* ICYMI: Illinois joins suit to block Trump administration from barring undocumented immigrants from public benefits. Sun-Times…

- The suit, announced Monday, seeks to stop a series of orders from federal agencies that would block people from the early childhood education program Head Start, Title X family planning, adult education, mental health care and community health centers based on immigration status.
- The attorneys general argued the federal government misapplied the rules around the programs, redesignating entire programs inappropriately and conditioning aid already approved by Congress — which the suit called unconstitutional.
- The Illinois Head Start Association and the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois have also filed a lawsuit over what they say are a series of attempts to dismantle the program. They said it would be amended to include the new rule changes as well.

* Related stories…

∙ K-12 Dive: 20 states sue over immigration restrictions for Head Start, other programs
∙ Chalkbeat: Head Start advocates pursue legal challenge to new Trump policy barring undocumented children
∙ WTTW: Advocates Denounce Plan to Ban Undocumented Children From Head Start: ‘Where is the Compassion?’

* Governor Pritzker will speak 1 pm today from Chicago’s Union Station, celebrating 100 years of service. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Federal housing credit expansion could increase affordable rental units in Illinois: report: The latest domestic policy plan signed by President Donald Trump on July 4 will increase available funding by 12% for a key tax credit used by developers to offset a portion of construction costs. It also lowers the threshold of private investment needed to take advantage of another tax credit. It’s a lesser publicized inclusion in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that cleared Congress with only Republican support, a bill more widely publicized for its cuts to Medicaid, food assistance and individual income taxes.

* Tribune | Economic opportunities tied to climate goals, Gov. JB Pritzker says at Aspen conference: Though Pritzker recently announced that he will seek a third term as governor, many have speculated that he will throw his hat in the ring for the 2028 presidential election. Pritzker did not comment on a potential 2028 candidacy but when asked if he thought he’d make a good president, he said he thinks “the bar has been set pretty low.” “(Democrats) still believe that the most important role that we have in government is to stand up for working families, for the most vulnerable, for the middle class,” he said. “Do Democrats get it right all the time? No, and I think that it is as much a failure of messaging as anything else. I’m not suggesting that Democrats haven’t gotten policies wrong. But let’s not walk away from civil rights because we lost an election.”

* Crain’s | Chicago’s $1 billion quantum computer to start operating in 2028: The startup behind Chicago’s more than $1 billion quantum computing deal said operations are expected to start in three years, a win for Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who backed the investment and is widely seen as a potential presidential candidate. PsiQuantum Corp. will start construction at the state’s new quantum and microelectronics park in the South Side of Chicago later this year, Chief Executive Officer Jeremy O’Brien said in an interview at Bloomberg’s Chicago office. The supercomputer — one of two utility-scale, fault-tolerant machines the company is building globally — is expected to be online in 2028, he said.

*** Statewide ***

* WTWO | Illinois governor announces applications for Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program: The Illinois governor and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced that applications are open for the fifth round of the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program. The program provides training opportunities, expands the talent pipeline, and boosts diversity in the construction industry and other building trades. Grantees for the program are selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity process.

* CBS Chicago | Corn sweat from crops exacerbates humidity during Illinois heat waves: CBS News Chicago Meteorologist Kylee Miller explained the effects of transpiration are showing up in this week’s forecasts. “Dew points could be about 5 to 10 degrees actually higher, adding with that corn sweat, compared to what Mother Nature is giving us,” Miller said. Other crops, like alfalfa and sugarcane, have higher evapotranspiration averages than corn. The evapotranspiration average for alfalfa is 6 to 8 mm/day for alfalfa and 5 to 7 mm/day for sugarcane, compared with 3.5 to 5mm/day for corn.

*** Statehouse News ***

* ABC Chicago | Gov. Pritzker signs ‘Squatter Bill’ into law, making it easier for police to remove trespassers: The law differentiates squatters from tenants, making it easier for property owners to regain control of their home. “This outdated eviction law has treated squatters the same as tenants, leaving property owners in limbo and tying the hands of law enforcement,” Pritzker said. The law also establishes a clear distinction between lawful tenants and unlawful squatters, ensuring that property owners are no longer forced to navigate a long court process to remove unauthorized occupants.

