NAME, it’s Kat Abughazaleh. I have learned that Donald Trump’s Department of Justice has charged six people, including myself, with federal crimes for exercising our First Amendment rights near ICE’s Broadview processing center.
This is a political prosecution and a gross attempt at silencing dissent, a right protected under the First Amendment.
Here’s the truth: As I and others exercised our First Amendment rights, ICE has hit, dragged, thrown, shot with pepper balls, and teargassed hundreds of protesters, myself included.
This case is yet another attempt by the Trump administration to criminalize protest and punish those who dare to speak up. Because Chicago doesn’t back down from bullies in masks who teargas our neighborhoods, this administration is resorting to weaponizing the federal legal system to scare us into silence.
THEY know they are wrong, they know that they are inhumane, and they know that history will not be on their side. We cannot diminish ourselves in the face of these tactics; it’s time to unite and show up for humanity, for our rights, for everyone terrorized by Trump’s lawless secret police.
This legal fight will be extraordinarily expensive, and I need you on my team. Just $1 from each of our supporters would go a long way to ensuring we have the resources we need to defend the First Amendment. xxxx.us/xxxx?t=xxxxx
On or about September 26, 2025, at approximately 7:45 a.m., Agent A was wearing civilian clothes driving a government-owned vehicle (the “Government Vehicle”) to the BSSA [Broadview Service Staging Area] to report for his official duties. Agent A’s official duties at the BSSA included supervising logistics such as intake, processing, bedspace and transportation coordination for those temporarily detained in Broadview, communicating with upper management and federal partners to manage operations and ensure necessary supplies and proper staffing levels, and responding to requests for information, both internally and from the public. […]
On or about September 26, 2025, at Broadview, in the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division,
MICHAEL RABBITT,
KATHERINE MARIE ABUGHAZALEH,
ANDRE MARTIN,
CATHERINE SHARP,
BRIAN STRAW, and
JOSELYN WALSH,
defendants herein, conspired with one another and others, known and unknown, to prevent by force, intimidation, and threat, Agent A, a United States law enforcement officer, from discharging the duties of his office, and to injure him in his person or property on account of his lawful discharge of the duties of his office, and while engaged in the lawful discharge thereof, and to injure his property so as to interrupt, hinder, and impede him in the discharge of his official duties.
It was part of the conspiracy that, as Agent A drove the Government Vehicle and reached the vicinity of the BSSA on or about September 26, 2025, and turned west onto Harvard Street in Broadview, a group of individuals, including RABBITT, ABUGHAZALEH, MARTIN, SHARP, STRAW and WALSH, surrounded the Government Vehicle, with the intent to hinder and impede Agent A from proceeding to the BSSA and discharging the duties of his office.
It was further part of the conspiracy that, while surrounding the Government Vehicle, RABBITT, ABUGHAZALEH, MARTIN, SHARP, STRAW, WALSH, and others, among other things, banged aggressively on the Government Vehicle’s side and back windows, hood, and other vehicle body parts; crowded together in the front and side of the Government Vehicle and pushed against the vehicle to hinder and impede its movement; scratched the body of the Government Vehicle, including etching a message into the body of the vehicle, specifically the word “PIG;” broke one of the Government Vehicle’s side mirrors; and broke a rear windshield wiper off the Government Vehicle.
Rabbitt is the 45th Ward Democratic Committeeperson. Sharp is running for Cook County board.
…Adding… From Sen. Laura Fine, another CD9 Democratic candidate…
I am disgusted by the partisan and unethical indictments of Kat Abugazelah and five others at the direction of Donald Trump’s weaponized Justice Department.
This unjust prosecution is an attempt to intimidate and silence those who stand up for their rights and beliefs. It’s an attack on anyone sickened by masked men roaming our streets and shoving our neighbors into unmarked cars. It’s a threat to everyone willing to call this what it is: creeping tyranny.
Today it’s Kat. Tomorrow it could be any one of us. This administration wants to rob us of our empathy - to make us afraid to fight for one another. But we cannot abandon the values that make us who we are. We’re a community that shows up, links arms, and refuses to look away. No indictment, no threat, no act of intimidation will change that.
