* ICYMI: Refugee families are the latest group to face SNAP food benefit cutoff. Sun-Times…

- As many as 16,000 people could lose SNAP benefits because of the change in eligibility for immigrants, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services.
- Trump’s policy changes put refugees in a Catch-22, resettlement agencies say. They can only receive SNAP benefits once they become legal permanent residents. But the federal government isn’t processing their green card applications.
- RefugeeOne anticipates 175 families, or 850 individuals they serve will lose SNAP benefits at some point this year, the majority of them children, Schulze said. World Relief Chicagoland expects more than 300 of their families will lose benefits.

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* Gov. Pritzker is in New York for a fireside chat with Rev. Al Sharpton at the 2026 National Action Network Convention at 11:30 CT.

* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Tribune | Chicago school board approves resolution against federal tax-credit scholarship program: Pritzker has yet to decide whether to opt into the program, which has stirred fierce opposition from public school advocates and the Chicago Teachers Union. “Public dollars are for public schools. Point blank, period,” said appointed board member Karen Zaccor, who represents District 4A on the North Side. “We are the stewards of those public dollars. Money pays for what we give our students — so this is about the students.”

* Center Square | Madigan corruption appeal to begin Thursday; Attorney General asks lawmakers for additional $15 million: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul says his office is requesting an additional $15 million for fiscal year 2027. Raoul told the Illinois Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday that his office generated $21.45 in revenue for every taxpayer dollar the office received for operations over the last seven years. State Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, asked Raoul if it was a good investment of taxpayer dollars when most of his cases against the Trump administration were thrown out at the federal level.

* Capitol City Now | Another lawmaker rallies with striking UIS faculty: On what was said to be another day of bargaining between administrators and the UIS United Faculty union, State Rep. Carol Ammons joined the rank and file, while in Springfield for the legislative session. She’s lead sponsor of the Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Act — a measure the University of Illinois, a school she represents in Champaign-Urbana — has opposed. One of the complaints of striking faculty here is that UIUC is getting most of the system’s funding, and UIS gets relatively little “Thank you for supporting the equitable funding model,” Ammons (D-Urbana) told the faculty. “We are one of, maybe, eight states, eight, that do not have a funding formula. Because of that, you all have seen not only the students’ inability to keep up with the cost to attend, but your inability to keep up with the cost to work here.”

*** Statewide ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Illinois farmers ease critical labor shortages through this agricultural visa program: Jeff Flamm, farmowner at Flamm Orchards in Cobden, struggled to find enough workers to harvest his crops — and the problem kept getting worse each year. “It got down to the point where I left a pretty significant amount of my crop in the field. One year I just couldn’t get it fixed. We just did not have enough help to get the job done,” he said. To resolve this labor shortage issue, Flamm turned to foreign workers. For the past 20 years, he has been employing a majority (approximately 80) of his farmworkers from abroad, through an agricultural nonimmigrant visa, the H-2A. As farm labor shortages deepen across the country, the H-2A visa program has become a lifeline for growers who can no longer find enough domestic workers to keep their operations running.

* WTVO | Illinois ranks 5th in nation for cyber crime complaints, loses $535M in 2025: FBI report: The state logged 32,977 complaints, resulting in reported losses of $535 million, an increase from $479 million in 2024, the report shows. Nationwide, cyber-enabled crimes cost Americans nearly $21 billion last year, up from $16.6 billion in 2024. Carrie Crot, a supervisory special agent in the FBI’s Chicago office, said Illinois’ high ranking stems in part from its large population and varying levels of cybersecurity practices across businesses, government agencies and individuals.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol City Now | State superintendent all-in on evidence-based funding: “Evidence-based funding,” enacted in 2017, “remains the principal funding source for Illinois schools,” said Illinois State Board of Education superintendent Tony Sanders (pictured). “In FY 2027, ISBE recommends an increase of $350 million, which includes $300 million in tier funding to school districts, and up to $50 million for the property tax relief grant, as required by statute.” Speaking to a House committee Tuesday, Sanders maintained he’s a fan. “EBF has transformed districts for the better and is most likely the reason why our pandemic recovery has been faster and stronger than other states.”

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Chicago Zoning Committee to skip another month and leave developments in limbo but alderman has plan for deal: Among other aldermen frustrated with the mounting delays, Ald. Nick Sposato, 38th, said he previously opposed Lawson’s appointment because he “didn’t think freshmen deserve anything.” But his tone has changed now. “At this point, we have got to do something, we just got to do something. This is an embarrassment,” he said, adding he would vote for Lawson.

* Fox Chicago | Mayor Johnson appointments face scrutiny amid harassment allegations: On Tuesday night, the mayor’s office denied Andrade’s account, saying the accusations have no basis and directly contradict prior communications between all the parties involved. Waguespack says the city council will have to take another look before simply confirming the mayor’s new appointees — like his pick for CDOT Commissioner William Cheaks — in light of the recent turmoil at the top.

