Reps. Lawler, Raskin clash in shouting match over sanctuary cities | Elizabeth Vargas Reports

A congressional hearing on sanctuary city policies erupted into chaos this week as Jessica Gorman, mother of murdered Loyola University freshman Sheridan Gorman, delivered searing testimony blaming open border and sanctuary policies for her daughter's death. The 18-year-old New York native was shot and killed in March near Lake Michigan by Jose Medina, a 25-year-old Venezuelan migrant in the U.S. illegally who had been arrested for shoplifting but released. Before Gorman could testify, Republican Congressman Mike Lawler and Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin engaged in a heated shouting match over immigration enforcement, with Lawler demanding Democrats show equal outrage for American victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants. Gorman's testimony directly challenged lawmakers, particularly Democrats, asking them to explain why illegal immigrants are prioritized over American children and telling them "there's no but when your child is in the coffin." She criticized Democratic members for offering condolences followed by qualifications, and called out Representative Pramila Jayapal for suggesting the committee had more important matters than sanctuary city hearings. The exchange represents the deepening polarization over immigration policy, with Republicans pointing to specific victims like Sheridan Gorman as evidence of policy failures, while Democrats argue for comprehensive immigration reform. Lawler defended his confrontational approach in a subsequent interview, saying he would not tolerate what he called "insanity" when discussing an 18-year-old murder victim, while Raskin's office accused Lawler of staging a "Fox moment" rather than engaging substantively with proposed solutions.

• Jessica Gorman testified before the House Judiciary Committee that sanctuary city policies led to her 18-year-old daughter Sheridan's murder by an illegal immigrant.
• Sheridan Gorman was shot in March by Jose Medina, a Venezuelan migrant who had been arrested for shoplifting but released under sanctuary policies.
• Republican Congressman Mike Lawler and Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin engaged in a shouting match before Gorman's testimony over immigration enforcement priorities.
• Gorman challenged lawmakers to sit on a bench with her and explain why illegal immigrants are more important than her daughter.
• Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal suggested the committee had more important issues than sanctuary city hearings, which Gorman called out during testimony.
• Lawler accused Democrats of refusing to address open border policies he claims are resulting in American deaths.
• The hearing exemplifies how immigration has become one of the nation's most politically explosive and polarizing issues.