Former President Barack Obama said Thursday that America’s Founding Fathers “fell terribly short” when they adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776 because they did not immediately abolish slavery. 
Obama made the remarks ahead of the official opening of his sprawling presidential library in Chicago, flanked by other former presidents, including Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Joe Biden. The library, which kicked off its opening day with a land acknowledgment, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/obama-museum-sets-records-including-how-much-itll-cost-you-to-get-in">cost</a> $850 million to construct and opened 3,437 days after Obama left office. 
&#8220;In forming our union, the founders fell terribly short of the Declaration&#8217;s promise, leaving slavery intact, allowing states to restrict the franchise to white men who owned property,” Obama said of the document&#8217;s proclamation that &#8220;all men are created equal&#8221; and are &#8220;endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.&#8221;
“But in drafting a Constitution and a Bill of rights, they did have the foresight, the genius, to provide us with a framework that allows each generation to make our union more perfect,” Obama added. 
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“Over more than two centuries, through petitions and protests, marches and strikes, moral appeals from the pulpit and conversations at the family dinner table, men and women from all walks of life, of every color, every faith, every region took up the cause of democracy and made it their own. Until we the People came to include not just some of us, but all of us,” Obama added later.
The Obama family has been infamously critical of America’s past, with former first lady Michelle Obama once claiming that the first time she was ever proud of the United States as an adult was during her husband’s first presidential campaign. 
&#8220;For the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback,” she said on the campaign trail in 2008. 
Obama’s comments come as the nation prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration.
In recognition of that milestone, President Donald Trump has promised to have the “largest fireworks show in history” to celebrate Independence Day. 
Trump said that the festivities will kick off on June 24 with music performed by the Army and Marine Corps military bands and Lee Greenwood. He said that Air Force fighter jets and stealth bombers would fly over for the ceremony taking place on the National Mall.

Obama Presidential Library Dedication Ceremony

Obama Knocks Founders Before America’s 250th

Barack Obama

Chicago

Founding Fathers

Illinois

Patriotism

Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker stuck his foot in his mouth once again (somehow finding room) when he attacked President Donald Trump on Tuesday and was roundly mocked for doing so.
Trump addressed the situation in Chicago on Tuesday morning when he was asked by a reporter, “Mr. President, have you planned any thought into potentially endorsing someone to run against J.B. Pritzker, like Darren Bailey?”
“Well, I like Darren Bailey. J.B. Pritzker is a slob of a governor,” Trump replied. “You know, he could call me and I&#8217;d send the National Guard and Chicago would have no crime. Look at Washington, D.C. Did you see the crime stats? It&#8217;s down to like nothing. People go to restaurants now, new restaurants. &#8230; We have a beautiful city. We have very little crime, almost no crime. And we could have the same thing in Chicago. All he&#8217;d have to do is say, &#8216;President, I don&#8217;t want to have any crime in Chicago.&#8217; Can you help me out?’ Three months. Chicago would be a different place.”
Pritzker shot back on X, writing, &#8220;Keep Chicago out of your mouth.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Keep Chicago out of your mouth. <a href="https://t.co/thxBAzP0E6">https://t.co/thxBAzP0E6</a>
&mdash; JB Pritzker (@JBPritzker) <a href="https://twitter.com/JBPritzker/status/2056840629787779123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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That elicited numerous online jokes, as Pritzker — who recently took off significant weight — had previously gained fame as the real-life version of Jabba the Hutt or Baron Harkonnen.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Try keeping literally anything out of your mouth <a href="https://t.co/tVqrFeoOoh">https://t.co/tVqrFeoOoh</a>
&mdash; Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) <a href="https://twitter.com/mkhammer/status/2056877684139970679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Keep fried foods out of yours.
It would be one thing if your policy agenda was even remotely likely to control crime in your state’s largest city, but you’ve made clear that you’re perfectly willing to subordinate the security of Chitown’s South and West Side residents to your…
&mdash; Rafael A. Mangual (@Rafa_Mangual) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rafa_Mangual/status/2056900073389191625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Quiet, piggy.
&mdash; Chris Loesch 𝕏 (@ChrisLoesch) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisLoesch/status/2056906897014321315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Last October, President Trump deployed 300 Illinois National Guard troops, prompting Pritzker to hyperventilate over “Trump’s Invasion.”
“We must now start calling this what it is: Trump’s Invasion,” Pritzker stated, according to the <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/05/president-trump-calling-up-300-illinois-national-guard-immediately-to-protect-ice-buildings-for-60-days/?lctg=B4845491D5F64499A4E4B513EB&amp;utm_email=B4845491D5F64499A4E4B513EB&amp;utm_source=listrak&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.chicagotribune.com%2f2025%2f10%2f05%2fpresident-trump-calling-up-300-illinois-national-guard-immediately-to-protect-ice-buildings-for-60-days%2f&amp;utm_campaign=trib-chicago_tribune-breaking_news-nl&amp;utm_content=alert">Chicago Tribune</a>, which reported that War Secretary Pete Hegseth sent a memo instructing Illinois National Guard leadership to deploy the troops to the Chicago region for at least 60 days.
“It started with federal agents, it will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state’s military troops,” Pritzker declared.
The White House said the National Guard troops would protect federal personnel and property — like ICE facilities — where violent demonstrations are either happening or expected. The memo called for protecting federal law enforcement officials who are “performing federal functions.”
The war between Trump and Pritzker has been going on for some time; in June 2024, while Trump was campaigning for the presidency, Trump targeted Pritzker, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112626680945709862">writing</a> on Truth Social:
<blockquote>
Sloppy J.B. Pritzker, the Rotund Governor from the once great State of Illinois, who makes Chris Christie look like a male model, and whose family wanted him out of the business because he was so pathetic at helping them run it, has presided over the destruction and disintegration of Illinois at levels never seen before in any State. Crime is rampant and people are, sadly, fleeing Illinois. Unless a change is made at the Governor&#8217;s level, Illinois can never be Great Again.
</blockquote>

