I lost my daughter to sanctuary policies. My senators are too cowardly to talk to me

My household and I are lifelong Illinoisans. We are present living each time with the consequences of what I judge are misguided sanctuary metropolis and state policies successful our state. Our top government leaders—Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, on with Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker—have supported these policies, often without what galore would see meaningful guardrails. Too often determination has been nary nonstop engagement from immoderate of these leaders oregon acknowledgment of the victims who unrecorded with the real-world consequences of sanctuary polices.

My girl Katie was killed at property 20 connected January 19, 2025, successful an incidental that should ne'er person happened. She and 4 of her friends were stopped astatine a reddish airy successful Urbana erstwhile they were rear-ended astatine astir 80 miles per hour. The driver—previously deported, driving drunk, operating nether an alias, and with a grounds that raised superior concerns—was capable to stay successful the state and connected the road.

The interaction was truthful terrible that archetypal responders had to pry Katie and the different girls from the wreckage. Katie was killed astatine the scene. Another young pistillate died successful the infirmary the adjacent day. The 3 others successful the car suffered superior injuries. What should person been an mean moment at a postulation light became an irreversible tragedy.

ANGEL FATHER SLAMS PRITZKER'S SANCTUARY POLICIES, SAYING THEY LEAD TO 'PREVENTABLE' DEATHS

That is the world down what are often abstract argumentation debates, including those surrounding sanctuary metropolis and authorities policies.

At the extremity of March, I encountered that disconnect firsthand.

On March 25, 2026, I traveled to Washington, D.C. to attest earlier the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee connected the Constitution. Sen. Durbin—one of Illinois’ senators—was portion of that broader committee process. Yet it was my different senator, Tammy Duckworth, whom I encountered extracurricular the proceeding rooms astatine the U.S. Capitol.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., threatened to artifact the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act from a ballot connected Thursday, but backed down implicit a warrant to clasp hearings connected President Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard successful bluish cities similar Chicago.  (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

I introduced myself and explained wherefore I was there. I told her astir my daughter—an guiltless unfortunate successful a lawsuit that raises superior questions astir sanctuary metropolis and authorities policies she has supported.

MY DAUGHTER WAS KILLED, AND I WARNED SANCTUARY CITY POLICIES WOULD COST LIVES AGAIN

Her effect amazed me. She told maine that she was unaware of Katie’s story.

Unaware. Fourteen months after her death, a United States senator, who represents maine successful Congress, was still unfamiliar with an incidental that profoundly affected 1 of her constituents.

Katie Abraham was killed successful January 2025 erstwhile the conveyance she was traveling successful was rear-ended by an amerciable migrant drunk driver.  (Joe Abraham )

I chose not to explain my situation further astatine that moment—not retired of disrespect, but retired of principle.

CHICAGO KILLING REIGNITES SANCTUARY CITY FIGHT AS ANGEL PARENT HEADS TO SENATE HEARING

Elected officials person a work to recognize the real-world interaction of the policies they support. That work should not fall only on grieving families.

I told Sen. Duckworth that if she wanted to amended understand my situation, she could instrumentality the clip to learn about what happened and scope retired to maine directly. I would beryllium unfastened to that conversation.

What followed were calls from the senator’s staff offering condolences, and aboriginal a petition for my email code truthful the legislator could nonstop a letter. I declined. A signifier letter, portion possibly well-intentioned, is not the aforesaid arsenic nonstop engagement oregon a meaningful effort to understand.

FATHER OF SLAIN 20-YEAR-OLD KILLED BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ISSUES STARK WARNING AFTER SHERIDAN GORMAN KILLING

At this point, I stay unfastened to a genuine conversation with Sen. Duckworth, though acquisition makes it hard to predict if that will ever happen.

Unfortunately, this was not an isolated experience.

For much than 14 months, Sen. Durbin has not publically acknowledged Katie’s story—no statement, nary outreach, nary recognition.

DEM SENATORS DODGE CRUCIAL QUESTION ON ILLEGAL ALIEN ACCUSED OF KILLING CHICAGO COLLEGE STUDENT

That soundlessness continued adjacent erstwhile I sat conscionable feet distant from him during a Senate Judiciary Committee proceeding for implicit 2 hours last month. During that time, Katie was not mentioned or explained by him —even arsenic different senators took a infinitesimal to admit her life.

