During a House hearing on immigration policy, a shouting match erupted between Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) that led to Raskin ultimately shouting at Lawler that he didn’t belong in the House and to “get the hell out.” The hearing focused on “sanctuary” policies that have placed strict limits on cooperation between state and local law enforcement and immigration enforcement agencies.
Lawler ticked off Raskin during the introduction of a witness, the mother of Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old college student from his home state of Illinois that was murdered in Chicago back in March 2026 by an illegal alien from Venezuela. The New York Republican started the introduction by saying, “I’m here today to introduce Jessica Gorman. Jessica should not be here today. She should not be testifying before Congress. She should be back in New York with her daughters Madeline and Sheridan, enjoying a quiet Tuesday afternoon in the summer.”
“But unfortunately, Jessica is here with us today, and she’s here because just a few short months ago, her beautiful daughter Sheridan was shot and killed in Chicago by an illegal immigrant. I cannot say it loud enough or clear enough, but this nation and this Congress owes you an apology,” Lawler continued. “We are sorry to you, to Tom, and to Madeline.”
“I didn’t know Sheridan personally, and that’s a tragedy. But I know her family, and I know the Yorktown community. I know that she was a kind and compassionate young woman who cared about her community, and had a bright future ahead of us. And I know, without a doubt in my mind, the incredible things she would have done with her life, should she had been given the chance,” Lawler continued.
“Her murder was senseless. It should not have happened. Our immigration policies exist for a reason, and they should have been enforced. Sheridan would still be with us today, and Jessica would not have to testify before this panel. Our immigration laws facilitate legal immigration processes to ensure that good, smart people can come into this country, assimilate, and contribute to our communities,” Lawler said during the introduction.
“While also ensuring that criminals who break the law do not get to stay. Their jobs are made infinitely harder when places like New York and Chicago blatantly disregard existing law and provide safe harbor to criminals. Sanctuary policy is for this reason,” Someone then said that Lawler’s speech was a statement, not an introduction.
Lawler then pointed toward the suspect in Gorman’s murder having had a violent criminal past and yet somehow being let loose back on the streets. “Back in May of 2023, over three years ago, Sheridan’s murderer illegally entered the United States. Border Patrol caught him; they apprehended him. But then, because of the Biden administration’s ludicrous open border policies, he was released into our country. A month later, he was arrested for shoplifting in Chicago,” the New York Republican said.
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“Under existing law and the law at the time, he should have been deported right then and there,” he added before being interrupted by Democrats again, who repeated that Lawler was delivering a speech, not an introduction. Lawler told those interrupting him that they should be “ashamed of themselves” for interrupting and attempting to silence the victim’s mother.
A little later, Raskin lost his marbles and said, “You don’t belong in this committee. You should get the hell out of here. You don’t understand the rules of the committee. You don’t understand the Constitution. You’re full of it!” Lawler once again told Raskin he should be ashamed of himself for not opposing sanctuary city policies. Lawler repeatedly called Raskin a disgrace while he ranted on about Lawler’s introduction of Jessica Gorman. Neither Raskin nor Lawler responded to Politico when asked for a comment about the exchange.
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