Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has voiced strong criticism regarding the nation’s approach to immigration, highlighting what he described as significant shortcomings. He singled out former President Donald Trump for not adhering to his own promises on immigration reform.
These remarks come in the wake of a tragic incident in Chicago, where 25-year-old Jose Medina-Medina was arrested following the alleged shooting of Sheridan Gorman. The incident occurred early Thursday morning when Gorman, who was with friends at a pier, was fatally shot. Medina-Medina, an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela, had previously been detained by U.S. Border Patrol in May 2023 but was released into the U.S. under policies of the Biden administration, as per the Department of Homeland Security.
Governor Pritzker, in his latest statement reported by the Chicago Tribune, appeared to attribute blame to the Trump administration for these broader immigration failures.
“This tragedy has deeply affected the Gorman family, and understandably so,” Pritzker expressed on Tuesday. “The failures we are witnessing extend beyond Illinois and are emblematic of national shortcomings—specifically, a lack of comprehensive immigration reform and the failure of the former president to act on his own directives to target the most serious offenders.”
In a show of solidarity, homes in Yorktown Heights, New York, Gorman’s hometown, were illuminated in green on Tuesday night. This gesture was made to honor the memory of the Loyola University Chicago student, with green being one of Yorktown’s school colors, as reported by CBS News.
Pritzker made the comments as homes in Yorktown Heights, New York, where Gorman is from, were lit up in green on Tuesday night in honor of the slain Loyola University Chicago student. Green is one of Yorktown’s school colors, according to CBS News.
“And in my view, we have a lot of work that we need to continue to do,” he added. “But it is the job of the federal government to go after immigration enforcement, and it is the job of our local and state law enforcement to prosecute or catch violent criminals and prosecute them, and we should continue to do that both on the state level and the national level.”
Sheridan Gorman smiles alongside the Chicago skyline in Illinois. (Sheridan G. Gorman via Instagram)
Illinois is considered a sanctuary state, and local law enforcement agencies are generally prohibited from participating in immigration enforcement.
“People are popping green lights on just to let the Gormans know that, you know, we’re all here for them, and we’re here for Sheridan and just our hearts are broken for them all,” New York Assemblyman Matt Slater said.
Jessica Gorman, Sheridan’s mother, told the New York Post outside her home on Tuesday, “We are gonna get justice for Sheridan.”
“We are really focusing this week specifically on burying our daughter. We are really focusing on the beauty of her life,” she said. “We are not addressing this man.”
Jose Medina-Medina, a Venezuelan national, was also arrested for shoplifting and released before the alleged murder, DHS confirmed. (DHS)
In an earlier statement to Fox News Digital, the Gorman family said they are disappointed with policies that allowed Medina-Medina to remain in the country.
“When systems fail—whether through release decisions, lack of coordination, or unwillingness to act—the consequences are not abstract. They are real. And in our case, they are permanent,” the family wrote.
Sheridan Gorman, a New York native, was reportedly only a few months away from completing her freshman year at Loyola University Chicago in Illinois. (Sheridan G. Gorman via Instagram)
An arrest report obtained by Fox News Digital shows that Medina-Medina was seen on security video in his apartment building’s lobby waiting for an elevator while unmasked after the alleged shooting. A building engineer told police that he knew the suspect, who had a “very distinct limp and gait.”
Police said Medina-Medina was wearing a black mask and black clothing as he walked away from the shooting, noting that he had a “distinct limp and slow gait.” He was seen walking from the location of the shooting to Pratt Boulevard at 1:12 a.m. Just a few minutes later, the individual was seen walking northbound through the east alley of Sheridan Road before he entered the back of his apartment complex.
Images of the suspect were sent to a police database, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection identified the suspect as Medina-Medina. He was arrested at his apartment in Rogers Park, according to the arrest report.
Medina-Medina told officials in 2023 that he was living at Leone Beach Park fieldhouse in Rogers Park in 2023, which was being used as a city-sponsored shelter for migrants. The shelter closed in 2024, according to South Side Weekly.
Fox News Digital reached out to Pritzker’s office for comment.