That lack is hard to understand.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., during a proceeding connected Capitol Hill connected December 3, 2025 (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

For years, Illinois officials person supported sanctuary metropolis and authorities policies with an avowed emphasis connected compassion and protection. Those goals matter. But what is often missing from the treatment is simply a afloat accounting of the risks and unintended consequences those policies whitethorn carry.

CHICAGO MAYOR DOUBLES DOWN ON ILLEGAL ALIEN 'ASSAULT' COMMENT AFTER SHERIDAN GORMAN'S DEATH

And now, we are seeing different heartbreaking loss.

The tragic sidesplitting of 18-year-old Loyola University freshman Sheridan Gorman successful Chicago past month is different beingness taken excessively soon—another household facing unimaginable grief. I instrumentality nary restitution successful drafting connections, but it reinforces a interest I person raised before: erstwhile the consequences of sanctuary metropolis and authorities policies are not afloat acknowledged oregon examined, determination is simply a hazard that preventable tragedies whitethorn continue.

Sheridan Gorman smiles alongside the Chicago skyline successful Illinois.  (Sheridan G. Gorman via Instagram)

What is astir hard is not simply disagreement implicit policy, it is the feeling that the quality interaction of these outcomes is not ever afloat recognized.

CHICAGO’S BRANDON JOHNSON BLASTS 'ASSAULTS AGAINST IMMIGRANTS' AS SLAIN SHERIDAN GORMAN IS LAID TO REST

For the families and friends near behind, the nonaccomplishment does not slice with clip oregon headlines. It settles into the quiescent moments—the bare spot astatine the table, the milestones that volition ne'er beryllium reached, the conversations that volition ne'er happen. Much of that grief is carried silently.

sh

What makes that load heavier is not lone erstwhile acknowledgment is withheld oregon minimized, but erstwhile these tragedies are contextualized successful ways that displacement absorption distant from the nonaccomplishment itself. When the lives of those taken are treated arsenic secondary to broader governmental arguments, oregon erstwhile work is redirected alternatively than accepted, it deepens the consciousness of region betwixt leaders and the radical they serve.

Too often, those who person precocious oregon defended these policies are reluctant to afloat grapple with their consequences. Instead, determination is simply a inclination to reframe, to constituent elsewhere, oregon to stress competing narratives—rather than to intermission and judge work wherever it is due.

SLAIN COLLEGE STUDENT’S MOTHER VOWS ‘FIGHT FOR JUSTICE’ AFTER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED IN CHICAGO KILLING

That is not leadership. It reflects a much cynical signifier of politics—one that families acquisition successful a profoundly idiosyncratic way.

Families who person mislaid loved ones merit more. They merit acknowledgment that is nonstop and sincere. They merit leaders who are consenting to face hard outcomes honestly, adjacent erstwhile it is uncomfortable, and to instrumentality work for the positions they person advanced.

A basal knowing and acknowledgment of lives lost—of families everlastingly changed—should not beryllium difficult. It should not beryllium connected politics. It should beryllium a starting constituent for reflection and, erstwhile necessary, reassessment.

FACIAL RECOGNITION HELPED CRACK ALLEGED STUDENT MURDER BY ILLEGAL MIGRANT – NEW BILL COULD BAN IT: RET. COP

At the bosom of this contented is simply a broader question astir responsibility. Public argumentation should strive to equilibrium compassion with accountability. It should stay unfastened to evaluation, particularly erstwhile lives are affected.

That is what thoughtful enactment requires.

Too often, however, governmental realities—maintaining coalitions, shaping narratives, and defending existing positions—can marque that benignant of reflection much difficult. When that happens, the region betwixt policymakers and the radical affected by their decisions tin grow.

This is not astir partisanship. It is astir work and responsiveness.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

When policies, including sanctuary metropolis and authorities policies—have real-world consequences, those outcomes merit acknowledgment. When patterns rise concerns, they merit cautious consideration. And erstwhile lives are lost, they merit to beryllium recognized with sincerity and care.

As my household continues to unrecorded with this loss, that region has ne'er felt much real.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The question is whether it volition remain—or whether those successful positions of authorization are consenting to adjacent it done genuine engagement, accountability, and reflection.

Because ultimately, enactment is not lone astir the policies 1 supports, but astir the willingness to face their outcomes with honesty and humanity.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM JOE ABRAHAM