* Daniel Biss…
“The only people engaged in violent and dangerous behavior at Broadview have been ICE. As someone who has protested at Broadview multiple times, I know these protests are nonviolent demonstrations against the kidnapping of our neighbors. Now, the Trump Administration is targeting protestors, including political candidates, in an effort to silence dissent and scare residents into submission. It won’t work.
“I hope these frivolous charges are dropped immediately and Trump begins to listen to the vast majority of Americans who oppose his terror campaign.”
* Granato is running against Sharp for county board…
The following statement can be attributed to Democrat Elizabeth Granato, candidate for Cook County Board of Commissioners District 12:
“Donald Trump’s decision to indict protestors for exercising their constitutional right to speak out against federal agents targeting our communities is beyond the pale. I’ve demonstrated at Broadview myself, and we’ve all seen violence being incited by federal agents, not protestors.
“After pardoning January 6th rioters who assaulted police officers, Trump is once again weaponizing the Department of Justice, this time against ordinary Americans who believe in the rule of law.
“We will not be distracted from unconscionable violations of civil liberties ICE and CBP commit and the terror they unleash against our communities.
“I will continue to bear witness and fight alongside my neighbors as we work to protect our communities and keep families together,” said Elizabeth Granato.
Oak Park Village Trustee Brian Straw was one of six indicted on conspiracy to impede the work of a federal law enforcement officer according to U.S. Northern District of Illinois court documents filed last week. […]
Straw provided Wednesday Journal the following comment Wednesday:
“I joined the protests at the Broadview ICE detention facility because of what is happening to our immigrant neighbors: children zip-tied and shoved into vans, mothers pulled from cars on the way to school, neighbors afraid to go to church or work. The Trump Justice Department’s decision to seemingly hand-pick public officials like me for standing up against these inhumane policies will not deter me from fulfilling my oath of office. I will fight these baseless charges, and I will continue to stand with and protect our immigrant neighbors.”
* Cat Sharp…
Cook County Board candidate Cat Sharp responds to federal indictment for participation in protest at Broadview ICE facility
CHICAGO (Wednesday, October 29, 2025)–Cook County Board candidate Catherine “Cat” Sharp responded to federal charges brought against her and five other defendants on Wednesday for their participation in protest activity outside of the Broadview, Illinois ICE processing facility in September.
“The charges brought against Ms. Sharp are ludicrous,” said attorney Molly Armour, who is representing Sharp. “We are confident that a jury of Ms. Sharp’s peers will see them for exactly what they are: an effort by the Trump administration to frighten people out of participating in protest and exercising their First Amendment rights.”
“As long as ICE is terrorizing members of our community and disregarding due process, I believe we must continue to speak out,” said Sharp. “I’m proud of my work organizing in our neighborhoods to keep our immigrant neighbors safe from harm.”
“The federal government is targeting my chief of staff, Cat Sharp and others for standing up and speaking out against their brutal campaign against immigrants. They want to scare our community into submission. It won’t work,” said Ald. Andre Vasquez (40). “With these charges, they’re acting with the same lack of regard for the constitution that we’ve seen from them every day on the streets of Chicago. All we need to say is ‘see you in court.’”
Cat Sharp is a candidate in the March 2026 Democratic primary election for the 12th District Cook County Board seat currently held by incumbent Commissioner Bridget Degnen, who is not running for reelection.
Reporter: The House introduced a sweeping transit bill last night that includes a number of revenue enhancements including a billionaires tax, amusement tax, sales take among others. What’s your position on the bill and do you support it?
Pritzker: Well, I have to say they sprung a whole bunch of things that have never been seen before, so it’s very hard to evaluate in a short period of time. I think there’s a whole lot of work the legislature still needs to do. As you know, when you come up with a new idea, it’s got to be run through the Department of Revenue to figure out how you might go about collecting the tax or what it would actually yield. And so anticipate that that work will be done.
There are things like the, what you’re calling a billionaires tax, that is really it’s a tax on unrealized capital gains. It’s never been done before, never been done before by any state, never been done by the federal government. So once again, you got to do a whole lot of work before you can pass a bill that if you don’t even know how it would work or whether you could actually collect on it.
Click here for more on the mark to market tax from the Tax Foundation.
