* Sun-Times…

Several Illinois Democrats are joining calls to “Abolish ICE,” even as national Democrats grapple with warnings about the movement’s potential impacts on midterm elections.

U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, Senate candidates Raja Krishnamoorthi and Juliana Stratton, 9th Congressional District candidates Daniel Biss, Kat Abughazaleh and Laura Fine, as well as 4th Congressional District candidate Patty Garcia are among a growing list of of Democrats pushing to abolish the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. It’s a platform that is once again gaining traction after the shooting death of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. […]

“New leadership or a smaller budget can’t change the fact that ICE exists to terrorize communities and execute Trump’s authoritarian agenda,” Stratton said in a statement. “We’ve seen it in Chicago, we’ve seen it in Minneapolis, and the violence will continue as long as ICE exists.”

Krishnamoorthi, also vying for Sen. Dick Durbin’s Senate seat, on Friday night wrote on X, “We must abolish Trump’s ICE.” Krishnamoorthi said he would not support “one more dollar for ICE as long as this agency — operating without oversight and accountability — continues to kill and injure our neighbors.”

Krishnamoorthi clarified on CNN that “in theory” ICE should exist…

Reporter: Do you want to abolish ICE?

Raja: [Pause] I want to abolish the funding and Trump’s ICE. I think that in theory there should be immigration and customs enforcement, but not the way that it’s happening now. This is completely unacceptable what’s happening right now.

…Adding… Click here if you want to watch the full CNN clip.

* New York Times…

Representative Robin Kelly, a Democrat from Illinois, has introduced articles of impeachment against Secretary Noem, whom she has called incompetent and a disgrace.

“I definitely know there needs to be a lot of reform, if not complete abolishment,” she said. “I’ve met a lot of people who said they voted for him and they didn’t think this was going to be the result. They thought, yes, murderers and rapists off the street, but I think people feel like he’s overreaching, and going too far.”

* Jewish Insider ran a story this morning claiming congressional candidate Daniel Biss sought AIPAC support last year. But the piece relies on a single source who happens to be running against Biss for state central committeeperson and has also endorsed Sen. Laura Fine in the congressional race, something the story doesn’t mention…

One source familiar with multiple candidates’ outreach to pro-Israel political organizations intending to mobilize in the state’s 2026 Democratic primaries told JI that Biss had reached out to AIPAC in the spring of last year, before Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) had announced her retirement, to solicit AIPAC’s support for a prospective congressional bid should Schakowsky retire.

Niles, Ill., Mayor George Alpogianis, who owns a popular neighborhood diner, told JI he began hearing from multiple visitors to the restaurant that Biss had begun putting feelers out to AIPAC about a run around April of last year, weeks before Schakowsky announced her retirement.

Biss’ campaign denied having sought AIPAC’s support, alleging instead that the group had attempted to recruit him.

The Biss campaign’s response…

“Daniel has been clear that he has neither sought nor would accept AIPAC’s support in this race, and any suggestion that he ever solicited AIPAC’s backing is categorically false. In the interest of open communication, Daniel met with AIPAC representatives to clearly lay out his positions on Israel, the need for a two-state solution, the humanitarian disaster the Netanyahu government has inflicted on Gaza, combating antisemitism, and related issues. After those conversations, AIPAC moved from attempting to recruit Daniel as their preferred candidate to labeling him a ‘dangerous detractor’ and backing State Senator Laura Fine.

While Daniel will always remain open to dialogue with those who disagree with him, his positions are guided by principle and not political pressure. And unlike other candidates, Daniel does not need the support of AIPAC or other outside special interests to win this race.”

Meanwhile, some back and forth between Kat Abughazaleh and Biss…

On the other app, Biss responds to Abughazaleh:

“Kat, this isn’t complicated. AIPAC is lying about me, just like they lied about you. Don’t take the bait.” https://t.co/iuKtbYQpbP pic.twitter.com/xNSuUm0SMv

— Matthew Eadie (@mattheweadie22) January 20, 2026

* The Daily Herald…

Seven of the eight candidates in the Democratic primary for the 8th Congressional District seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi debated issues ranging from the economy to foreign policy at National India Hub in Schaumburg Thursday.

