‘Preventable tragedy’: White House pays tribute to Sheridan Gorman, says murder is ‘direct result’ of failed policies

The White House has paid tribute to Sheridan Gorman after the Loyola college student’s brutal murder.

Published on: Mar 25, 2026 1:15 PM IST

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The White House has paid tribute to Sheridan Gorman after the Loyola college student’s brutal murder. The 18-year-old freshman was shot dead by 25-year-old Venezuelan migrant Jose Medina-Medina last Thursday when she and a group of friends walked to the pier at Tobey Prinz Beach to see the Northern Lights, the family's attorney said, according to ABC 7.

‘Preventable tragedy’: White House pays tribute to slain Sheridan Gorman (GoFundMe)

“A preventable tragedy. Sheridan Gorman was murdered by an illegal alien released into the U.S. in 2023 under the Biden administration — a direct result of failed border & sanctuary city policies,” the White House said in an Instagram post.

“The Trump Admin is working hard to prevent tragedies like this from happening again. Prayers are with her loved ones,” the post added.

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What Donald Trump said about the case

President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday, March 23, that he had been briefed on Gorman’s murder. He said that the incident showed that there was a need for ramped up immigration enforcement efforts.

“This person came in through the open door policy of [former President] Joe Biden and we have others,” Trump said, according to WGLT. “ We’re taking them out by the tens of thousands. We’re doing a great job, but it’s a shame.”

According to court records, an arrest warrant was issued for Medina-Medina in 2023 after he stopped appearing in court on shoplifting charges. Federal officials have said that the undocumented Venezuelan national should have never been released after that 2023 arrest.

Chicago police arrested Medina-Medina shortly after Gorman’s murder. Authorities utilized facial recognition software to compare images from surveillance footage to U.S. Customs and Border Protection records. CPD investigators stated in an arrest report that the images matched Medina-Medina.

Medina-Medina is facing first degree murder and weapon charges, according to ABC 7.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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