* WCIA | Republican legislators call on IL governor to participate in federal school choice program: State Representative Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) said it’s the best way to ensure low-income students get the best education they can. He’s sponsoring a resolution calling on Governor J.B. Pritzker to participate. “The money needs to follow the student, not the system, not the bureaucracy,” Halbrook said. “And this is a great opportunity to give students that are in schools that are failing, gives them an opportunity to excel.”

* WEEK 25 | Pritzker chooses Peoria’s Allen for economic development panel: Peoria’s 4th District City Council member Andre Allen is Gov. JB Pritzker’s choice to serve on the Tri-County River Valley Development Authority, which issues tax-free bonds to finance economic development projects. The authority serves Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford counties. In a release, the governor’s office said Allen is a “collaborative and results-driven leader with extensive experience in government administration, civic engagement, and higher education.”

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Gambling machines in Chicago bars, airports? Aldermen weigh revenue potential: Johnson’s top finance leaders shared with aldermen a study analyzing how legalizing the machines would affect city finances Monday during a Revenue Subcommittee meeting. Under the state’s current tax structure, the payout would be underwhelming, Chief Financial Officer Jill Jaworski said. “We don’t expect it to make a big impact,” she said. “Maybe we make $10 million one year and lose $5 million another.” The study by gambling consulting firm Christiansen Capitol Advisors LLC determined legalization would likely neither make nor cost the city money. While the machines would generate tax revenue, legalizing them would take business away from slot machines at Bally’s Casino.

* Tribune | Police Department brass accused Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget office of ‘systemically’ delaying paychecks: Police Department Deputy Director Ryan Fitzsimons emailed multiple officials in Johnson’s budget office June 2 to alert them of the department’s overdue A-forms, paperwork required to process paychecks for new hires and promotions. After following up the next day to confirm that police recruits were not getting their first paychecks, he sent an additional message June 10 saying Johnson’s budget office was purposely sitting on the forms. […] A joint statement last week from the mayor’s office, the Office of Budget Management and Chicago police acknowledged that about 60 police academy recruits saw late paychecks, along with six Chicago Fire Department employees. The response cast the snafu as an “administrative” error that has since been rectified.

* WTTW | City Council Panel Skeptical of Study Showing Legal Video Gambling Won’t Ring Up Jackpot: But several alderpeople questioned the validity of the Christiansen analysis, with Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th Ward) saying the potential job losses seemed “made up.” Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd Ward) questioned why the Christiansen analysis did not include Rivers Casino in his analysis, noting that its revenues have increased even after Des Plaines legalized video gambling. Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th Ward) called the presentation of the Christiansen study “disingenuous” and called its analysis “flawed.”

* WBEZ | A family came to Chicago seeking asylum. He was deported. Now she wants to leave: Maria enrolled in President Donald Trump’s new, voluntary self-deportation program. Trump is promising travel assistance and a stipend of $1,000. Maria says that, stipend or not, she just wants to go back to Venezuela. “What I want is to leave,” Maria says in Spanish while her 2- and 6-year olds played in the family’s nearly empty apartment. Her 9-year-old lay on the floor watching a show on a small phone. “I’ve lost everything here,” the mothers says, looking around. Maria’s husband, Marcos, was recently deported to Venezuela. He says he spent nearly three months in 10 different detention centers after being arrested in Chicago as part of a wave of detentions under Trump. At their request, WBEZ is not using their real names because they fear retaliation.

* Sun-Times | Thomas Durkin dies at 78; Chicago lawyer ensured the rights of ‘the most demonized among us’: The trial lawyer was best known for taking on high-profile federal cases often related to accusations of terrorism and violations of civil rights, though he didn’t seek them out, his son Matt Durkin said. “They found him.” “He really believed in the principle that everyone, no matter how derided you are, you are owed your constitutional right to defense,” Matt Durkin said. “He would never say no. … It didn’t matter who it was, a white-collar defendant, a public official, or someone accused of doing a heinous crime, he was going to be your fiercest advocate.”