* WGN | Chicago Teachers Union President joins The Point: The CTU is also arguably the most powerful force in Chicago politics. Current Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson came out of CTU leadership, and should he run for re-election, Davis Gates says he will have to make his case to the Union’s political action committee. She also argues the Chicago Teachers Union isn’t a “political party.”

* Tribune | ‘Mixed Marriage Project’ charts decades of Black-white marital unions in Chicago: In Dorothy Roberts’ latest book, “The Mixed Marriage Project: A Memoir of Love, Race and Family,” readers glimpse nostalgic moments from the sociologist and law professor’s family, with her parents at the center. An academic at the University of Pennsylvania who directs the Penn Program on Race, Science and Society, Roberts takes us through her childhood growing up in Kenwood as a biracial child of a white father, the son of Welsh and German immigrants, and a Jamaican-born mother turned Liberia citizen and student at Roosevelt University working toward her Ph.D.

* WGN | Legacy on the Line: Pilsen museum removes Cesar Chavez memorabilia: Chief curator Cesareo Moreno has spent the last few weeks, removing the pieces of art that include the labor and Civil Rights icon. Moreno says, “he (Chavez) certainly seemed almost too perfect,” he said. “His fight for social justice, his fight for the poor, the farmworkers.” Alejandra Sossa hopes the revelations don’t darken the farmworkers movement Sossa says, “The farmworker movement can’t just be associated with one person, because it belongs to a group of people.”

* Sun-Times | White Sox will give away pope-themed hats to honor loyal fan Pope Leo XIV: The White Sox will pay tribute to one of their most famous fans by offering pope-themed hats to some who purchase tickets for their game against the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 11. A limited number of hats shaped like the Pope’s miter, with the team’s sock logo in the middle, will be distributed. They will be available to fans in certain sections the White Sox referred to as “pews.” Tickets must be purchased from the team and not a third party in order to receive the hats.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Legal Newsline | IL Supreme Court says it can remove Cook Co. judge for pro-Trump column: On April 3, attorneys from the office of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a motion in Chicago federal court, seeking to toss a lawsuit filed against Illinois’ state Supreme Court justices by former Cook County Judge James R. Brown. In a brief filed in support of that motion, the Illinois Supreme Court justices argue their interests in ensuring Illinois state courts remain free of even the “appearance of impropriety” and bias override the ability of retired judges to exercise First Amendment rights, at least if they expect to be able to land temporary judicial assignments in the future.

* Legal Newsline | Jewish students can’t sue Northwestern over antisemitic protest response: According to Blakey, the complaint documented several incidents of stridently antisemitic depictions, statements and actions. But those allegations alone don’t establish a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, specifically the existence of a hostile educational environment, because of pleading requirements regarding what school officials knew and when, the judge said. “They allege a Title VI violation based upon ‘many other incidents on campus’ which contributed to the hostility they endured,” Blakey wrote. “But plaintiffs do not plead any facts about what these ‘other incidents’ involve; nor do they allege how these ‘other incidents’ were reported to Northwestern officials, or that those officials otherwise had actual knowledge of such incidents. For example, John Doe 2 alleges that he was the subject of a ‘derogatory and harassing online post.’ Yet plaintiffs do not allege anyone reported this post to Northwestern officials, or that Northwestern officials had actual knowledge of the post.”

* Fox Chicago | Cook County jury awards $51 million in missed glucose test case: Attorneys for Reinke argue a simple blood sugar test could have identified the condition and prevented the outcome. “I hope that screening for diabetes becomes a mantra in emergency rooms across the country so that outcomes like this can be avoided,” said attorney Jason Williams. They also say the verdict could help improve his quality of life, including access to a communication device he can operate with his eyes.

* Daily Southtown | Dolton firefighters raise concerns about interim chief, broken equipment after picket of Village Hall: Dolton firefighters are asking the Village Board to replace the interim fire chief it hired, claiming he is unqualified and has failed to meet certification requirements. The Dolton Professional Firefighters Association picketed Village Hall ahead of a board meeting Monday and raised concerns about broken equipment and poor leadership by Quention “Q” Curtis, who was appointed interim fire chief in September. The union filed a lawsuit last month asking that Curtis be discharged for failing to meet requirements for his position.

* Daily Southtown | Lawsuit seeks to stop Earthrise solar farm vote at Will County Board: “I want the record to reflect that I have been denied the opportunity to conduct cross-examination and to introduce evidence on behalf of my clients,” Becker, who is representing 16 residents in the lawsuit, said at the meeting. Earthrise’s proposal has sparked an outcry from neighboring residents about the impact row upon row of solar panels will have on the environment and the largely agricultural landscape in Green Garden, Manhattan and Wilton townships. In the lawsuit, Becker points to state and county law that requires residents be given a chance to present evidence and cross-examine witnesses at a public hearing for a special use permit, such as the one requested by Earthrise.

