During a House Judiciary Committee hearing on sanctuary city policies on June 30, 2026, Representatives Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) engaged in a heated exchange. Lawler criticized some colleagues for their perceived indifference towards the deaths of Laken Riley and Sheridan Gorman, two women he claims were killed by illegal immigrants. He contrasted this with the outrage expressed over the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were shot by federal agents while allegedly interfering with law enforcement operations in Minnesota earlier this year.
Lawler stated, "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." Raskin responded by questioning Lawler's sincerity, stating, "You do not, because if you did, you would not support sanctuary jurisdictions. You should be ashamed of yourself. You should get the hell out of here!"
Lawler referenced an op-ed he wrote for the New York Times regarding the deaths of Good and Pretti, calling them tragic and preventable. He emphasized the need for a reassessment of current tactics used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in American communities. Raskin, who supports sanctuary policies, has argued against federal overreach and the constitutionality of compelling local police to enforce federal immigration law.