warrant remained active as of late 2023, according to CWB Chicago.
Defense attorney Julie Koehler said in court in March that Medina-Medina is missing part of his brain and has “the development of a child” after suffering a gunshot wound to the head during a robbery in Colombia, according to Chicago Sun Times journalist David Struett.
Medina-Medina, 25, was ordered held without bail by Judge D’Anthony Thedford. Koehler said Medina-Medina and his mother fled Colombia in 2016 after his mother was allegedly raped by a government official.
Struett posted on X that Koehler showed the judge a photo of a divot in Medina-Medina’s head where part of his brain had been removed.
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What Happened At The Hearing?
In remarks to lawmakers, Jessica Gorman pressed them to explain what she described as misplaced priorities, asking them to “explain why people here illegally matter more than American citizens,” and why “sanctuary policies matter more than my Sheridan’s life,” adding that cooperation with immigration authorities “was too much to ask for, but asking American parents to bury our children is somehow acceptable.”
She challenged expressions of sympathy and demanded explanations for policies she said failed her child, saying there was “no ‘but’” when a family loses a child and urging members of Congress to be accountable for their policy decisions.
"I don't understand why it's only the Republican side that cares about our American children," Gorman said.
The hearing focused on how local policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities affect victims’ families.
Representative Pramila Jayapal, the Democratic ranking member, noted it was the fourth such hearing held by the committee and said lawmakers could be focusing on other priorities, such as the conduct of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Gorman erupted at Democratic lawmakers, bemoaning that “this is the fourth time you’ve had angel families."
"Thanks for telling me you don’t care," Jessica Gorman said.
Sanctuary policies generally limit how much local or state authorities cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, such as declining to hold someone solely on an immigration detainer. Supporters on the left say the approach helps build trust between immigrant communities and police, while critics on the right argue it can allow some individuals accused of crimes to remain in the community.
Following the hearing, Rep. Mike Lawler, a New York Republican, said Jessica Gorman testified with “extraordinary courage,” while accusing some Democratic colleagues of dismissing the proceedings and continuing to defend sanctuary policies he said allowed her daughter’s accused killer to remain in the U.S.
Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker previously condemned the killing of Sheridan Gorman, calling the attack senseless and urging accountability while accusing the Trump administration of politicizing the tragedy.
A spokesperson for the Democratic governor previously told Newsweek, “Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and Loyola University community grieving the senseless murder of Sheridan Gorman. Violent crime has no place in our streets, and we expect the alleged perpetrator to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The Trump Administration needs to stop politicizing heinous tragedies and instead focus on real solutions, like reinstating federal funds to prevent violence that support our public safety efforts."
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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