US-POLITICS-CRIME-TROOPS-CHICAGO

Democrat Tries Telling Trump What He Can Say And Can’t Say

Donald Trump

Food

J.B. Pritzker

In an appearance that would make Machiavelli blush, Illinois Democrat Governor J.B. Pritzker took to the airwaves to project the very authoritarianism he claims to despise onto his political rivals.
Speaking on &#8220;Meet the Press Now,&#8221; the billionaire heir didn’t just criticize the Trump administration; he essentially promised a long-term &#8220;lawfare&#8221; campaign against officials who dare to enforce federal immigration law.
Pritzker’s rhetoric was nothing short of a declaration of judicial war. He accused ICE and CBP agents of &#8220;invading&#8221; Chicago and &#8220;tackling&#8221; citizens. But rather than focusing on policy, Pritzker shifted into the role of a vengeful prosecutor.
He touted an &#8220;accountability commission&#8221; tasked with gathering evidence for future trials. The target list? High-ranking officials like Kash Patel, Kristi Noem, and Tom Homan. Pritzker’s chilling promise — &#8220;We are coming after them&#8221; — sounded less like a champion of due process and more like a man orchestrating a political purge. He admitted that while he might not have the power today, he is willing to wait years for a friendly administration to weaponize the courts against these individuals.
The irony reached a fever pitch when the conversation turned to the recent assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. When asked about his own history of inflammatory language, Pritzker suddenly transformed into a paragon of &#8220;civility.&#8221; He somberly lectured that &#8220;all of us need to be very careful about how we speak&#8221; and urged both sides to &#8220;bring the rhetoric down.&#8221; He insisted there is a &#8220;big difference&#8221; between his prior calls for &#8220;peaceful protests&#8221; and the &#8220;authoritarian&#8221; actions of his opponents.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Today on Meet the Press Now, JB Pritzker calls President Trump an &quot;authoritarian, and if we are not pushing back every single day, then we&#39;re doing it wrong.&quot;
A few seconds later, Pritzker threatens Trump admin officials: &quot;It may take us a couple of years, in fact, to go after… <a href="https://t.co/UxrRHq1L6R">pic.twitter.com/UxrRHq1L6R</a>
&mdash; Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGuest/status/2049241692373450788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
However, Pritzker’s newfound commitment to &#8220;soft rhetoric&#8221; is belied by his own recent history. While he stands on the national stage calling for peace, his record tells a different story of provocation. In April, 2025, at the McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner, Pritzker <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ive-never-seen-anything-like-it-stephen-miller-blasts-jb-pritzker-for-inciting-violence?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98I%E2%80%99ve+Never+Seen+Anything+Like+It%E2%80%99%3A+Stephen+Miller+Blasts+JB+Pritzker+For+%E2%80%98Inciting+Violence%E2%80%99">dropped the mask</a> of the statesman, explicitly calling for &#8220;mobilization&#8221; and &#8220;disruption.&#8221; He told a cheering crowd, &#8220;These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace.&#8221;
This is the Pritzker Paradox: a man who threatens to hunt down government officials through the legal system and tells his followers to harass his opponents, yet has the audacity to blame others for a toxic political climate. By vowing to prosecute his enemies while simultaneously calling for &#8220;softened&#8221; language, Pritzker isn’t fighting authoritarianism — he’s providing a masterclass in it. For the Illinois Governor, &#8220;civility&#8221; is apparently a one-way street, and the law is simply a tool to be stored away until it can be used to bury his enemies.

