The U.S. Department of Justice sued Illinois and the city of Chicago on Thursday, accusing them of impeding the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies and seeking a court order sweeping aside so-called sanctuary laws.
Citing a national emergency declared by President Donald Trump on Inauguration Day, the Department of Justice is seeking to block the enforcement of several state and local laws that “interfere with and discriminate against” the federal government’s enforcement of federal immigration law.
The complaint was filed in Chicago federal court. […]
Newly installed U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a memo on Wednesday that said sanctuary jurisdictions should not receive federal Justice Department grants and the department should take actions against jurisdictions that impede immigration enforcement.
The United States brings this declaratory and injunctive action to prohibit the State of Illinois and its subdivisions from enforcing several state and local laws—namely, the Way Forward Act, TRUST Act, Welcoming City Act, and Cook County, Ill. Ordinance 11-O- 73—that are designed to and in fact interfere with and discriminate against the Federal Government’s enforcement of federal immigration law in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution. […]
Both the Governor of Illinois JB Pritzker and Mayor of Chicago Brandon Johnson, sued here in their official capacities, profess a shared interest with the Federal Government in enforcing immigration laws to effectuate the removal of such offenders from the United States. Last week on CNN, Governor Pritzker proclaimed: “Well let me start by being clear that when we’re talking about violent criminals who’ve been convicted and who are undocumented, we don’t want them in our state. We want them out of the country. We hope they do get deported. And if that’s who they’re picking up, we’re all for it.” https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/26/politics/video/sotu-pritzker-on-planned-chicago-immigration-raids. Illinois laws, however, provide otherwise. […]
The Illinois Way Forward Act and TRUST Act both impede the Federal Government’s ability to regulate immigration and take enforcement actions against illegal aliens by preventing state law enforcement officials from assisting with federal civil immigration enforcement. Under these laws, state officers are explicitly prohibited from complying with immigration detainers or civil immigration warrants; they are also prevented from entering into agreements to detain noncItizens for federal civil immigration violations. […]
By refusing to honor civil detainers and warrants expressly authorized by Congress, Defendants have unlawfully eliminated these means for federal immigrations officials to carry out their statutory functions.
The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) welcomes today’s federal court ruling that the U.S. Attorney General’s threat to withhold law enforcement funding from sanctuary cities has no basis in law.
The decision from the Northern District Court of Illinois, written by Reagan appointee Judge Harry D. Leinenweber, is another significant federal ruling blocking the administration’s anti-immigrant agenda.
The City of Chicago sued the U.S. Department of Justice last month after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced he would cut federal Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funding to cities and states that refuse to honor immigration detainers or have their local police act as immigration agents. The court found these conditions to be unlawful. At issue was Chicago’s 2012 Welcoming City Ordinance, which forbids the city’s police from inquiring about immigration status or detaining individuals for immigration purposes.
“Today’s ruling creates a critical roadblock to the administration’s persistent drive to enlist our local police in federal immigration enforcement,” said NIJC Associate Director of Litigation Mark Fleming. “As the City of Chicago has long recognized, and as our communities and elected officials acknowledged last month as Governor Rauner signed the TRUST Act into law, removing the fear that any interaction with the police could result in deportation is important to public safety and critical in building trust between communities and the police; that is what sanctuary city policies are all about.”
This post will likely be updated.
…Adding… From Gov. Pritzker…
Statement from the Illinois Governor’s Office:
“Unlike Donald Trump, Illinois follows the law. The bipartisan Illinois TRUST Act, signed into law by a Republican governor, has always been compliant with federal law and still is today. Illinois will defend our laws that prioritize police resources for fighting crime while enabling state law enforcement to assist with arresting violent criminals. Instead of working with us to support law enforcement, the Trump Administration is making it more difficult to protect the public, just like they did when Trump pardoned the convicted January 6 violent criminals. We look forward to seeing them in court.”
Noting some recent comments directly from Gov. Pritzker too:
• January 28 Press Conference: “We can make sure that we’re following the law which is what we always do and that the federal government is following the law. That’s most of what we can do. We’ve passed laws in Illinois to protect people and we’ll continue to focus on taking action where they’re most threatened.”
• January 24 Press Conference: “We’re all having discussions across all the agencies of state government to make sure that we’re communicating. It’s Know Your Rights, making sure that people know what they should do if an agent shows up and asks them for proof of citizenship or proof of residency. Everybody is looking to follow the law and make sure that families are safe in the process. The federal government is not communicating with state government or local governments about what they’re doing, how they’re doing it, and so we don’t know exactly how to either assist the parents in dealing with it or assist the federal government in the work that they’re doing that is legally constitutional. It’s a challenge. But what we’re communicating with all of our agencies and making sure that, again, know your rights is really what we’re trying to communicate to all the parents and all the organizations across the state.”
