A House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement hearing turned contentious this week when Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) linked Democrats’ sanctuary city policies to the death of a Chicago teenager during his introduction of a witness.
The subcommittee convened Tuesday to examine victims’ perspectives following alleged failures in states like California and Illinois. Lawler introduced Jessica Gorman, mother of Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old Loyola University freshman killed on March 19 while walking with friends in Chicago. The man suspected of shooting her in the neck is Jose Medina-Medina, a 25-year-old Venezuelan illegal alien charged with murder and other federal offenses. According to court documents, Border Patrol encountered Medina-Medina in May 2023, but he was allowed to remain in the U.S. in June.
During his introduction of Gorman as a witness, Lawler stated: “Jessica should not be here today. She should not be testifying before Congress. She should be back in New York with her daughters Madeline and Sheridan, enjoying a quiet Tuesday afternoon in the summer.” He later asserted that sanctuary policies had enabled Medina-Medina’s presence and that Congress owed Gorman an apology for the tragedy.
The exchange escalated when Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) interrupted Lawler, declaring: “This is not an introduction. It’s a speech.” Lawler responded: “You should be ashamed of yourselves. It is disgraceful.” Raskin countered with: “You don’t belong in this committee! You should get the hell out of here!”
Subcommittee ranking member Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) condemned Lawler’s remarks as violating a prior agreement between parties to permit his participation. Gorman later testified that her daughter would be alive if Medina-Medina had been deported and if Chicago’s sanctuary policies had not allowed him to remain on streets where he killed her, urging Congress: “Say her name. Tell her story. Demand better.”