‘We Are Coming After Them’: Democrat Pritzker Threatens Patel, Homan

kash patel

Tom Homan

Trump Administration

Sheridan Gorman&#8217;s father is decrying the sanctuary policies that resulted in his daughter&#8217;s alleged killer being out on the streets.
Venezuelan national <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-steps-in-after-illegal-immigrant-accused-of-slaying-college-freshman">Jose Medina</a>, 25, allegedly gunned down the 18-year-old Loyola University freshman in Chicago last month. At the time, Gorman was walking with her friends around 1 a.m. to look for the northern lights near the Chicago lakefront.
Before that, Medina had crossed the border illegally in May of 2023 and was subsequently released into the country.
He was caught allegedly shoplifting from a Chicago Macy&#8217;s that June, according to the Chicago Tribune. When the illegal immigrant failed to appear for his hearing in the case, a warrant was sworn out for his arrest.
Sheridan&#8217;s father is now arguing that local authorities should have handed Medina over to federal authorities at the time due to his lack of immigration status.
&#8220;There needs to be some cooperation between state and local government and federal officials. When someone commits a crime and they&#8217;ve been here illegally, there needs to be cooperation,&#8221; Sheridan&#8217;s father, Thomas Gorman, told CBS News in an interview that aired Wednesday.
&#8220;He was arrested for, yes, a nonviolent crime, but he was also here illegally. In our mind, he should&#8217;ve been handed over to the feds at that point,&#8221; the grieving father added.
Sheridan&#8217;s mother said they were told their daughter likely saved her friends&#8217; lives the night of her murder.
&#8220;He, like, moved towards her threateningly,&#8221; Jessica Gorman, Sheridan&#8217;s mother, told CBS News of Medina&#8217;s actions that night. &#8220;She turned around and she warned her friends that there was a man with a gun, and you need to run. And they ran.&#8221;
Sheridan was able to run about 40 feet before she was shot in the back and neck, Thomas said.
&#8220;They say it was a senseless tragedy. It wasn&#8217;t. It was a murder. It was a preventable murder,&#8221; Jessica said.
Medina was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder in the first degree, three counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, and one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer with local authorities, but it is not likely to force any action due to sanctuary laws in Illinois.
Before he was released into the country after crossing the border, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-era-illegal-dubbed-likely-to-flee-now-accused-in-college-student-murder">Border Patrol agents</a> said that Medina was &#8220;likely to abscond,&#8221; according to federal documents that were recently obtained by House Judiciary Committee Republicans.
The agents also noted that Medina didn’t make any asylum claims, writing that he did not “fear harm or persecution” if returned to Venezuela.
Meanwhile, Medina&#8217;s defense has argued that the Venezuelan national is developmentally delayed and can&#8217;t read or write after being shot in the head during a 2018 robbery in Colombia, <a href="https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/what-we-know-about-loyola-murder-suspect-jose-medina/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to WGN.

Untitled design – 2026-04-22T090118.114

Parents Of Slain Student Say Her Murder Was ‘Preventable,’ Sanctuary Policies Released Her Killer

illegal immigrant

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Sanctuary Cities

Visitors to the Obama Presidential Center Museum when it opens in Chicago this summer can expect to pay more for admission than any other presidential library.
A new report from the Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/the-obama-presidential-center-is-finally-here-prepare-to-pay-up-d4aa7d26">found</a> that the $30 adult ticket price for entry into the Obama museum is more than any other presidential museum and 59% higher than the average price for all presidents since John F. Kennedy.
The museum, which is set to open on June 19, <a href="https://www.obama.org/visit/museum-tickets/">will charge</a> $30 for adults (including kids age 12 and up), $23 for kids between the ages of 3 and 11, $26 for adult residents of Illinois, and $15 for children residents of Illinois.
Illinois residents will be required to “show proof of residency at the Museum with a valid photo ID, Illinois driver’s license, state ID, or city-issued ID.” That requirement has been mocked by critics who noted that the Democrat Party has aggresively opposed ID requirements for voting.
“Our campus is free and open to the public, with the exception of the four floors of the museum,” foundation spokeswoman Emily Bittner told the Journal. “We offer tremendous new amenities that no other presidential center provides, like an NBA-regulation-size basketball court, two-level playground, recording studio, classroom spaces and more than two dozen newly commissioned pieces of public art.”
Ticket prices for other presidential libraries vary widely with costs ranging from $29 to visit Richard Nixon’s center to $12 for Jimmy Carter. Other prices include $26 for George W. Bush, $25 for Ronald Reagan, $24 for John F. Kennedy, $16 for Lyndon Johnson, $14 for Gerald Ford, $12 for Bill Clinton, and $12 for George H.W. Bush.
In addition to the costliest entry price, the Obama museum set records for the amount time it took to be completed and total project cost, the Journal reported. The presidential center, which sprawls over 19 acres, cost over $850 million to construct, well over the initial estimate of $300 million. In comparison, around $500 million was raised for the George W. Bush presidential center.
The Journal also found that Obama’s library is set to open 3,427 days after he left office. The next longest gap between opening a library and leaving office is 1,751 for George H.W. Bush.
Former President Joe Biden has so far struggled to raise money for his presidential center while plans have already commenced for President Donald Trump’s library, which is set to be constructed on the waterfront in Miami, Florida.
The design for Trump&#8217;s library comes from the renowned Miami-based architecture firm Bermello Ajamil, a Woolpert Company. It includes a single tower stretched tall above the Miami skyline and features a base large enough to accommodate a presidential jet on the main floor.