* Daily Southtown | District 130 board approves outside contract despite custodian protest: The District 130 school board is set to spend up to $150,000 on an outside custodian contract that its own custodians claim the district does not need. The District 130 board said the funds would be use to provide immediate additional custodian services to ensure cleanliness during an emergency situation where district facilities are unsanitary, according to the resolution. But the custodial union, Service Employees International Union Local 73, claimed at the meeting they have photographic evidence of clean facilities and emails from the district administration applauding the custodians work in keeping facilities clean.

*** Downstate ***

* Illinois Times | Phoenix Center facing closure: The new executive director told Illinois Times that the cutoff of funds, which also has spawned an ongoing criminal investigation by the Illinois State Police focusing on Cooley’s conduct, will jeopardize the nonprofit’s existence in the next 12 months if the agency’s financial quandary isn’t resolved. Cooley hasn’t been charged with any crimes related to the recent investigations.

* WICS | Former Springfield police chief at center of heated council meeting: Springfield activist, Teresa Haley, was at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. She said she was horrified when she heard former Springfield police chief Michael Walton using racial slurs. “He called Shawn Gregory the N-word and I was like no he didn’t just go there,” Haley said. “That set Shawn off.” […] “They should have turned off his mic, they should have said ‘thank you,’” she said. “… But they let him go on and on for the entire five minutes.”

* WREX | Freeport superintendent shares insight behind vote to layoff over 50 staff members: “We look to people to be able to make that change and make a difference in the lives of our kids so when we knew, when the board knew that there was no other way but to engage in a RIF process, which is reducing our workforce, we all knew it was going to be a very hard process,” Anna Alvarado said. The layoffs leave 22 Extra Support Personne and 32 Certified Staff Members either out of a job or give some the option to shift to another open position. Alvarado added this did not come out of nowhere, with them officially performing an audit in February.

* IPM News | University of Illinois students, unions launch campaign to ‘De-ICE’ campus contracts: The U of I protest is part of a national campaign by the Service Employees International Union. The local version launched at Willard Airport on Saturday, with a focus on Global Crossing Airlines, Hilton Hotels, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Flock Safety. “All of these corporations are profiting from this inhumanity. This university should not be doing business with them,” said SEIU Local 73 Field Organizer Ricky Baldwin.

* WCIA | Sangamon Co. seeking applicants for Mental Health Board: The Sangamon County Mental Health Board will be made up of nine people who will be responsible for evaluating community needs, establishing funding priorities and overseeing the distribution of resources to local service providers. The board members will be nominated by the County Board Chairman and approved by the County Board.

*** National ***

* WaPo | This GOP candidate seized a half-million ballots and says he may do it again: The logs that track ballots are preliminary and constitute only “partial data,” said David Becker, who assists election officials around the country as the executive director of the nonprofit Center for Election Innovation and Research. Election officials reconcile the number of ballots they receive with the number of voters they have to ensure their results are accurate, he said. The sheriff is basing his investigation “on information he either doesn’t understand or is willfully misrepresenting,” Becker said.

* NPR | ICE acknowledges it is using powerful spyware: Immigration and Customs Enforcement is using spyware tools that can intercept encrypted messages as part of the agency’s efforts to disrupt fentanyl traffickers, according to a letter sent last week by the agency’s acting director, Todd Lyons. Lyons’ letter, which was reviewed by NPR, said ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is using various tools as part of its mission to disrupt and dismantle foreign terrorist organizations, “particularly those involved in the trafficking of fentanyl.”

* AP | Trump administration terminates agreements to protect transgender students in several schools: The decision means the department will no longer play a role in enforcing those agreements, which called for schools to take steps to comply with federal civil rights law. The districts affected are Cape Henlopen School District in Delaware, Fife School District in Washington, Delaware Valley School District in Pennsylvania, and La Mesa-Spring Valley School District, Sacramento City Unified and Taft College in California. Under the Biden and Obama administrations, the department interpreted Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education, to include protections for transgender and gay students.

* The Newberg Graphic | Billions in unpaid taxes could help states fill budget holes, report says: The so-called tax gap — the difference between the taxes legally owed to the government and the amount paid — receives scant state attention, researchers from The Pew Charitable Trusts said in a report released Tuesday. That gap includes taxpayers who should file but do not, those who underreport their income, and those who do not pay on time. As many states confront budget shortfalls and deficits, Pew researchers said reducing these tax gaps could provide revenue needed to avoid tax increases or cuts to state services.