At a Loop news conference, Preckwinkle said “we’ll defend ourselves and hope for success in the court system… We’re gonna fight back. We will pursue every legal opportunity to defend the programs that we believe in and defend our values.”
A spokesperson for the city Law Department said they were reviewing the suit. Johnson has pledged to maintain the city’s sanctuary policies.
The lawsuit also named Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling and Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart as defendants. CPD officials declined to comment. Dart’s office couldn’t immediately be reached.
…Adding… Leader Curran…
Illinois Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) released the following statement in response to The United States Department of Justice filing suit against the State of Illinois and City of Chicago for impeding federal immigration enforcement:
“By continuing to obstruct federal immigration authorities from apprehending dangerous criminals being harbored in Illinois illegally, Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Johnson are putting both law enforcement and Illinoisans at risk. For years, the Democratic Majority has ignored multiple pieces of legislation brought forth by Illinois Republicans to repeal the Trust Act and allow state and local authorities to communicate with federal immigration enforcement agencies. Their continued refusal to put the safety of Illinois citizens before their own personal political agendas has now forced the federal government to intervene to keep Americans safe. I strongly encourage the Governor, Mayor of Chicago, and Democratic legislative leaders to quit impeding law enforcement’s ability to cooperate and assist federal authorities with removing violent criminals who are here in Illinois illegally, and immediately call our repeal of the Trust Act for a vote.”
…Adding… Attorney General Kwame Raoul…
“The 10th Amendment to the Constitution preserves Illinois’ right to decide how we use our law enforcement resources. This includes opting out of federal attempts to commandeer those state law enforcement resources to perform the federal government’s job on civil immigration enforcement. The TRUST Act reflects Illinois’ constitutionally-protected choice. We have successfully defended the TRUST Act in federal court before, and we look forward to vigorously defending the law again.”
Creates the Homeschool Act. Requires the State Board of Education to create a Homeschool Declaration Form to be used by a homeschool administrator to submit information indicating that a child is enrolled in a homeschool program to the principal of the public school or to the school district that the homeschooled child would otherwise attend. Provides that a student enrolled in a homeschool program in which the homeschool administrator has not notified the public school or school district with the Homeschool Declaration Form is considered truant, with penalties applying. Provides that if a child in a homeschool program seeks to enroll part time in a public school or participate in any public school activities taking place on or off of school grounds, the homeschool administrator must submit proof that the child has received all required immunizations and health examinations or a signed Certificate of Religious Exemption. Sets forth requirements for homeschool administrators and programs and reporting requirements. Makes conforming and other changes in the Freedom of Information Act, the School Code, and the Illinois School Student Records Act, including requiring (rather than allowing) nonpublic schools to register with the State Board of Education.
Last year, ProPublica and Capitol News Illinois published a series of stories examining Illinois’ “hands-off” approach to homeschooling.
Amends the Trustees Article of the Illinois Local Library Act. Provides that a candidate for the position of library trustee must have a valid library card for the library.
* Sen. Mike Porfirio…
State Senator Mike Porfirio is backing House Bill 2723, introduced by State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid, which would lift state pension investment restrictions placed on companies engaged in boycotts of Israel. Porfirio plans to file a bill in the Illinois Senate with identical language this week.
“Public pension funds should prioritize fiscal responsibility,” said Porfirio (D- Lyons Township).
In Illinois, public pensions are managed through administered retirement systems. The systems invest funds into assets such as stocks, bonds and real estate, and in return, guarantee annual benefits to employees once they retire.
Current law prevents the Illinois Investment Policy Board from investing public pension funds in companies that intentionally engaged in boycotts of Israel. House Bill 2723 would lift this restriction, allowing the state to invest in companies solely based on financial standards.
House Bill 2723 awaits committee assignment in the Illinois House of Representatives. The bill introduced by Porfirio will await assignment once filed.
Illinois’ neighbor to the north is well-known for its prodigious alcohol consumption.
There’s a reason why “Drink Wisconsinbly” has become a popular Badger State slogan.
A bill now up for consideration in the Illinois General Assembly proposes to put Illinois on the same footing as Wisconsin in at least one drinking measure.
The bill, introduced by State Rep. John Cabello (R-Machesney Park), would amend the Liquor Control Act of 1934 to allow 18- to 20-years-olds to drink alcohol at bars and restaurants in Illinois, so long as a parent or guardian is present.
On February 5, a coalition of Illinois leaders, advocates, and community members gathered at the Illinois State Capitol Building Rotunda to rally support for the Clean Slate Bill.
