A teenage girl’s tragic death, allegedly at the hands of an illegal immigrant who was previously deported from the U.S., has now become a political flashpoint in her home town.
Sheridan Gorman’s grieving parents made their heartbreaking plea for change directly to the two candidates running to represent their district in suburban New York during an electoral debate earlier this week. They asked Democrat Cait Conley and incumbent Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., whether they supported ending New York State’s law barring local law enforcement from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The 18-year-old Loyola University student was shot and killed while walking with friends late at night near her Chicago college campus in March of this year. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said the accused, Jose Medina, is a Venezuelan national who came to the U.S. illegally in May 2023 and was released by the prior administration.
He was arrested for shoplifting in Chicago the next month but released again, DHS said. Both Chicago and Illinois are sanctuary jurisdictions, meaning law enforcement there are also barred from cooperating with ICE.
Gorman’s killing fast became a rallying cry for supporters of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
Lawler, who is fighting an uphill battle for a third term representing New York’s 17th Congressional District, has also argued it is an example of what could happen more often if Democrats win control on Capitol Hill.
“Look, I’ve been very clear there should be reforms of ICE. They should wear body cameras. They should not wear masks. They should wear uniforms. They shouldn’t be going into places like the Home Depot parking lot. They should be very targeted in what they are doing. And states like New York should be cooperating with them to deport criminal illegal aliens,” Lawler told Fox News Digital on Wednesday. “So look, I think the challenge here will be if Democrats win they will do everything they can to return to the Biden-era of lax immigration policy, lax enforcement, and try to cut off the resources of ICE and [Border Patrol], and I for one just will not support that.”
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His district could be one of the few that decide control of the House for the latter half of President Trump’s final term.
Gorman’s parents tearfully said during his debate against Conley this week, “The man charged with her murder was here illegally and had previously been arrested for a crime and released under Chicago’s sanctuary policies. A simple five second phone call between local and federal law enforcement would have saved her life.”
Conley responded to them first, “My heart absolutely breaks, and what happens to Sheridan is inexcusable. Government failed her. And for that, we have to make sure that that doesn’t happen again.”
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“Immigration enforcement is essential,” sh