* On allowing municipalities to install speed cameras…
Reporter: The bill also includes a provision that adds 50 percent of the revenue from speed cameras in towns outside of Chicago to go to the newly proposed governing authority to whatever changes the lawmakers want to make to mass transit. But this would mean that the suburbs and other Illinois towns would be allowed to have speed cameras, right since you since none of them have them, except for the city of Chicago. Two part question, is that something you support?
Pritzker: No.
Reporter: How do you think that will look? How do you think increasingly Democratic voters in the suburbs will take that since they would be paying for this?
Pritzker: It’s a bad idea. We’ve had so many problems with speed cameras in the state. There’s been corruption around them. Honestly, I think we need to, you know, take a pause.
Reporter: What about the amusement/entertainment tax?
Pritzker: We could go through the whole bunch of things. As you know, the Senate passed a bunch of things last May… I mean, as it is, it’s not going forward. There’s got to be a lot of discussion between the House and the Senate in order to come up with a final bill, because it isn’t going to look like what the House has put forward.
Today Tim Drea, Illinois AFL-CIO President, on behalf of the Labor Alliance for Public Transportation, released the following statement in support of SB2111 HA2 to address Illinois’ transit fiscal cliff and offers long overdue reforms to improve public transit across Illinois:
“We applaud Leader Buckner, Leader Delgado, and the entire House Transit Working Group for their hard work to secure the future of Illinois’ public transportation systems. It is imperative that the General Assembly pass this legislation before the end of Veto session to establish a dedicated, sustainable revenue source that will fund our transit networks for the long term and deliver coordinated, cost-efficient public transportation for all Illinoisans.
After years of rallies, meetings, and town halls, one message is clear: Illinoisans want safe, reliable, and fully funded public transit. Without action by Thursday, layoff notices will be issued and service cuts will follow - threatening our economy and access to jobs, healthcare, childcare, and more. SB2111 HA2 provides us the opportunity to deliver a stable, world-class public transit system that our communities both need and deserve. The time for action is now.”
* I’ve received several press releases about petition filings today, including this one…
Early this morning, after collecting over 17,000 petition signatures, nominating papers were filed to secure ballot access for statewide incumbents Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulous and Treasurer Mike Frerichs. The impressive haul was the result of a coordinated effort by the Democratic Party of Illinois (DPI) and the Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association (IDCCA).
* So far, two releases were sent by Democrats running for comptroller. First up, Rep. Margaret Croke…
Today, on the first day of filing for the 2026 election cycle, State Representative Margaret Croke filed 10,000 signatures, the maximum allowable by the Illinois State Board of Elections, as the next step towards getting on the Democratic ballot in March in the race for Illinois State Comptroller.
* Sen. Karina Villa…
Surrounded by supporters and volunteers, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago), candidate for Illinois State Comptroller, today officially submitted over 15,000 petition signatures to the Illinois State Board of Elections.
One of Villa’s supporters had to be separated from a Darren Bailey backer this morning. Harsh language warning…
Nice de-escalation job by Illinois State Board of Elections spokesperson Matt Dietrich.
* The guy in black appears to be “Pizza Joe.” Sen. Villa featured him in a video this morning (click here if the video is no longer available). Joe Smith owns a pizza place and has irritated Republican customers, and Republicans in general, with his Facebook posts.
…Adding… From Sen. Villa…
I was disappointed to hear about it. While emotions can run high during campaigns, there’s no excuse for physical confrontation. I want to be clear that our campaign believes in respectful, civil debate. We’re building a movement for transparent, progressive fiscal leadership that lifts working families and represents all of Illinois.
He’s not a paid staffer and Villa said he didn’t travel to Springfield with her and she didn’t know he would be in town.
* Not everyone was so amped up today. The governor, for instance, showed some grace to the Bailey campaign…
We were just talking about the terrible loss that the Baileys have suffered. He thanked me for the words that I had for the Baileys. And, you know, we just talked, I think, you know, one father to another about what they must be going through.
[Asked to elaborate about what this means for the campaign]
Well, I mean, I again, I cannot imagine what they’re going through. And I know that the funeral is coming up, and I think it’s, of course, appropriate for all of them to maybe take some time. And I just again, I think the kinds of things that people go through when they lose family members, and particularly when you lose a son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. I only know that it’s going to take time. Grief is difficult to get past.
