A masked gunman fatally shot an 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago student along the city’s lakefront shortly after 1:30 a.m. Thursday while she was walking with friends. Authorities said Sheridan Gorman, a resident of Westchester County, New York, was struck in the head and pronounced dead at the scene.

Reports state that a 25-year-old man is in custody in connection with the shooting. According to Fox News, the suspect is a Venezuelan migrant. Officials had not yet publicly confirmed formal charges at the time of the report.

The Chicago Tribune reported that investigators were able to locate the suspect minutes after the shooting because witnesses described a “distinct limp.” The Tribune did not identify the individual, and police had not publicly released full case details.

In a letter sent to students Thursday, Mark C. Reed confirmed Gorman’s death.

“It is with profound sadness that I write to share that one of our students, Sheridan Gorman, was killed earlier today. This is a tragic loss, and our hearts go out to Sheridan’s family, loved ones, and all who knew her,” Reed wrote.

Gorman was 18 years old and had been walking with friends along the lakefront when the shooting occurred. Her family in New York is now preparing funeral arrangements.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement filed an immigration detainer requesting that local officials not release the suspect if he becomes eligible for release.

According to DHS, the suspect, identified as Jose Medina-Medina, was previously encountered by U.S. Border Patrol on May 9, 2023, and later released into the country. DHS also said he was arrested for shoplifting in Chicago on June 19, 2023, and released afterward.

“Sheridan Gorman had her whole life ahead of her before this cold-blooded killer decided to end her life. She was failed by open border policies and sanctuary politicians who RELEASED this illegal alien TWICE before he went on to commit this heinous murder,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis.

“We are calling on Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago’s sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this criminal illegal alien from jail back into American neighborhoods,” Bis added.

In December 2025, ICE Director Todd Lyons wrote to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul requesting cooperation with ICE warrants involving more than 4,000 criminal non-citizens in state custody, according to the report.

Separate reporting from The New York Times found that ICE arrests nationwide have averaged more than 1,100 per day this year, compared with roughly 600 per day during the same period last spring.

The report noted that arrest totals have varied significantly by region. It said some areas without highly publicized operations, including Florida and San Antonio, still saw rising arrests, while cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago experienced declines in recent months.

It also stated that Minnesota saw a sharp increase after a federal enforcement operation, with ICE’s St. Paul field office arresting more than 5,000 people from mid-December through March 10. Four field offices reportedly made more arrests during that span, led by Miami, followed by Dallas, Atlanta, and San Antonio.

Senate Republicans voted Tuesday evening to confirm more than 100 of President Donald Trump’s nominees, clearing a backlog of pending appointments in a single move.

The confirmations came after Senate Republicans changed chamber rules earlier this year to allow most executive branch nominees to be approved in groups rather than through separate individual votes. The change does not apply to Cabinet secretaries or judicial nominees.

The move marks the largest batch of confirmations since the rule change was adopted. Among those confirmed were Herschel Walker, who was approved as ambassador to the Bahamas, and Sergio Gor, who was confirmed as ambassador to India.

Republicans used what is commonly called the “nuclear option,” a partisan rules maneuver, to speed up confirmations after arguing that Democratic opposition had slowed the process.

Some Republicans briefly considered allowing President Trump to make recess appointments, which would have permitted temporary appointments during Senate breaks. GOP leaders ultimately rejected that idea, citing concerns it could be used against them when Republicans are next in the minority.

The mass confirmation vote represents a significant win for Trump as his administration continues filling key positions across the federal government amid ongoing gridlock in Congress.

Late last year, Senate Republicans also discussed additional changes to the confirmation process in response to delays involving judicial nominees.

President Trump criticized Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley for maintaining the Senate’s “blue slip” tradition, which allows home-state senators to weigh in on nominees and can effectively delay confirmations if slips are withheld.

Republican senators considered several proposals to accelerate confirmations ahead of a strategy meeting.

One proposal mirrored a Democratic plan introduced two years earlier, allowing a single vote on up to 10 nominees. Other ideas included sharply reducing debate time, making some nominations nondebatable, and removing certain procedural vote requirements.

Because Senate rule changes require only a simple majority, Republicans could move forward without Democratic support. However, doing so would underscore the partisan nature of the dispute. A GOP working group was tasked with finalizing the details.

The confirmation push comes as congressional Republicans are also debating the SAVE America Act and how to advance it.

Senate Republicans recently moved the SAVE America Act forward, setting up a new legislative battle this week over election rules as GOP leaders indicate the bill will be a major priority in the weeks ahead.

The Senate voted 51–48 last week to approve a motion to proceed, clearing an important procedural hurdle and opening formal debate on the legislation.

The bill now returns to the floor after previously stalling, with Sen. Mike Lee urging conservatives to keep pressure on lawmakers to secure final passage.

The proposal has also received strong backing from Trump, who has made election integrity a major issue of his second term. The White House recently described the bill as an important part of its broader election security agenda.

Supporters of the SAVE America Act say it is intended to strengthen confidence in federal elections through new requirements and oversight measures.

The bill would require proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections, tighten voter identification rules, and expand federal involvement in maintaining voter rolls.

Republican lawmakers argue those changes are necessary to ensure that only eligible citizens vote and to address concerns about voter registration systems. They also say such measures reflect strong public support for stricter election safeguards.

Despite clearing the procedural vote, the bill still faces a difficult path forward.

Under current Senate rules, most legislation requires 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, meaning Republicans would likely need at least some Democratic support unless Senate rules are changed.