[Kevin Morrison], in his second term as a Cook County Board commissioner, drew particular contrast between himself and [Melissa Bean], a three-term holder of the office they’re vying for.

“I have one question — where has she ‘Bean?’” he joked. “I’ve been active on local and national politics since 2009. I didn’t meet her until just a few months ago after she jumped in this race. The person who beat her in 2010 actually was speaking up more against Donald Trump than she did in the last decade. That was Joe Walsh.”

Bean countered, saying she was a wartime Congresswoman who’d served during the terms of both George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and had stood apart from fellow Democrats in her vote to properly armor the vehicles of U.S. troops in harm’s way in the Middle East.

* Neil Knot, a candidate in the 8th CD, ran an ad during the Bears playoff game. Press release…

On Sunday, January 18, the Neil for Congress campaign will run a 30-second TV ad on NBC 5 Chicago during the Bears playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams. Neil Khot, a small business owner from Hoffman Estates, is running for Congress in the 8th District. NBC is the network airing Sunday’s game.

“We want the Bears to win big and we want to win big in the March primary, so it’s only fitting that our first TV ad is part of Sunday’s game broadcast,” said Khot.

The ad, titled, “Why I’m Fighting for the 8th District,” zeroes in on Khot’s commitment to supporting and protecting the immigrants who live and work in the 8th District and across Illinois, where Neil has built his businesses and created hundreds of jobs, since arriving in the United States as a teenager.

“I’ve lived here for 30 years and this is my home. Now, I cannot leave my house without my passport,” Khot says. “I want to fight and I want to give back to the country that gave me everything.”

This six-figure ad buy represents the most the campaign has spent on ads to date.

* Politico…

— In IL-08: Dan Tully has been endorsed by DuPage County Recorder Liz Chaplin and Bloomingdale Township Democratic Organization Chair Terrell Barnes in his bid for Congress.

— In IL-08: Jennifer Davis has been endorsed by the Illinois Young Republicans in her bid for the IL-08 Congressional District.

— In IL-07: Melissa Conyears-Ervin has been endorsed by Firefighters Local 2 and Elect Democratic Women.

* More…

* Evanston Now | Anti-ICE ads hit the airwaves: In a post on social media this week, Fine wrote for the first time that she supports abolishing ICE altogether. Her campaign site, updated recently with a detailed issues page, does not call for the abolition of ICE, instead calling for Congress to “Significantly reduce ICE’s bloated budget and require ICE agents to be clearly identified.” In response to an inquiry from Evanston Now, Fine’s campaign said the Glenview state senator “supports reining in ICE, holding Trump and ICE officers accountable and putting an end to the fear and violence in our communities.” “If a bill is brought to the House floor to abolish ICE, Laura would proudly vote for it,” Fine’s campaign said.

* Press Release | Congressional Candidate, Donna Miller, Receives Endorsement from Elect Democratic Women: “Elect Democratic Women is proud to endorse Donna Miller for Congress,” said Congresswoman Lois Frankel, chair of Elect Democratic Women. “As a health care advocate, Donna has fought to expand access to quality care, advance health equity and deliver real results for working families. As a Cook County Commissioner, she’s been a solutions-oriented leader who brings people together to tackle tough challenges–from supporting veterans to strengthening community health systems. Donna has the experience and values Chicago residents need in Congress representing them and we’re proud to stand with her.”

* Press Release | L-07 Congressional Candidate Anabel Mendoza Stands With Harrison Courts Tenants Demanding Immediate Action from the Department of Housing and Urban Development: This MLK Day, Illinois’ 7th Congressional District candidate Anabel Mendoza and Rev. Robin Hood stood alongside community leaders and more than 20 tenants from Harrison Courts Apartments in East Garfield Park, calling for immediate action from the Department of Housing and Urban Development following months of unsafe and unlivable conditions in the building. Harrison Courts Apartments is currently governed by a special contract between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), under which the federal government has placed restrictions on how CHA may use federal funding for repairs and redevelopment at the complex. Tenants and advocates say those restrictions have contributed to dangerous delays while residents continue to live in unsafe conditions.