State Representative Stephanie Kifowit, a pro-labor Democrat and candidate for Illinois Comptroller, officially filed her nomination petitions today, submitting almost 12,000 signatures to secure a place on the March 2026 primary ballot. The filing caps off a successful ground floor petition drive that began in September, demonstrating significant momentum for her campaign.
* Holly Kim…
Holly Kim’s campaign submitted over 16,500 petition signatures from more than 500 volunteers across nearly every county in Illinois, underscoring the strong, broad grassroots support for her candidacy.
Leader Jeffries just got added to the Speaker’s Springfield schedule for this afternoon
The meeting with House Speaker Chris Welch to discuss congressional redistricting is at 4:30.
Checking with Senate President Harmon’s office. Stay tuned.
…Adding… Leader Jeffries will also meet today with Senate President Harmon.
* Meanwhile…
* Indiana Gov. Mike Braun calls a special session to redraw the state’s congressional boundaries: President Donald Trump has ramped up pressure on Republican governors to draw new maps that give the party an easier path to maintain control of the House in the midterms. While Republicans in Texas, Missouri and North Carolina have moved quickly to enact new districts and California Democrats are seeking to counter with their own redistricting plan, Indiana lawmakers have been far more hesitant. Braun called for the General Assembly to convene Nov. 3 for the special session. It’s unclear whether enough of the GOP majority Senate will back new maps.
Illinois Redistricting Must Protect Fair Representation and Meet Common Cause Fairness Criteria
Chicago – Common Cause, the nation’s premier redistricting leader, is urging Illinois state legislators to ensure that any mid-decade redistricting meets the organization’s six fairness criteria. For weeks, rumors have swirled about the possibility of mid-decade redistricting to add an additional Democratic seat to the state’s congressional delegation during the veto period.
“For over 50 years, Common Cause has fought to make sure voters choose their politicians, not the other way around, and we’re not going to stop now,” said Elizabeth Grossman, Common Cause Illinois Executive Director. “Common Cause opposes mid-decade redistricting that does not meet our fairness criteria. Of particular concern is the prospect that new maps might dilute the political power of Black voters in Illinois—we cannot let this happen.”
“President Trump set off a cycle of mid-decade redistricting when he directed Texas to find him five more Republican seats,” said Dan Vicuña, Common Cause Senior Policy Director for Voting and Fair Representation. “Our fairness criteria were developed to meet this moment—to give every state engaging in mid-decade redistricting as counterbalance to President Trump’s partisan power grab a clear, consistent standard that prevents long-term harm to fair representation.”
Common Cause does not endorse partisan gerrymandering and created its Fairness Criteria as a national framework to guide states as they navigate this escalating redistricting cycle. The criteria were developed to prevent partisan reactions—Democratic and Republican alike—from entrenching long-term inequities in representation. To date, Common Cause has evaluated mid-decade redistricting in three states: California, Missouri, and Texas. States must meet all six criteria to avoid Common Cause’s opposition.
Common Cause’s Six Fairness Criteria:
• Proportionality: Any mid-decade redistricting should be a targeted response proportional to the threat posed by mid-decade gerrymanders in other states.
• Public participation: Any redistricting must include meaningful public participation, whether through ballot initiatives or open public processes.
• Racial equity: Redistricting must not further racial discrimination or dilute the political voice of Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian American, and Pacific Islander, or other communities of color.
• Federal reform: A public endorsement of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, including provisions banning mid-decade redistricting and partisan gerrymandering.
• Endorsement of independent redistricting: Leaders pursuing mid-decade redistricting must publicly endorse fair, neutral redistricting processes, such as, citizen-led independent redistricting commissions.
• Time-limited: Any new redistricting maps must expire following the 2030 Census.
To read more about Common Cause’s fairness criteria, click here.
To read Common Cause’s “50 State Report on Redistricting,” click here.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is scheduled to visit Illinois on Monday to talk to members of the Illinois Black Caucus about redrawing the state’s congressional map. Some of them have been outspoken against the idea, fearing it will dilute Black political power.
Jeffries will have to address those concerns quickly: Illinois lawmakers are back in Springfield this week for the annual fall veto session, and redistricting could get added to the agenda.