Groundbreaking Held In Chicago For Obama Presidential Center

Obama Museum Sets Records, Including How Much It’ll Cost You To Get In

Economy

Politics

Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker is getting hammered after posting a video promoting walking in Chicago, days after an 18-year-old woman was allegedly fatally shot by an illegal immigrant while out for a walk.
Sheridan Gorman, a Loyola University freshman, was killed March 19 while walking with friends, according to reports. Authorities say a 25-year-old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rare-reason-keeps-illegal-alien-suspect-in-loyola-student-slaying-from-facing-court?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Rare+Reason+Keeps+Illegal+Alien+Suspect+In+Loyola+Student+Slaying+From+Facing+Court">Venezuelan national</a> who was in the United States unlawfully approached her and shot her as she tried to run away.
The suspect, Jose Medina-Medina, crossed the southern border illegally in May 2023 and was later released into the United States. He then turned up in Chicago, where he was accused of shoplifting from a Macy’s weeks later, <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/21/loyola-chicago-shooting-suspect/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Chicago Tribune. He never showed up for his court date, resulting in a warrant for his arrest, the outlet reported.
Days after Gorman&#8217;s killing, Pritzker posted a video promoting &#8220;National Walking Day,&#8221; describing the sanctuary state of Illinois as &#8220;the best place to walk.&#8221;
And the governor walked into an onslaught of criticism.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Happy National Walking Day, Illinois. <a href="https://t.co/AsasLKDIT3">pic.twitter.com/AsasLKDIT3</a>
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovPritzker/status/2039466997927264323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fox News correspondent Matt Finn <a href="https://x.com/MattFinnFNC/status/2039657104890376558">quipped</a>, &#8220;Wasn&#8217;t an innocent young 18-yo college girl senselessly murdered while out for a walk in Chicago? Happy walking, Illinois.&#8221;
&#8220;CRAZY how most people who go out walking in a sanctuary city end up running,&#8221; Fox News Radio host Jimmy Failla wrote in the comments section.
Gorman&#8217;s family has criticized Pritzker&#8217;s response to the tragic slaying. Four days after the killing, Pritzker&#8217;s office released a statement on the &#8220;senseless murder.&#8221;
“Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and Loyola University community grieving the senseless murder of Sheridan Gorman,&#8221; Pritzker&#8217;s office told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Violent crime has no place in our streets, and we expect the alleged perpetrator to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.&#8221;
Pritzker&#8217;s office placed blame on &#8220;the Trump administration,&#8221; saying it needs &#8220;to stop politicizing heinous tragedies and instead focus on real solutions, like reinstating federal funds to prevent violence that support our public safety efforts.&#8221;
In a social media <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GovPritzker/posts/sheridan-gormans-murder-is-a-tragedy-and-the-person-responsible-must-be-held-acc/1488447859304935/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a>, Pritzker called Gorman&#8217;s killing &#8220;a tragedy,&#8221; adding that &#8220;the person responsible must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.&#8221;
Gorman&#8217;s family <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/gorman-family-calls-out-johnson-pritzker-following-college-students-killing-chicago">pushed back</a> on the governor&#8217;s response, saying her “death cannot be reduced to a general ‘tragedy,’ nor can it be explained away by broad references to failures somewhere else.&#8221;
“We are not interested in political arguments or in watching responsibility shift from one place to another,&#8221; the family continued. &#8220;If there were failures — as the Governor himself has acknowledged—then every one of them must be identified, examined, and addressed directly. The location of those failures matters less than the willingness to confront them honestly.”
“Our daughter is not a policy debate. She is a life that was taken, and that demands accountability,” they added.

