Families and sheriff urge House Judiciary subcommittee to back 'Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act'

During a House Committee on the Judiciary subcommittee hearing, family members of homicide victims and law enforcement witnesses urged lawmakers to pass the "Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act," arguing that local policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities contributed to preventable deaths.

The subcommittee's opening speaker said the hearing was part of continued oversight into sanctuary jurisdictions and the human cost of those policies, adding, "The toll of death and destruction caused by these policies is heartbreaking." The speaker described the March killing of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman in Chicago and said the alleged suspect had been released instead of being turned over to federal authorities.

Stacy Gorman, Sheridan's mother, gave an emotional account of her daughter and blamed failures in enforcement and local policies for the loss. "I want an explanation. I need one," she said, urging the committee to prioritize victims. She described Sheridan as "our daughter" and asked lawmakers to "choose us."

A family member of Katie Abraham told the panel that on Jan. 19, 2025, an individual who had previously been deported reentered the United States and later killed two women in Urbana, Illinois. The witness questioned how the individual obtained an Illinois driver's license and called the matter one of government accountability: "These are not partisan questions. They are oversight questions. They are public safety questions."

Sheriff Gary Redman of Amador County, California, testified about operational challenges in a rural jurisdiction he described as covering 594 square miles with 54 sworn deputies and roughly 40 correctional deputies. He said his office had investigated 73 illegal marijuana cultivation operations between 2015 and 2025 and that 173 individuals were involved in resulting investigations or charges. "As sheriff, my highest priority is protecting public safety," Redman said, and he described instances in which state law limited his ability to coordinate with ICE; he told the committee he had contacted ICE eight times regarding removals authorized under California's SB 54.

Proponents framed the Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act as a mechanism to require or restore local cooperation with federal immigration authorities. In the opening remarks, the speaker summarized the bill's provisions, saying it "prohibits sanctuary jurisdictions from restricting communications with ICE about criminal aliens," "restricts certain federal grant funding to sanctuary jurisdictions that thwart federal law," and "provides a private right of action for the victims of these sanctuary policies." The speaker said Republicans would continue to hold hearings until the legislation advanced.

Witnesses and members debated what counts as a "serious" offense for which local authorities should cooperate with ICE. An administration witness responded, "ICE can pick them up either way, whether or not they're charged, sir," while committee members questioned whether considerations about immigration status influence charging decisions in local jurisdictions.

Committee members cited statistics attributed to jurisdictions and committee documents during the hearing; for example, the opening speaker said jurisdictions refused at least 17,864 ICE detainer requests last year and cited a committee-obtained figure that the Cook County Sheriff's Office released 408 detainees in 2025 instead of honoring active ICE detainers. Those figures were presented to underscore proponents' argument that a lack of cooperation has public-safety consequences.

No formal committee vote was recorded during the hearing. The majority speaker said he planned additional oversight and hearings on sanctuary jurisdictions as the bill moves through the House.

The committee is expected to continue oversight activity; no procedural action or legislative vote on the Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act was reported during this session.