The Illinois Senate Black Caucus, via its chair, state Sen. Willie Preston, issued a public warning to Jeffries that it won’t support a map that dilutes Black voting population in historically Black districts. Preston is running for Rep. Robin Kelly’s (D-Ill.) seat, one of those districts. Kelly is running in the Democratic Senate primary.
Jeffries’ trip to Chicago is an acknowledgment that support from Black lawmakers will be crucial toward passing a new map. Preston will also be in the meeting today, per a person familiar with his plans.
Illinois has three historically Black districts held by Kelly and Democratic Reps. Danny Davis and Jonathan Jackson. Black lawmakers have voiced concerns that squeezing another seat out of the state could lower the number of Black voters in those districts, potentially hurting Black representation.
The state currently has 14 Democrats and three Republicans. Democrats hope to draw out one more Republican to counter President Donald Trump’s push to gerrymander in red states.
* Governor Pritzker was asked about the meeting this morning…
Reporter: There’s been reports that Hakeem Jeffries is going to be in Illinois today to lobby on the redistricting issue. What have you heard? Where do you stand on that? What do you know?
Pritzker: I haven’t heard any more than I think last time we spoke about it. I found out that Leader Jeffries was coming just over the weekend. I know he’s going to be speaking with members of the Black Caucus, but I’m not sure what that conversation will be like.
Reporter: Where do you stand there? What do you what do you think in the next week, in the last week of veto session. Do you think anything’s realistic as far as passing that could benefit Democrats?
Pritzker: Oh, sure. I mean, I think it’s possible. And again, this is you know all about the fact that Donald Trump is now trying to, well, rig the game by going state by state, and asking his friends, the Republican governors and Republican legislators to do mid decade redistricting. So that’s something we’re all going to have to look at during the process here. But it doesn’t have to happen during veto session. It could happen after that, but right now there’s just a lot of conversation going on.
* Related…
* AP | Indiana calling special session for redistricting: Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has signed a proclamation calling for a special session to redraw Indiana’s congressional boundaries starting on Nov. 3. In a statement, Braun said: “I am calling a special legislative session to protect Hoosiers from efforts in other states that seek to diminish their voice in Washington and ensure their representation in Congress is fair. I am also asking the legislature to conform Indiana’s tax code with new federal tax provisions to ensure stability and certainty for taxpayers and tax preparers for 2026 filings.”
* NYT | In Battle for Congress, Virginia Democrats to Begin Votes to Redraw Maps: Virginia lawmakers are expected to assemble on Monday to start a process that could redraw the state’s congressional districts for the 2026 midterm election. Virginia is the latest state to plunge into the fight over control of Congress, where Republicans hold a tightrope-slim majority and launched a surprise effort this summer to shore up their control by pushing Republican-led states to redraw congressional districts ahead of schedule.
* WVWU | Ohio Redistricting Commission, tasked with approving bipartisan map, can’t agree on rules: Critics have been saying the state’s redistricting process is broken. An effort to overhaul it last year failed, but there are new calls for changes. As the process to draw a new 15-district congressional map moves into a second phase, it’s been fraught with disagreement over the most basic parts. That was evident in the first meeting of the Ohio Redistricting Commission this week. At its first meeting on Tuesday, the seven members of the commission were divided on the basic rules that should used for the meetings. Co-chair Brian Stewart (R-Asheville) wanted to adopt one parliamentary process.
While millions of federal workers and military families are struggling during the government shutdown, Hakeem Jeffries is nowhere to be found in Washington. Instead, he is in Illinois playing political games and plotting with state Democrats to rig our electoral maps even further. ILGOP Chairman Kathy Salvi released the following statement:
“As Illinois families feel the pain of a government shutdown, Hakeem Jeffries is ignoring his duty in Washington to try to turn Illinois’ maps into even more of a pretzel. Let’s be clear: this trip isn’t about Illinois families. It’s about getting a shining moment on CNN and Democrats holding onto their power.
“JB Pritzker and Illinois Democrats have already gerrymandered Illinois to hell and back, creating one of most partisan maps in history. While Democrats continue to play partisan games, the Illinois Republican Party will continue to fight for fair maps and representation.”
Don’t forget that the nonpartisan Gerrymandering Project at Princeton University deemed Illinois’ congressional maps with two “F” grades in 2021.