Untitled design – 2026-04-02T084931.425

Watch Dem Governor Walk In ‘Tone-Deaf’ Message After College Student Murder

Illegal Immigration

The family of Sheridan Gorman, the college student who was fatally shot by an illegal immigrant in Chicago, are slamming the sanctuary-policy-supporting leaders in Illinois for their response to her killing.
Jose Medina-Medina, 25, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rare-reason-keeps-illegal-alien-suspect-in-loyola-student-slaying-from-facing-court?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Rare+Reason+Keeps+Illegal+Alien+Suspect+In+Loyola+Student+Slaying+From+Facing+Court">an illegal immigrant from Venezuela</a>, allegedly approached the college freshman wearing a black mask around 1 a.m. on March 19, and shot her as she tried to run. The 18-year-old Loyola University freshman was walking with friends to see the Northern Lights when she was fatally shot, her family said.
After former President Joe Biden&#8217;s administration released Medina at the border in May 2023, he wound up in Chicago, where he allegedly shoplifted from a local Macy&#8217;s that June, according to the Chicago Tribune. Medina failed to show up for his hearing in the case before a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Democratic Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responded nearly a week after the killing, calling it an act of &#8220;senseless violence&#8221; and a &#8220;tragedy.&#8221;
&#8220;As I prepare to send my oldest son off to college this fall, I can&#8217;t stop thinking about the Gorman family as they bear the unimaginable loss of their daughter Sheridan. What I want for my child is what I want for every single child and every single person in this city. That is to be safe and to live out their purpose without fear. Disturbing acts of violence like this set us back as a city,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;We will not tolerate those who break the law and put the lives of others in danger.&#8221;
&#8220;I believe that we&#8217;re all grieving the loss of Sheridan and other folks who have lost their lives because of senseless violence.&#8221;
Gorman&#8217;s family hit back at Johnson, calling for accountability in the case.
&#8220;What happened to Sheridan cannot be reduced to a ‘senseless tragedy,’ nor can it be explained in general terms about public safety. Sheridan was our daughter. She was 18 years old. She was doing something entirely normal — walking near her campus with friends. She should be here,&#8221; the Gorman family said, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/gorman-family-calls-out-johnson-pritzker-following-college-students-killing-chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>.
&#8220;Calling this ‘senseless’ is not enough. There must be a clear and honest accounting of what went wrong,&#8221; the family said. &#8220;We will not allow Sheridan’s life to be reduced to a talking point or a generalization. We expect leadership that is willing to confront hard truths and ensure that what happened to her does not happen again.&#8221;
Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker&#8217;s office released its first statement on Gorman’s killing Tuesday afternoon.
“Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and Loyola University community grieving the senseless murder of Sheridan Gorman. Violent crime has no place in our streets, and we expect the alleged perpetrator to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” a spokesperson for Pritzker told The Daily Wire.
“The Trump Administration needs to stop politicizing heinous tragedies and instead focus on real solutions, like reinstating federal funds to prevent violence that support our public safety efforts,” the spokesperson added.
Gorman&#8217;s family also hit back at Pritzker over his statement.
&#8220;Sheridan’s death cannot be reduced to a general &#8216;tragedy,&#8217; nor can it be explained away by broad references to failures somewhere else. Sheridan was a daughter, a sister, and a young woman whose life was taken in a way that should never have been possible,&#8221; the family said, according to Fox News. &#8220;We are not interested in political arguments or in watching responsibility shift from one place to another. If there were failures — as the Governor himself has acknowledged—then every one of them must be identified, examined, and addressed directly. The location of those failures matters less than the willingness to confront them honestly.&#8221;
&#8220;Our daughter is not a policy debate. She is a life that was taken, and that demands accountability,&#8221; they added.
Medina was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder in the first degree, three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, and one count of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, according to the Tribune. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer with local authorities, but it is not likely to force any action due to sanctuary laws.
His initial court appearance was delayed after he was hospitalized with tuberculosis. He is due in court Friday.

US-NEWS-CHICAGO-TROOPS-TRUMP-TB

Sheridan Gorman’s Family Rips Chicago Mayor, Illinois Gov Over Response To Her Killing

Brandon Johnson

How many tragic deaths, like that of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman, are we willing to tolerate before enough is enough? How does this keep happening? 
 
Gorman, a freshman at Loyola University Chicago, was fatally shot on March 19th while walking with friends near the school&#8217;s Lake Shore campus by an illegal alien criminal from Venezuela. The group was walking to see the northern lights when a masked gunman emerged from the shadows and opened fire. 
 
The suspect, Jose Medina-Medina, a 25-year-old Venezuelan national, has been charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.
Why does such a heinous tragedy happen?
The Department of Homeland Security put it bluntly: Sheridan Gorman &#8220;was failed by open border policies and sanctuary politicians who released this illegal alien twice before he went on to commit this heinous murder.&#8221;
While most cities and states are working to undo the disastrous policies of the Biden administration that allowed tens of millions of illegal aliens into the country, certain blue cities are vehemently resisting anything the Trump administration does. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson are spearheading this &#8220;resistance&#8221; — and actively making life not only worse for their constituents, but dangerous. 
 
Here are a few of the ways Chicago created the perfect storm that ultimately led to Gorman&#8217;s death.
On a municipal level, Johnson and his cadre of progressives enacted the Welcoming City Ordinance — Chicago&#8217;s primary sanctuary law, which was expanded in 2021 to remove previous &#8220;carve-outs&#8221; that had allowed police to cooperate with ICE in cases involving individuals with felony convictions or those in the gang database. Essentially, police are barred from assisting ICE during operations, ICE agents aren&#8217;t permitted in local jails, and officers are prohibited from asking about a person&#8217;s immigration status during routine interactions.
To make matters worse for citizens — and better for criminals — Mayor Johnson issued an order preventing ICE from using city-owned parking lots, garages, or any other city property for enforcement work.
On a state level, the TRUST Act prohibits state and local law enforcement from detaining any individual based on a federal immigration detainer or administrative warrant. In other words, it&#8217;s nearly impossible for ICE to do their job. 
 
