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Loyola University Paper Apologizes for Calling Murder Suspect an 'Illegal Immigrant'

Scott McClallen
Scott McClallen  |  March 25, 2026 7:00 PM

After an illegal immigrant allegedly gunned down an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Loyola on March 19, the university’s newspaper apologized for calling the alleged killer an “illegal immigrant.”

The Department of Homeland Security identified the man suspected of murdering Sheridan Gorman as an illegal alien from Venezuela who was caught and released by the Biden administration in 2023. 

The suspect, Jose Medina-Medina, allegedly killed 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman in Chicago, Illinois. 

The editor’s note on the story apologized to the alleged killer for describing the man as an “illegal immigrant.”

That headline didn’t reflect the most important elements in the story, and it was taken down minutes later to prevent any further harm to affected community members.

Additionally, in the body of the original post, we described the man who was charged as an “illegal immigrant,” using language provided by the Department of Homeland Security. That language does not align with Associated Press style, nor does it align with the values of this newspaper.

No human’s existence is illegal, and we quickly changed our wording to reflect that.

We acknowledge the harm such language can cause and the power and importance of the words we choose to use. We deeply regret these errors, and we’re committed to continuing the high standards we hold for ourselves as journalists and members of the Loyola, Rogers Park and Chicago communities.

The response by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wasn’t much better. 

Less than a week after the alleged murder, Johnson unveiled a new snowplow named “Abolish ICE.” 

“I’m going to continue to use every single tool that’s available to me to protect the residents of the city of Chicago," Johnson said to reporters. "And this tragedy is not going to deter us from our work. In fact, it’s going to challenge us all to double down on our efforts to ensure that we are protecting every single individual across neighborhoods.

If Johnson had followed federal immigration laws, then an illegal immigrant might not have killed Gorman. But Chicago is a sanctuary city. 

Medina-Medina isn't the only illegal immigrant hiding in Chicago, according to Democrat Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez. He told Fox News that there are about 2,000 others who are known dangers to the public, but the city won't deport them. 


Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt slammed Chicago politicians for not protecting its residents.