This legislation aims to modernize the state’s record-sealing system by replacing the outdated petition-based model with an automated system. The bill seeks to remove barriers for over 1.5 million Illinoisans with old criminal records, fostering economic stability across the state.
According to the Paper Prisons Initiative, an estimated 73% of people in Illinois with an arrest or conviction record are eligible to have their records sealed under the current petition-based process. This represents 2.2 million Illinoisans who have met the requirements for a second chance but continue to be denied employment, housing, and other opportunities because of a past record. […]
In addition to economic benefits, the bill aims to promote public safety by removing barriers to meaningful employment, housing, and other opportunities. Donnell Williams, a member leader at the Workers Center for Racial Justice, called for action, saying, “We don’t want another task force to talk about the causes of recidivism. We don’t want another think tank to talk about the barriers to re-entry. We don’t want a seat at the table, we want to help build the table for our own resources that our community needs. We need automatic expungement now! We need good jobs now!”
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, on and after October 1, 2025, the default speed limit is [25] (instead of 30) miles per hour within an urban district, and 10 (instead of 15) miles per hour in an alley within an urban district. Requires, by September 1, 2025, the Secretary of State to communicate the speed limit change to every licensed driver in the State via direct postal mail and a broad statewide communications campaign. Provides that a county, municipality, or township with speed enforcement authority may only issue warnings for violations during the first 60 days after the change of the speed limit is enacted. Effective immediately.
…Adding… A small note on Rep. Hirschauer’s bill: The synopsis contained a typo, stating 20 mph instead of 25 mph. I’ve corrected it to match the bill’s language.
…Adding… Rep. Bob Morgan…
Illinois State Representative Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield) has introduced HB 2969, the ‘Balanced Earnings And Record Standards & Stadium Oversight Expectations Act,’ also known as ‘The BEARS Act.’ This legislation is designed to establish a merit-based framework for determining when tax dollars can be used for public funding of sports stadiums, based on the performance of the teams.
“Our primary goal with this bill is not to punish teams, but to ensure that Illinois taxpayers’ dollars are spent responsibly. No one wants to see taxpayer dollars wasted by billionaire team owners that are not investing in their teams’ competitiveness,” Representative Morgan said. “As families across Illinois are tightening their belts due to the rising cost of living, we must be careful with how we spend limited public dollars, especially when it comes to billion-dollar franchises. Illinois should be committed to ensuring that public investments are directed to Illinois residents, and then to teams that, at the very least, are performing at a competitive level.”
The ‘BEARS Act’ requires professional sports teams to achieve a .500 record or above in at least three out of five regular seasons in order to qualify for public financing for stadium construction, renovation, or maintenance. If a team’s record drops below .500, they will be ineligible for future funding until they demonstrate improved performance over three out of five seasons.
The legislation aims to ensure that taxpayer funds are only allocated to teams that demonstrate a basic level of competitiveness. “This isn’t about perfection; it’s about making sure that the teams we invest in have a realistic chance of being successful and bringing value back to the community,” Morgan added.
Public funding for sports stadiums often proves a poor return on investment. While proponents claim it boosts local economies, many studies show that the benefits are often overstated. The jobs created are typically low-wage and temporary, and the economic impact rarely offsets the massive public subsidies. In many cases, teams and stadium owners capture most of the profits, leaving taxpayers to cover construction, maintenance, and potential projected revenue shortfalls. This raises concerns about whether such investments truly benefit the public.
“While Illinois enters an unprecedented time, with state funding under constant threat from the Trump administration, Illinois must be vigilant with every cent spent. While I don’t support using taxpayer dollars for stadiums, this framework ensures that, if funds are spent, they go to teams offering the best return on investment,” concluded Representative Morgan.
Condemns President Donald Trump’s inexcusable pardons of his coconspirators and criminals convicted of attacking police officers, attacking our Capitol, and attacking our democracy.
The House Republicans called for a caucus meeting during debate. They came back in and then walked out during the roll call…
The HGOPs are holding a press conference.
* The other resolutions teed up for debate…
* HR116: Condemns President Donald Trump’s cruel and lawless efforts to block lifesaving services that help people access healthcare, put food on the table, afford housing, and more. Urges the United States Congress to take clear and unequivocal action to check the undemocratic actions of the Trump Administration that violate the constitutional separation of power. Renews the commitment to helping Illinois families get ahead by supporting the services they need to be their best, expanding access to affordable healthcare, and reining in the cost of living.
* HR115: Calls on President Donald Trump to stop the actions of his administration that are making communities less safe, undermining the rule of law, and raising the cost of living. Urges federal lawmakers to instead prioritize comprehensive reforms, including a pathway to citizenship, and focus on the safety of every community, the economic security of every family, and the rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution.
