Biden’s Released Criminal Leads to College Student’s Murder

Man speaking at an outdoor event with Biden sign.

A Venezuelan national who illegally crossed the U.S. border in 2023 and was released by the Biden administration’s DHS now stands accused of murdering an 18-year-old college student in Chicago—despite having an outstanding arrest warrant for shoplifting that sanctuary city policies allowed authorities to ignore.

Story Snapshot

Jose Medina-Medina, 25, arrested for the fatal shooting of Loyola University Chicago freshman Sheridan Gorman near campus on March 19, 2026
DHS released Medina-Medina after his illegal May 2023 border crossing; he failed to appear in court on a June 2023 shoplifting warrant
Chicago’s sanctuary policies prevented local authorities from honoring ICE detainers, enabling the suspect to remain free despite an active warrant
Federal officials publicly demand Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago authorities honor the new ICE detainer and not release the murder suspect

Biden-Era Border Release Ends in Tragedy

Jose Medina-Medina entered the United States illegally through the southern border in May 2023 during the height of the Biden administration’s mass-release immigration policies. Department of Homeland Security officials confirmed Medina-Medina was processed and released into the U.S. interior under policies that prioritized alternatives to detention amid unprecedented border encounter volumes. Just one month later, in June 2023, Chicago police arrested him for shoplifting from a Macy’s store. He failed to appear in court, and an arrest warrant was issued. Due to Illinois sanctuary laws in effect since 1985, local authorities declined to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, allowing Medina-Medina to remain at large.

College Freshman Killed Near Campus

Sheridan Gorman, a business student from Westchester County, New York, was walking with friends near Loyola University Chicago’s lakefront campus around 1:00 a.m. on March 19, 2026. The group had ventured out to view the Northern Lights when Medina-Medina allegedly approached them wearing black clothing and a mask. As Gorman fled, he fired a single shot that struck her in the head. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Chicago Police identified Medina-Medina through surveillance footage and his distinctive limp, leading to his arrest. Loyola University President Mark C. Reed notified the campus community the same day, expressing profound sadness over the loss of the freshman student who was actively involved in the Christian campus group Cru.

Pattern of Failed Enforcement Mirrors Other Cases

Immigration policy experts note disturbing parallels between this case and the February 2024 murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley. Her killer, Jose Ibarra, was also a Venezuelan national who entered illegally in April 2023, was released by DHS on alternatives to detention, and subsequently absconded after cutting off his ankle monitor. Ibarra’s brother Diego faced multiple arrests for shoplifting and DUI but was repeatedly released by local authorities. Center for Immigration Studies analyst Andrew Arthur, a 30-year law enforcement veteran, argues that Biden administration policies overloaded ICE resources and ignored mandatory detention requirements, allowing criminals with records to circulate freely. Arthur notes such offenders are unlikely to commit murder as their first criminal act, suggesting extensive untracked prior activity enabled by lax enforcement.

Federal Officials Demand Accountability from Sanctuary State

On March 22, 2026, DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis issued a scathing public statement declaring that Sheridan Gorman was “failed by open border policies and sanctuary politicians who RELEASED this illegal alien TWICE.” The department lodged an ICE detainer demanding custody of Medina-Medina for deportation proceedings. However, Illinois sanctuary laws create significant obstacles to federal cooperation. DHS officials explicitly called on Governor Pritzker and Chicago authorities not to release the suspect, underscoring concerns that sanctuary policies could enable yet another release despite the murder charge. Gorman’s family has publicly demanded accountability, rejecting efforts to reduce their daughter’s death to a bureaucratic “process” and emphasizing the suspect’s illegal immigration status as central to understanding how this tragedy occurred.

Sanctuary Policies Under Renewed Scrutiny

This case intensifies the national debate over sanctuary jurisdictions that prohibit local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. Chicago’s sanctuary status, codified decades ago and reinforced by Illinois state law, prevents police from honoring ICE detainers even when suspects have active criminal warrants or face serious charges. Critics argue these policies create safe havens for illegal aliens who commit crimes, as evidenced by Medina-Medina’s ability to evade justice on his shoplifting warrant for nearly three years before allegedly committing murder. The conflict between federal enforcement priorities and state-level resistance epitomizes the tension between limited government principles—which favor local control—and the constitutional duty to secure borders and protect citizens from preventable violence. The Trump administration’s renewed focus on immigration enforcement places sanctuary jurisdictions like Chicago at the center of efforts to restore rule of law.