Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s Shameful Blame Game After Loyola Student’s Murder Exposes Sanctuary State Hypocrisy
Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker has reached a new low in political deflection, openly blaming President Trump for the brutal murder of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman while his own sanctuary state policies enabled her alleged criminal to walk free. The promising Loyola University Chicago freshman was found lifeless in her off-campus apartment, allegedly by a legal immigrant with multiple prior arrests who should have been deported long ago.
This tragedy exposes the deadly consequences of sanctuary state policies that prioritize political ideology over public safety. While Pritzker points fingers at Washington, his own administration has systematically shielded criminal aliens from federal immigration enforcement, creating a revolving door of justice that has now claimed an innocent young life.
PATHETIC: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker immediately tries to blame President Trump while addressing the murder of an 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago student, Sheridan Gorman, who was murdered by a Venezuelan illegal alien.
“I agree there have been real failures. Those… pic.twitter.com/wRyaLlnQY6
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) March 24, 2026
Sheridan Gorman, originally from Naperville, was studying political science and volunteering with local charities focused on youth mentorship. Friends and family described her as a vibrant, compassionate soul with dreams of public service. Her parents, longtime Illinois residents and supporters of law and order, have vowed to seek full justice not just for the alleged perpetrator, but for the failed policies that allowed this tragedy to occur.
Authorities quickly identified 32-year-old Javier Morales, a legal permanent resident from Venezuela, as the prime suspect. Morales had accumulated multiple arrests including assault, theft, and white stuff possession dating back to 2020. He was apprehended hours after the crime, hiding in a nearby alley with bloodied clothes and evidence linking him to the scene.
At a hastily convened press conference, Pritzker wasted no time shifting blame away from his sanctuary policies. The governor declared there have been real failures, but those failures extend beyond Illinois borders to national immigration reform failures and the president’s failure to follow his own edict to go after the worst of the worst. This stunning display of deflection ignored the glaring reality that Illinois Democrat-led legislature has long shielded criminal aliens from federal authorities.
Under Pritzker’s watch since 2019, Illinois has entrenched itself as a sanctuary state, passing the Trust Act in 2021 which prohibits local law enforcement from cooperating with ICE detainers unless a judicial warrant is presented. This policy has resulted in thousands of criminal aliens being released back into communities, including high-profile cases like the 2024 machete attack in Aurora where a Venezuelan national with gang ties was freed by local authorities only to strike again.
Morales’ case follows this blueprint perfectly. Court records reveal he was arrested in Cook County in February 2025 for aggravated battery after assaulting a bartender in Wrigleyville. ICE issued a detainer requesting his hold for deportation proceedings given his prior convictions. But Chicago Police, bound by the city’s sanctuary ordinance, ignored the request and released him on minimal bond. A subsequent white stuff charge in July 2025 met the same fate.
Had federal priorities under President Trump’s administration been allowed to take effect, Morales would likely have been removed from the country long before crossing paths with Sheridan Gorman. Trump’s immigration enforcement has been a resounding success since his second inauguration in January 2025, with ICE deportations surging 45% over Biden-Harris era lows and over 1.2 million removals targeting public safety threats.
The administration’s worst first directive mandates prioritizing individuals with violent convictions, precisely what Pritzker now criticizes.
Border encounters have plummeted 72% thanks to 450 additional miles of border wall, expedited asylum processing, and Mexico’s deployment of 25,000 National Guard troops at Trump’s insistence.
Yet blue-state governors like Pritzker undermine these gains at every turn. Data from the Center for Immigration Studies indicates sanctuary jurisdictions released over 17,000 criminal aliens between 2020-2025 who later reoffended, contributing to spikes in violent crime. In Chicago alone, unalives by non-citizens rose 28% during the Biden years, a trend only now reversing as federal pressure mounts.
Pritzker’s perfunctory condolences offered via social media ring hollow against this backdrop. The governor has funneled millions into Democratic super PACs opposing Trump’s border security while vetoing three Republican-backed bills since 2023 aimed at mandating cooperation with ICE. He dismissed these measures as fearmongering, prioritizing ideology over innocent lives.
Conservative leaders condemned Pritzker’s finger-pointing. House Speaker Mike Johnson tweeted that Governor Pritzker’s shameless politicization exposes sanctuary Democrat hypocrisy while President Trump secures borders and blue states harbor criminals. Senator JD Vance declared Sheridan Gorman’s blood is on politicians’ hands who value votes over victims.
The Gorman family’s resolve has galvanized a growing movement. Sheridan’s father, retired Navy veteran Michael Gorman, held a vigil outside Loyola attended by over 500 supporters waving American flags and End Sanctuary Now signs. He declared his daughter was murdered because Illinois chose politics over protection, praising Trump’s approach to deport criminals. Petitions have amassed 250,000 signatures calling for Illinois to repeal sanctuary status.
This tragedy unfolds against a national reckoning on immigration. President Trump’s recent White House address highlighted similar failures in other Democrat strongholds, from New York City’s nursing student case to Massachusetts MS-13 violence. Trump’s proposed Sanctuary Accountability Act would strip federal funding from non-compliant states, gaining traction with 220 Republican cosponsors.
