A student newspaper, theDominican Starat Dominican University near Chicago, has begun tracking Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the surrounding area. This initiative unfolded just days after an 18-year-old Loyola University Chicago freshman, Sheridan Gorman, tragically lost her life.
TheDominican Starpublicly announced its intention to monitor and map ICE operations on Wednesday. Their stated goal is to provide information to the Dominican University community regarding federal immigration enforcement.
The project was directly inspired by a similar “ICE Tracker” created last fall byThe Loyola Phoenix, the student newspaper at Gorman’s university. Representatives from both papers collaborated, sharing insights on the development and operation of these tracking tools.
The Dominican Star’s editorial team explained they sought to build upon the Loyola Phoenix’s work, creating a resource tailored to their own campus. A meeting with the Loyola editors provided crucial information to facilitate the launch.
The tracker itself is an online map populated with pins indicating confirmed ICE activity. The newspaper is actively soliciting information from the public, encouraging submissions through Instagram, Facebook, and email.
Submissions are requested to include details such as location, time, the number of agents present, and vehicle descriptions, along with any supporting photos or videos taken from a safe distance. The staff pledges to verify all reports before adding them to the map.
They also plan to monitor local community Facebook groups for additional reports of ICE presence. This launch occurs against a backdrop of intense public scrutiny following the death of Sheridan Gorman.
On the evening of March 19th, Gorman was fatally shot while walking with friends near Tobey Prinz Beach in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood. The attack unfolded quickly and brutally.
Police allege that Jose Medina-Medina, a 25-year-old Venezuelan national, approached the group concealed in dark clothing and a mask, then produced a handgun and opened fire. Gorman was struck in the back, the bullet exiting through her neck.
She was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have described the shooting as a random act of violence and have charged Medina-Medina with first-degree murder, attempted murder, and aggravated discharge of a firearm. He is currently awaiting trial.
Federal authorities have confirmed that Medina-Medina is a Venezuelan national with a prior criminal record who was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in May 2023. He was subsequently released into the United States under current administration policies.
Just one month later, Medina-Medina was arrested for shoplifting in Chicago, but was again released. ICE has since filed a detainer, requesting he be transferred to federal custody upon completion of any state legal proceedings.
Notably, theDominican Star’s announcement made no mention of Gorman’s murder.The Loyola Phoenix, however, continues to operate its ICE tracker, which has been active since October 2025.
The Loyola Phoenix recently faced criticism for a social media headline that initially described the suspect as an “Immigrant Man Charged in Murder of Sheridan Gorman, DHS Involved.” The headline was quickly removed after sparking outrage.
An editor’s note explained that the original wording was deemed insensitive and did not accurately reflect the core elements of the story. It was taken down to avoid causing further distress to the affected community.
