The family of Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old freshman at Loyola University Chicago who was fatally shot on March 19, has criticized New York's sanctuary laws, asserting they prevent law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities and contribute to avoidable deaths.
Gorman was killed in Chicago by an individual alleged to be an undocumented immigrant who had previously been detained at the border and released, arrested and released in Chicago, and then failed to appear in court. Sheridan's mother, Jessica Gorman, stated that a brief notification to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could have potentially saved her daughter's life.
The criticism is directed at New York Governor Kathy Hochul and state Democrats, who have supported and enacted legislation such as the "Local Cops, Local Crimes Act." This law reportedly prohibits police from cooperating with federal immigration authorities and penalizes departments that do not comply by withholding state funding. According to data cited from ICE, the agency has issued over 21,000 detainers in New York since January 2025, with nearly two-thirds of them being refused. These ignored detainers were associated with individuals facing a combined total of over 41,000 criminal charges and convictions.
In New York City specifically, 84% of ICE detainers have reportedly been ignored. Governor Hochul's administration has been accused of misrepresenting the impact of these laws, with claims that "nothing in our laws prevents violent criminals from being turned over to ICE" being contested by the data.
A recent incident in Nassau County reportedly highlighted the issue, where three men were arrested in a Home Depot parking lot with rifles, ammunition, knives, suspected cocaine, and a forged Social Security card. While two of the men were determined to be in the country illegally and were handed over to ICE, the third was released on an appearance ticket. The article suggests that under the new state laws, enacted on August 25, this would no longer be possible, potentially allowing such individuals to evade federal immigration authorities.
The article draws a parallel to Minneapolis, where alleged restrictions on police cooperation with ICE are linked to the January deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. The piece argues that by limiting local law enforcement's ability to assist federal agents in crowd and traffic control during federal operations, the situations can escalate.
While criticizing state policies, the author also calls for reforms within ICE, specifically advocating for agents to wear body cameras and not be masked to ensure transparency. However, the primary focus remains on the state's legislative actions, which are characterized as shielding individuals who have broken laws and committed crimes against New Yorkers. The article contends that Governor Hochul dismissed the Gormans' plea for policy change, suggesting the family was being "exploited" and failing to offer accountability for the suspect in Sheridan Gorman's murder.
The piece concludes with a call for Governor Hochul to convene a special legislative session to repeal the law and allow police to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The author, identified as Rep. Mike Lawler of New York's 17th Congressional District, pledges to continue advocating for an end to sanctuary policies nationwide.