Immigration & Public Safety
House Republicans Expose Public Safety Failures of Gov. Pritzker’s Sanctuary State Policies. Reacting to the murder of a Loyola student by an illegal immigrant on Chicago’s lakefront, House Republican Reps. John Cabello, C.D. Davidsmeyer, Patrick Sheehan, and Patrick Windhorst exposed the public safety failures of Governor JB Pritzker’s sanctuary state policies.
State Representative Mike Coffey has also been outspoken about public safety failures and the need to repeal the TRUST Act. Coffey also filed HB3241 that would allow counties to adopt resolutions that would give each county the power to withdraw from provisions of the TRUST Act.
“The sanctuary city policies in Illinois have made communities less safe over the past few years,” said Coffey. “My bill provides counties with an opportunity to decide for themselves whether they want to comply with the TRUST Act. Many counties across Illinois feel like they are less safe because of this bad legislation and want all the resources from anyone who will help to get dangerous, undocumented immigrants out of their counties.”
Recently, in a devastating act of violence, a Loyola University student was tragically shot and killed by an illegal immigrant who had an outstanding arrest warrant. It is yet another deadly consequence of Governor Pritzker’s failed sanctuary and public safety policies.
On March 19, 18-year-old college student Sheridan Gorman was shot and killed on the Chicago lakefront, a place Governor Pritzker often claims is safe, by an illegal immigrant with prior offenses who was allowed to stay on our streets.
The alleged murderer, Jose Medina, is a Venezuelan national who was apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol and released into the country under the Biden Administration’s Open Border Policy. He was then released again on June 19, 2023, following an arrest for shoplifting in Chicago.
Rep. Coffey supports his Republican colleagues and their efforts to bring awareness to an ongoing crisis we have in Illinois with criminal illegals who are taking American lives.
At a Capitol press conference Tuesday, State Rep. John Cabello mourned the death of Sheridan Gorman and called for an end to Illinois’ sanctuary policies.
“So the question before us is simple. Have you had enough yet? Have you had enough of the deadly consequences of Gov. Pritzker’s failed policies?” Cabello asked.
State Rep. Patrick Sheehan, who is also a police officer, said Pritzker called federal law enforcement the Gestapo and Johnson called law enforcement a sickness.
“How will we ever have safe communities in Illinois when the people at the top are undermining law enforcement at every single turn?” Sheehan asked.
State Rep. Patrick Windhorst said Illinois Republicans have introduced legislation to restore public safety.
“Repealing the TRUST Act would allow state and local law enforcement officials and officers to communicate with federal officers to ensure that criminal illegal aliens face deportation proceedings when they are released from jail,” Windhorst said.
Windhorst also outlined proposals to expand the detention net for pretrial release and giving judges discretion when individuals are deemed dangerous.
State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer discussed how Illinois got here and detailed the public safety failures of Gov. Pritzker and Democrat leadership in Springfield.
“We need to remember how we got here,” Rep. Davidsmeyer said. “None of this happened by accident. This is the direct result of years of failed leadership and misguided priorities. If the borders weren’t open, if these violent criminals weren’t here illegally, Sheridan Gorman and other victims would be alive today. You cannot argue that fact.”
This is just the latest example of how Governor Pritzker’s sanctuary policies and the SAFE-T Act are failing Illinois families. Under Gov. Pritzker and Democratic leadership, we’ve seen:
❌ Failed sanctuary state policies that, combined with Biden’s Open Border Policy, led to a surge of 550,000 illegal immigrants into Illinois
❌ More than $3 billion in taxpayer funds being spent on health care and other benefits for illegal immigrants
❌ A string of horrific crimes committed by violent offenders who were in this country illegally
Sheridan Gorman’s murder is not the first such incident of violent crime committed by illegal immigrants:
❌ Katie Abraham, and her friend Chloe Polzin, were killed in January 2025 in Urbana when a drunk driver who was an undocumented immigrant struck their car.
❌ Baltazar Perez-Estrada was charged with first-degree murder after prosecutors said he stabbed Maricela Simon Franco, dozens of times, killing her in front of their children.
❌ Edwin Pacheco-Meza was charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI after Illinois State Police said a crash killed an Illinois couple.
❌ ABC7 reported Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, described by DHS as living in the U.S. illegally, was charged with concealment of a death, abuse of a corpse, and obstructing justice after Megan Bos, 37, was found dead in a container on his property.
It’s time to restore public safety in Illinois
Democrats Again Blame Washington for Illinois’ Fiscal Failures
In an interview with Politico, House Speaker Chris Welch once again tried to blame Washington for Illinois’ fiscal failures instead of taking responsibility for the Democrat policies that have made our state’s outlook worse.
If Speaker Welch wants to know why Illinois is facing budget trouble, he doesn’t need to look any further than his and his own party’s voting records in Springfield. Governor Pritzker has proposed yet another record-setting state budget at $56 billion, after signing a $55 billion budget last year that included more than $700 million in new taxes and fees.
And when the state had an opportunity last year to show restraint, Democrats chose politics over priorities. Speaker Welch helped direct $40 million to his former high school. While Democrat pork projects ran wild, not a single dollar went to Republican districts.
Now, according to Politico, Speaker Welch says Democrats want to focus on lowering the cost of living, including “gas, groceries, rent, mortgages,” and are reviewing legislation that “helps bring costs down.”
That is welcome news, because House Republicans have already introduced real proposals to do exactly that, including legislation to implement “No Tax on Tips” in Illinois. If Democrats are serious about lowering costs, we would have seen legislation on the table during committee hearings. We continue to see partisan priorities as working families are struggling to pay their bills.
The problem is that while Republicans are offering solutions to Illinois’ affordability crisis, Democrats keep making things worse.
Just look at the record of Illinois House Democrats:
- Illinois residents are paying an average of $1,434 more per person in taxes than before Governor Pritzker took office.
- Since 2019, Illinois state government has taken in $18 billion more from taxpayers, a 51% increase that far outpaces inflation.
- Governor Pritzker has enacted at least 49 tax and fee hikes since taking office.
- In 2019, Gov. Pritzker doubled the gas tax and added automatic annual inflation adjustments.
- Just this past fall, Democrats raised tolls, opened the door to a new RTA sales tax hike to bail out mass transit, and passed an $8 billion energy rate hike for green energy giveaways.
Not only is this record a slap in the face to taxpayers, but now counties and local municipalities will see funds cut because Illinois Democrats want more money from LGDF ( Local Government Distributive Fund).
“I’m extremely disappointed to hear about our state taking even more revenue from local governments to help fund a budget deficit,” said Coffey. “Cutting the LGDF revenue share to just 6.28% will risk property tax increases to Illinoisans who already pay the highest rates in the nation. We must have a government that works efficiently and right now we don’t so it’s costing taxpayers even more and creating burdens on local municipalities.”
As Democrats continue pointing fingers, House Republicans will continue advancing real solutions to lower costs and make life more affordable for the people of Illinois.