WASHINGTON – Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17) sharply criticized sanctuary city policies following a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, arguing they contributed to the death of a Yorktown teenager and accusing Democrats of prioritizing politics over public safety.
During the hearing, Lawler introduced Jessica Gorman, the mother of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman, who testified about her daughter’s death. Sheridan Gorman was shot and killed on March 19 in Chicago, where she was a freshman at Loyola University. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) called the suspect charged in Gorman’s murder, a 25-year-old Venezuelan migrant, a “criminal illegal alien.”
“Sanctuary cities and open border policies are not abstract political positions; they are deadly,” Lawler said. “They protect criminals at the expense of American families.”
Lawler also criticized Democratic lawmakers, saying some dismissed the relevance of the hearing and did not adequately acknowledge the family’s loss. He accused supporters of sanctuary policies of enabling crimes committed by people in the country illegally.
“To every Democrat who shrugged off this hearing and continues to support these dangerous policies: the blood of Sheridan Gorman, Katie Abraham, and every other victim of sanctuary city failures is on your hands,” Lawler said. “Stop protecting criminal aliens. Stop putting illegal immigrants ahead of American citizens. End sanctuary cities now. “
Congressman Jamie Raskin (D, Maryland) fired back at Lawler, and the two engaged in a full-on shouting match.
“You don’t belong on this committee; you should get the hell out of here!” Raskin said. “You don’t understand the rules of this committee, you don’t understand the Constitution, you’re full of it.”
The House Judiciary Committee hearing focused on testimony from victims’ families and the debate over the impact of sanctuary jurisdiction policies on public safety.
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