The mother of Sheridan Gorman has publicly criticized Democratic lawmakers who endorse sanctuary city policies. This occurred on Thursday as she reflected on her daughter’s tragic death during a congressional hearing. Jessica Anne Gorman shared details about the loss of her 18-year-old daughter, a student at Loyola University Chicago, in March 2026. The hearing took place in Washington, D.C., attended by high-ranking Justice Department and administration officials, including Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, border czar Tom Homan, and drug czar Sara Carter, who gathered to remember victims of violent crime.
Sheridan Gorman was fatally shot while spending time with friends near a Chicago pier. Jose Medina, a Venezuelan national who illegally entered the U.S. and had previously been released after a shoplifting arrest, faces charges in her murder.
During her testimony, Jessica Gorman criticized lawmakers who support policies shielding undocumented immigrants from federal enforcement. She recounted how, while sharing her heartbreaking story, she could hear laughter from some lawmakers in the room.
“I thought to myself, ‘Boy, the hits just keep on coming,'” she remarked.
She specifically pointed out Rep. Pramila Jayapal from Washington, who mentioned during the hearing that it was the fourth session of its kind and suggested there were “many other things we could be doing.” Jessica expressed her dismay at Jayapal’s demeanor, stating, “We were all insulted by her, with disdain on her face, telling me and the other angel families that there are other things they could be doing instead of listening to us.”
Jessica added that she felt they were only given a short time to discuss their experiences, noting, “They give us five minutes to tell our daughter’s story. She listened to four before mine and didn’t want to listen to another.” In her view, every story in that room was important and deserved to be heard.
She also accused Rep. Jerry Nadler from New York of appearing to sleep during the hearing.
Additionally, Stephen Federico, whose daughter Logan Federico was killed while spending time with friends at the University of South Carolina, shared his frustrations about the justice system. Logan was allegedly murdered by Alexander Dickey, a career criminal with numerous prior arrests.
“My daughter wasn’t killed by an illegal alien,” Stephen pointed out. “She was killed by an American career criminal that we arrested 39 times. And he was still on the street. How does that make sense?”
He further questioned the rationale behind leaving such criminals free, attributing it to issues with the legal process, ineffective judges, and weak prosecutors.
Fox News Digital has sought comment from Rep. Jayapal’s office regarding these statements.