Then there’s the Illinois Way Forward Act (2021), which significantly expanded the TRUST Act by prohibiting state and local government from contracting the federal government to house or detain illegal immigrants, banning local police from transferring individuals into ICE custody without a judicial warrant, and restricting the flow of information to ICE officers about individuals in local custody.
And of course, they signed the Keep Illinois Families Together Act, which restricts ICE from entering schools, health centers, libraries, courthouses, polling locations (strange, considering the leftist claim that noncitizens aren&#8217;t voting), and more.
Those are policies carved out specifically for illegal aliens. But to understand exactly how a criminal, an illegal Venezuelan national, ended up murdering a young American girl, you only need to look at Medina&#8217;s timeline. 
 
Medina entered the U.S. illegally in May of 2023 under Biden. He was apprehended and released into the interior of the country without asylum claims. Just one month later, he was arrested in Chicago for shoplifting — and released from local custody shortly after, because of the very policies listed above. 
 
In September of that same year, he failed to appear for his court date. A warrant was issued but never served. He claims he missed the hearing due to a hospital stay — which means he was receiving free healthcare as an illegal criminal. 
 
And then, not even three years later, he murdered Sheridan Gorman in cold blood. 
 
Medina was a symptom, not an anomaly. Since January 20, 2025 alone, Governor Pritzker&#8217;s sanctuary state of Illinois has released 1,768 criminal illegal aliens with active ICE detainers — including individuals charged or convicted of murder, sexual offenses, and weapons crimes. Another 4,015 criminal non-citizens remain in Illinois custody with detainers that local officials refuse to — or aren&#8217;t allowed to — honor.
If you’re wondering how in the heck this could continue to go on? It will — because these Democrat leaders are tone deaf and are willing to trade their constituents&#8217; and our fellow citizens&#8217; safety for the comfort and protection of criminal illegal aliens. Even after Sheridan’s blood was spilled, Mayor Brandon Johnson doubled down. Just days after the murder, he proudly unveiled a new city snowplow named ‘Abolish ICE’ — while the city was still mourning an 18-year-old Loyola freshman gunned down by a man his policies had shielded.
Don&#8217;t let them tell you that sanctuary city policies aren&#8217;t dangerous or destructive. Because again and again, we&#8217;re being reminded — they are.

People Protest in Chicago, IL as Part of the No Kings Rallies on October 18, 2025

Chicago’s Sanctuary Policies Allowed A Girl To Be Murdered In Cold Blood.

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Joe Abraham, an Illinois father whose 20-year-old daughter Katie was killed by an illegal immigrant in a 2025 hit-and-run crash, is criticizing Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker over what he describes as a lack of acknowledgment from state leaders.
Abraham’s outcry comes after Pritzker&#8217;s office finally broke its silence regarding the recent murder of Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman — allegedly at the hands of a Venezuelan national released into the country by the Biden administration — only to use the moment to pivot to political attacks against the Trump administration.
In January 2025, Abraham&#8217;s daughter was killed in Urbana in a high-speed, drunk-driving hit-and-run. The suspect, Julio Cucul-Bol, is a Guatemalan national who had previously been deported and was living under an alias, according to law enforcement. While the Department of Homeland Security eventually launched &#8220;Operation Midway Blitz&#8221; in Katie&#8217;s honor, Pritzker has reportedly remained conspicuously silent.
In a powerful social media post, Abraham highlighted the governor&#8217;s hypocrisy, contrasting Pritzker&#8217;s public response to other tragedies with what he says has been silence in his daughter&#8217;s case.
&#8220;@GovPritzker, I saw your post honoring lives lost in Minnesota — standing publicly, naming Alex Pretti and Renee Good, and laying flowers in their memory,&#8221; Abraham wrote. &#8220;But where was that same compassion on January 19, 2025? That is the day my 20-year-old daughter, Katie Abraham, was killed here in Illinois.&#8221;
Abraham emphasized that his daughter was &#8220;simply living her life&#8221; and was not involved in any dangerous activity when she was killed.
He said he had reached out privately to the governor, seeking only &#8220;clarity&#8221; and &#8220;understanding,&#8221; but was met with total silence.
&#8220;You have never said her name. You have never come to where she died&#8230; And beyond that — you have never even responded to me,&#8221; Abraham stated.
The father’s response was triggered by Pritzker’s office finally — after three days — acknowledging the murder of Gorman, an 18-year-old freshman fatally <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/murder-suspect-in-loyola-university-slaying-is-venezuelan-illegal-released-by-biden?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=40&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Murder+Suspect+In+Loyola+University+Slaying+Is+Venezuelan+Illegal+Released+By+Biden">shot in Chicago while walking with friends</a> to see the Northern Lights. Rather than taking accountability for the sanctuary policies that allowed Gorman’s alleged killer — who had an outstanding warrant for shoplifting — to remain on the streets, Pritzker’s office blamed the Trump administration for &#8220;politicizing&#8221; the tragedy and demanded more federal funds.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Illinois Gov JB Pritzker office breaks its silence following the murder of Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman, who was allegedly killed by an illegal immigrant, telling <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a> : 
“Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and Loyola University community grieving…
&mdash; Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JennieSTaer/status/2036182974195007521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Abraham rejected the governor’s approach to immigration and public safety, arguing that Pritzker&#8217;s defense of sanctuary policies creates the very conditions for these &#8220;preventable tragedies.&#8221;
&#8220;This is not about politics. It’s about leadership and accountability,&#8221; Abraham declared. &#8220;When you choose to publicly mourn some victims while remaining silent about others — especially those lost under policies you support — it sends a message&#8230; it tells families like mine that our loss does not matter the same way.&#8221;
Abraham concluded with a direct challenge to the governor: &#8220;Say her name: Katie Abraham. Stand where she died. Show the people of Illinois that every life matters.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/GovPritzker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovPritzker</a>, I saw your post honoring lives lost in Minnesota—standing publicly, naming Alex Pretti and Renee Good, and laying flowers in their memory.
But where was that same compassion on January 19, 2025?
That is the day my 20-year-old daughter, Katie Abraham, was killed… <a href="https://t.co/15Uv1uT46M">https://t.co/15Uv1uT46M</a>
&mdash; Joe Abraham (@angeldadjoe) <a href="https://twitter.com/angeldadjoe/status/2036174426979328366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Dem Governor Blasted For Who Made His Tribute List And Who Didn’t

