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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker office broke its silence on the murder of Loyola University freshman Sheridan Gorman, who was allegedly killed by Venezuelan national Jose Medina-Medina, telling Fox News Digital they are grieving the young woman’s death and that President Donald Trump is wrongly politicizing tragedies like it.
Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old from Yorktown Heights, New York, was shot and killed while admiring the aurora borealis along Lake Michigan, initially leading to outrage from everywhere but Springfield.
“Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and Loyola University community grieving the senseless murder of Sheridan Gorman,” Pritzker’s office told Fox News Digital in a statement Monday, after as recently as 11 PM CT Sunday, the Hyatt Hotels heir remained mum to an inquiry by the Chicago Sun-Times.
“Violent crime has no place in our streets, and we expect the alleged perpetrator to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Pritzker’s office added.
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“The Trump administration needs to stop politicizing heinous tragedies and instead focus on real solutions, like reinstating federal funds to prevent violence that support our public safety efforts.”
Pritzker, however, did not respond to a second question as to whether he will instruct Illinois authorities to abide by the Laken Riley Act and hold illegal immigrants, including Medina-Medina, until the feds can pick them up.
Pritzker has received criticism since the Thursday murder for his quick response to the federal agent-involved killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis, and for the fact that he presides over a state that has a policy preventing full cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security.
ICE issued a detainer for Medina-Medina over the weekend, but Chicago is a sanctuary jurisdiction and the state enforces the TRUST Act – a law passed through the Democratic-majority legislature in Springfield and signed by Republican then-Gov. Bruce Rauner.
The TRUST Act prevents state and local cooperation with federal immigration authorities, stating that a suspect or convict cannot be held for federal transfer past his scheduled release date unless presented with a federal criminal warrant.
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The Laken Riley Act, drafted by Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., and signed by Trump, mandates that an illegal immigrant be held for federal transfer even if the individual is only accused and not yet convicted of a crime.
Medina-Medina is charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated discharge of a weapon and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.
He was previously picked up for shoplifting several years ago, which has brought the central issue of the Laken Riley Act into the discussion surrounding the situation.
Medina-Medina was due in court Monday for a detention hearing, but was being quarantined, leading the judge to continue the case, as Chicago police sources told Fox News the illegal immigrant could possibly have tuberculosis.
Fox News’ Matt Finn and Philip Bodinet contributed to this report.
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