* Sun-Times | Suddenly potent White Sox offense overpowers Rays for season-best four-game wining streak: ‘Offensive juggernaut’’ was not a phrase often uttered in the same sentence as ‘‘White Sox’’ before the All-Star break — at least not without a tongue planted firmly in cheek. But that’s the only way to describe MLB’s hottest offense coming out of the break, which has powered the Sox to a season-high four-game winning streak. A day after the Sox completed a weekend sweep of the Pirates that saw them rack up 27 runs, they overpowered the Rays 8-3 in their latest dominant effort.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Cook County Bureau of Asset Management chief Elizabeth Granato has entered the race for the 12th District County Board seat. Press release…

Today, Elizabeth Granato announced her candidacy for the 12th District seat on the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Granato, a lifelong resident of Chicago and proud graduate of Chicago Public Schools, has served the people of Cook County for the past decade and a half at multiple levels of government. Raised by a single mom whose union job provided stability and security for her family, Liz is a second-generation Latina and first in her family to graduate from college. The granddaughter of an immigrant small business owner who started as a seamstress when she came to Chicago and a union carpenter, Liz represents the promise of the American dream. She’s been involved in her community from an early age, determined to make it a better place.

“Cook County is on the front lines of the battle against the Trump MAGA Republican effort to take away healthcare from those who need it most, raise the cost of living, and let the wealthiest corporations and billionaires dump their tax obligations on the middle class. I’m running to stop the MAGA Republican agenda and make sure nobody is left behind in Cook County,” said Elizabeth Granato.

Granato announced the endorsement of the Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers ADC 1 Illinois and Ironworkers District Council of Chicago & Vicinity.

Granato, married to state Sen. Ram Villivalam, faces competition from Cat Sharp, who has the support of outgoing Commissioner Bridget Degnen.

* ABC Chicago | Cook County SA O’Neill Burke to attend hearing on domestic violence: Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke has been on a mission to restructure her office for tougher prosecution in cases of domestic violence, something she has referred to as a “house of fire.” Tuesday will be the first hearing that specifically targets domestic violence since 2023 and Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke is expected to announce how she’s restructuring the prosecutor’s office to increase lock ups and help fight domestic violence crimes.

* Daily Herald | Authorities investigating threats against Lake County judge: But the ICE action Saturday quickly garnered social media attention. “The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is aware of threatening social media posts and harassing correspondence directed at the judge who presided over the initial court hearing of Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez,” Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Chris Covelli said Monday. “We have launched an investigation into the matter,” he added. “Making threats, especially against a sitting judge, crosses the line from protected speech to potential criminal conduct, and we take such behavior very seriously.”

* Shaw Local | McHenry County aims to increase security for judges by removing personal info: ‘Days we’re living in’: Removing the personal information of 18 judges from the internet, including the dark web, is the aim of a contract newly approved by the McHenry County Board. McHenry County Circuit Court Administrator Dan Wallis said IronWall by Incogni system, which also will scrub his and his deputy administrators’ personal information, is “unfortunately” necessary.

* Daily Southtown | More problems at troubled Park Forest apartments that village claims are unsafe: More problems have surfaced at a troubled Park Forest apartment complex, where air-conditioning woes earlier this summer left many residents sweltering during a heat wave. Separately, in a court filing earlier this month, the village said that Autumn Ridge, with nearly 400 apartment units in Will County, is unsafe and a public nuisance. The filing calls on a Will County judge to appoint a receiver who will collect rents and make necessary repairs, which Park Forest complains cover virtually every aspect of the buildings, including plumbing, roofs, windows and electrical systems.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora City Council to vote on doubling hotel room tax: The city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax rate is currently set at 3%, but many nearby communities have higher rates that are similar to what is being proposed, according to Chief Financial Officer Chris Minick. He estimates that the proposed 6% rate would bring in an additional $1.1 million for the city each year, especially after the opening of the new $360 million Hollywood Casino-Aurora resort.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Proposed data center project in Yorkville advances to City Council for discussion: The development site is just over 1,000 acres — a total of 20 parcels — in the northwest corner of Yorkville on the border with Sugar Grove, generally located northwest of Route 47 and Galena Road, south of Baseline Road and east of Ashe Road, according to the agenda item from the July 9 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. There would be a total of 14 data center buildings, along with two electrical substations, a utility switchyard and stormwater detention basins, according to plans.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora likely to stay in Fox River dam removal study: The state and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers previously recommended the removal of nine dams along the Fox River, including the two in downtown Aurora, for environmental reasons. But following concerns and questions from many of the communities that would be impacted, including Aurora, the Corps said last year that it would be taking another look at those recommendations to more broadly study the effects of dam removal. Mayor John Laesch is set to send a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers letting the agency know Aurora wants to stay part of the study. The letter does not commit the city to either remove or keep the dams.