A Democrat candidate reiterated her call to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Tuesday shortly after winning her party’s primary for a United States Senate seat in Illinois.
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won the Democratic nomination to replace outgoing Sen. Dick Durbin, winning 40% of the vote and defeating Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly. In her victory speech, Stratton doubled down on the far-left priorities she emphasized during the campaign. 
“We will fight for Medicare for all. We will fight to abolish ICE. We&#8217;ll fight for a real living wage, not just the bare minimum,” Stratton said. “We&#8217;ll fight to defend our rights and claw our democracy back from the brink.”
Stratton openly campaigned on abolishing ICE, framing her bid as a direct challenge to President Donald Trump. 
“Courage inspired me to run. Courage powered this campaign and courage will bring this fight straight to Donald Trump’s door,” she said on Tuesday. 
During the primary, Stratton ran ads emphasizing her opposition to Trump, including one spot featuring supporters saying, “F*ck Trump, vote Juliana.”
“They said it, not me,” Stratton <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svuh7mIxukk">said</a> in the ad. “I’m not scared of a wannabe dictator. I’m running for Senate to stand up to Donald Trump. I’ll abolish ICE and hold Trump accountable for the crimes he committed.”  
Illinois Democrat Gov. JB Pritzker backed Stratton and contributed $5 million to a political action committee supporting her campaign. Pritzker said Tuesday that electing Stratton was “personal” for him. 
Stratton will face GOP nominee Don Tracy, the former chair of the Illinois Republican Party. Tracy has said that the Democratic Party has become out of step with voters in the state by pushing “open border” policies and abolishing ICE. 
“It’s especially important, I would suggest, for the Republican side, then the Democrat side, because it’s an opportunity to make Illinois a two-party state again,” Tracy told WTAX News, noting that Democrats currently hold all eight statewide offices. 
Illinois has leaned reliably Democratic in recent elections. Former Vice President Kamala Harris won the state by about 11 points in the 2024 presidential race.

