Parents of teen killed by illegal immigrant question Rep. Mike Lawler, Dem opponent Cait Conley on sanctuary law support during fiery debate
The grieving parents of a teenage girl killed by an illegal migrant put New York’s sanctuary law on blast during a fiery congressional debate Monday night between Republican Rep.Mike Lawler and Democratic opponent Cait Conley for the House seat representing the lower Hudson Valley.Tom and Jessica Gorman were among residents in the 17th House district to call into the televised debate on News 12 to ask the candidates a question.
Their daughter, Sheridan, an 18-year-old freshman Loyola University student in Chicago, was gunned down in cold blood by an undocumented Venezuelan migrant on March 19 while walking with friends along Lake Michigan.The defendant, Jose Medina, had previous run-ins with law enforcement but was set free before the deadly shooting.As his wife Jessica choked back tears during the video call, Tom Gorman asked whether the candidates would support federal legislation that would undo so-called state sanctuary laws, such as the protections that Gov.
Kathy Hochul and Albany Democrats enacted earlier this year.That law bars local law enforcement agencies from cooperating with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers regarding the detention of migrants living in New York illegally.Conley told the Gormans that Sheridan’s murder was “inexcusable” but refused to say whether or not she would be willing to scrap the Empire State’s new sanctuary law.“Government failed her and for that we have to make sure that that doesn’t happen again,” said Conley, who noted, as an Army veteran, she had served as a military police officer.“The safety and security of our families is something I will be unwavering in,” she added.On her campaign website, Conley said she supports revoking so-called 287g agreements that allow local cops to assist ICE with immigration enforcement — in sum, backing New York’s sanctuary law.Conley said she believes “border security is national security” and that immigration enforcement is essential to combat viole...