* Tribune | Olmsted Society offers free Vintage Base Ball exhibition in Riverside: Visitors at this free event will watch baseball players in reproductions of historical uniforms play baseball the way the sport was played in the 1860s. The annual event began in 2019, the sesquicentennial of the year landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and architect Calvert Vaux, who had previously collaborated on the plan for New York City’s Central Park, created the general plan for Riverside.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Normal approves funding pause and audit of mental health sales tax fund: McLean County Board chair Elizabeth Johnston said if all three governing bodies approve, the next step would be to have discussions on what such an audit would survey. “We believe the time is right for all three parties to come together,” said Pam Reece, city manager. “We’ve had good conversations, the county attorney and the county administrator’s office drafted the language, worked with us on language that we believe the Normal Town Council and ultimately Bloomington and the county [board] can support.”

* WJBD | Salem City Council to be asked to move forward on water, sewer, and TIF projects: Three TIF agreements will come before the council. Cindy Quinn and Quinn Realty are requesting $20,000 in TIF assistance to help renovate the ‘Old Library’ at 402 South Broadway into her new offices. Work will include repairs to the brickwork, a new roof and exterior and interior painting. Paul and Lynn Riehm of Riehm Renovations is requesting half of the remaining $ 70,000 in reimbursable expenses be paid now to allow for the renovation of their second building in the 300 block of West Main to be completed more quickly. Brice McGee of the ‘Odd Fellows’ building at 115 East Main is seeking $750 or 50-percent reimbursement for the outside painting of the building.

* BND | Professional “kings” rocked, rolled and remembered at metro-east Elvis Festival: The convention consisted of three days of scheduled performances from each Elvis, along with heaps of merchandise paying homage to both the original Elvis and those who honor his legacy through imitation. Fans as near as a mile down the street and as far away as Norway came to see the show. “It took us more than 12 hours to drive here,” said Paula Harrison of Richmond, Wisconsin “I saw Elvis in the 60s and it was so incredible that I knew I just had to come.”

* WSIL | Touch of Nature’s new trailhead opens with $500K support: The trailhead pavilion was made possible by a $500,000 donation from SIU Credit Union. Mike Lantrip, CEO of SIU Credit Union, expressed the credit union’s commitment, saying, “We wanted to do something for SIU and the region. We think it’s going to help put Southern Illinois on the map even more.” Touch of Nature has welcomed more than 50,000 visitors this year and serves as an introduction to SIU through various programs and events. A new Wildlife Habitat Education Center is also in development, with a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for August.

* WCIA | ‘Football is for everyone;’ Watseka Warriors hosting camp for disabled children: It’s called the “Tackling Disabilities Football Camp,” and it will take place on Saturday, July 26. Each camper will be paired one-on-one with one of the Warriors football players to serve as their buddy through the camp and through the stations. Those stations will include football activities such as passing, catching, kicking, tackling, running and even touchdown celebrations.

*** National ***

* WIRED | EPA Employees Still in the Dark as Agency Dismantles Scientific Research Office: On a call with ORD administrators and staff held Monday afternoon, audio of which was obtained by WIRED, leadership—including ORD acting administrator Maureen Gwinn—was unable to answer basic questions from employees, including a timeline for when the agency planned to permanently end ORD, how many employees would be transferred to other offices, and how many would lose their jobs. Employees at ORD who spoke with WIRED say that Friday’s public-facing email was the first concrete news they had heard about their organization’s future. One worker told WIRED that employees often learned more from news outlets, including WIRED, “than we do from our management.”

* Politico | ICE will ‘flood the zone’ in NYC: The Department of Homeland Security will “flood the zone” with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in New York City after the City Council blocked federal law enforcement agencies from opening an office in the city jails, President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan said Monday morning.