IL Senate Candidate Juliana Stratton Holds Primary Night Event

Dem Voters Nominate Radical ‘Abolish ICE’ Candidate For Key Senate Seat

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An Illinois congresswoman wants to address a hidden danger to the American public tied to the spike in abortions facilitated by the fatal drug mifepristone.
Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) introduced a proposal on Wednesday that would make it illegal to take an abortion pill “without the physical presence of a healthcare provider” and prevent the remains of unborn children from being flushed into the public water system. The aftermath of the fatal procedure could be harming the American public, Miller said.
&#8220;The murder-for-profit abortion industry has completely ignored the dangerous and unethical disposal of pre-born baby remains and toxic chemical waste produced by abortion pills,” Miller told The Daily Wire. “I introduced the Clean Water for All Life Act to put an end to their reckless and inhumane practices.”
Miller’s legislation comes as abortions through mifepristone have become the most common means to end an unborn child’s life. Mifepristone works by starving an unborn child of the nutrients it needs to survive.
Thanks to regulations introduced by the Biden administration, mifepristone can be shipped through the mail without an in-person doctor’s visit. Pro-life advocates have blamed this regulation for the tens of thousands of abortions in states where medication abortion is technically against the law.
In addition to requiring the presence of a doctor, Miller’s legislation would mandate that a woman have a physical examination before getting an abortion pill and that the unborn baby would not be flushed down the toilet.
Doctors who violate the proposal could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and fined up to $50,000.
The organization Students for Life of America, which supports the bill, estimates that some 50 tons of chemical waste and human remains are flushed into America’s water systems every year due to abortions. They say the chemicals from the pills could lead to health problems for all Americans.
According to Miller’s office, this could include immune and nervous system disturbances, infertility, increased cancer risk, moodiness, hormone imbalances in women, and decreased testosterone in men.
“The loss of human life from Chemical Abortion Pills every day sickens so many Americans, but very little thought is given to what happens after a Chemical Abortion,” Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins said. “Babies deserve better, and many of us are being exposed to abortion water pollution in our drinking water.”
Women who took the abortion pill have spoken out about the horrific experience of having well-developed babies expelled from their bodies. Last week, a woman named Elizabeth Gillete said the baby she aborted had recognizable eyes and limbs.
“That was so different from the double period and the extra clotting that they told me that I would experience,” she said. “And in that moment, I had to decide if I was going to throw my child in the trash or flush my child down the toilet, and I chose to flush him into a septic tank.”
Miller&#8217;s legislation is backed by Republican Reps Michael Cloud (Texas), Pat Harrigan (North Carolina), Sheri Biggs (South Carolina), Paul Gosar (Arizona), Diana Harshbarger (Tennessee), John McGuire (Virginia), Greg Steube (Florida), and Tim Burchett (Tennessee).
Pro-life advocates have urged the Food and Drug Administration to reimpose the in-person requirement for the abortion pill.

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Abortion Pill Ends Innocent Lives — The Next Step Could Impact Every American Home

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The family of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson is walking back endorsement claims in a heated Democratic primary for a United States Senate seat in Illinois.
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said that she was backed by Jackson, who died on Feb. 17, based on information she received regarding his potential decisions that had not been made public yet, according to the <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2026/03/16/jesse-jackson-family-disputes-posthumous-juliana-stratton-endorsement-us-senate-primary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago Sun-Times</a>.
“Out of respect for my father, we decided not to publicly release his intended selections given the process had not been finalized,” said Yusef Jackson, his son, according to the outlet on Monday afternoon.
“Unfortunately, this weekend, a draft sample ballot that was in development was released without authorization. It is important to note that the Jackson Family does not issue political endorsements, nor do Rainbow PUSH or the Rainbow PUSH Coalition,” Jackson added.
The primary includes Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi, with most polls showing either Stratton or Krishnamoorthi leading.
“And I just got notice that he made final personal endorsements before he passed away, and in his personal endorsement he endorsed me for United States Senate,” Stratton told MSNOW on Saturday while at the Rainbow/PUSH office in Chicago.
“That’s the kind of fight we need, someone who’s really gonna put the people at the center, I learned that from Rev. Jackson, and now I look forward to continuing to fighting for the people of Illinois when I get to the Senate,” she added.
In an X post promoting the MSNOW hit, she added that she &#8220;will work day and night to carry on his legacy for the people of Illinois when I get to the United States Senate.&#8221;
The Stratton campaign told The Daily Wire in a statement that &#8220;Juliana spoke on Saturday at Rainbow PUSH for a Women’s History Month event and officials told her she received the endorsements.&#8221;
&#8220;Organizers shared the sample election ballot that was already being distributed and encouraged her to share the news,&#8221; the campaign added. &#8220;Juliana is spending the final hours of this campaign talking to voters and making sure every Illinoisan hears how she plans to take on Donald Trump and bring their voices to Washington.&#8221;
The primary election is on Tuesday, and the November general election is ranked as “Solid Democrat.” Whoever wins will be replacing retiring Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). The Daily Wire reached out to the other two Democratic campaigns, but neither were immediately available for comment.
“You know, I&#8217;ve talked to a couple of his kids. They don&#8217;t know anything about it, so I don&#8217;t know. It is what it is,&#8221; Kelly told <a href="https://x.com/aaronpellish/status/2033260951730864138?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Politico</a> on Sunday when asked about the endorsement.
Kelly was reportedly contacted by Jackson’s widow to apologize for the mix-up, <a href="https://x.com/maryannahernnbc/status/2033626166448316737?s=46">according</a> to NBC 5 Chicago.
Jackson&#8217;s funeral was on March 6 in Chicago, and it featured remarks from former Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton, as well as former Vice President Kamala Harris. Jackson himself ran for president unsuccessfully in 1984 and 1988, and he was the shadow senator for Washington, D.C., from 1991 to 1997.

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Jesse Jackson’s Family Walks Back Endorsement Claims In Key Democratic Primary

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