An intense exchange occurred during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday. The discussion centered on sanctuary city policies and led to a heated argument between Representatives Mike Lawler from New York and Jamie Raskin from Maryland.
Lawler criticized fellow committee members, claiming they were indifferent to the deaths of two women, Laken Riley and Sheridan Gorman, who were allegedly killed by illegal immigrants. He expressed frustration that his colleagues seemed more outraged by the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were anti-ICE protesters fatally shot by federal agents during law enforcement operations in Minnesota earlier this year.
“So while some of my colleagues may not want to hear the truth, the same outrage you feel about Renee Good and Alex Pretti, you should feel about Sheridan Gorman and Laken Riley and every Angel family in this country,”Lawler stated.
During the confrontation, Raskin countered Lawler’s claims by affirming his outrage over the incidents. Lawler accused Raskin of supporting sanctuary jurisdictions and labeled him a ‘disgrace.’ In response, Raskin questioned whether Lawler felt the same outrage over the deaths of Good and Pretti, suggesting Lawler should leave the committee.
Lawler mentioned he had written an opinion piece for the New York Times on January 27 concerning the deaths of Good and Pretti, stating:
“The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis this month were tragic and preventable. No matter where you stand on immigration enforcement, the shootings show that what the country has been doing is not working,” he wrote.
He further criticized current tactics by federal agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, suggesting that they reassess their methods.
The events took a personal turn when Madelon, Jess, and Tom Gorman, family members of Sheridan Gorman, appeared on Fox News to speak about their loss.
Representative Raskin, however, maintains strong support for sanctuary policies. He argues these policies protect illegal aliens, even those arrested or convicted of crimes, from federal immigration authorities. Raskin has defended these policies against federal overreach, insisting that obligating local police to enforce federal immigration laws violates the Constitution.