* HR117: Condemns President Donald Trump’s efforts to undermine equal pay, make workplaces less fair, and limit opportunity. Condemns the false, hateful comments President Trump and his allies have used to impugn and demean working people. Renews commitment to prioritize equal pay for equal work, opportunities for all, and protections in our workplaces in Illinois.
* HR119: Calls upon President Donald Trump to abandon his reckless tariff plans that would raise costs on Illinois families and businesses.
…Adding… From the HGOP presser…
…Adding… Rep. John Cabello (R-Machesney Park) was asked this question today…
You are a police officer. I mean, do you agree, though, that should people that assaulted police officers be pardoned?
He didn’t answer, and instead tried to pivot to the SAFE-T Act. He was asked again, and he didn’t answer again.
* Rep. Chris Miller (R-No Relation) has talked on the floor this session about his strong support for the president’s actions and was asked for his thoughts. Rep. Cabello interrupted to say…
We’re not here to discuss what’s going on nationally. We’ve got some issues here in this state.
* House Republican Leader Tony McCombie…
Q: The Democrats would say that this is in response to some of the comments that have been made by some members of this caucus about some of these topics, whether it’s immigration or some of the other topics that were addressed in some of those resolutions. What would you say to them? What would you say to those that would say that the House Republicans are not talking about some of these issues that you just mentioned, that you guys are talking about some of these topics.
McCombie: Why are they so worried about what the super minority was saying on the other side? And if they’re having to be talking about some of the members of a caucus within our caucus, why are they so worried about a small group within our minority, they’re still part of our team. What are they worried about? What are they scared about? I think they should just worry about their own districts and worry about the election cycle.
…Adding… During the roll call on HR115, Marcus Evans calls out Republicans by name to ask if they want to vote…
…Adding… House Speaker Chris Welch…
What’s been coming out of Washington, DC these last couple of weeks has been sad and concerning on many levels, and the people who elected you to be here would want you to be here, to speak for them… pardons to rioters who severely harmed law enforcement officials. We are here to speak up against that freezing legally mandated funding for state and local governments and blocking the services families need to keep a roof over their head, blocking the funding for Head Start programs to keep their doors open. We are here to speak up for those families who need those services.
But there’s 40 people who were elected by people in this state who walked out on those people today, they should be here speaking out against issuing tariffs on our friends and allies in Canada and Mexico that will raise the cost of everything in our districts and their districts too, but they’re not here to speak up for those people. They’re not here to talk about President Trump taxing working families all across this country to pay for tax cuts for his billionaire friends. They’re not here to talk about a president who is doing everything except addressing our broken immigration system. They’re not here to talk about him leading by fear and intimidation, causing immigrant families to stay inside and not go to school, not go to church, not visit restaurants, not visit malls. They’re not here.
They’re not here to talk about the president attacking workers rights and Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs that data proves work and make us all better, even people in their districts. They’re not here to talk about special government employees who no one elected using Nazi salutes and accessing America’s most personal and confidential information.
They’re not here to talk about what’s coming out of Washington DC. What’s coming out of Washington DC can be summed up in one word, fascism. Fascism. Fascism.
They should be here to speak out against fascism. We cannot be silent. We must rise up. Speak up, speak out. We cannot walk out on the people that sent us here. We have to stay in faith. German pastor Martin Niemöller once said, ‘First they came for the communists and I did not speak out because I was not a communist, then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. But then they came for me, but there was no one there left to speak for me.’
Members, this is not a time to be silent. This is not a time to walk out on your job. This is not a time to walk out on the people who sent you here. This is a time to stay, Stand and fight.
We have members who were elected to represent people on that side of the chamber who traveled to Washington, DC on January 6, 2021 to march for Donald Trump, with Donald Trump, but today, February 5, 2025, they couldn’t stay and do their jobs and speak out against fascism.
But we’re here, Illinois.
We are here. The Democratic caucus is here. We’re united on this floor. We’re here speaking up for you, Illinois. We’re here speaking out for you, Illinois, whether you’re in a blue district or a red district, we’re here. What Trump is doing is wrong for Illinois, what Trump is doing is wrong for America, and we are here to speak out against it. We will resist, we will fight, and we will win. Vote yes and condemn this nonsense coming out of Washington.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
* From the House Republicans…
In response to several House Resolutions brought forward by the majority party, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie released the following statement after her caucus left in a unified protest, refusing to vote:
“Today, House Republicans stood together for working families across Illinois and against the petty political games of the majority party. We are here to promote economic growth, improve public safety, and deliver real relief to taxpayers. It’s time to do our jobs—offering solutions that benefit our state and the hardworking people we represent. House Republicans are here to work, not to waste time on political theater.”
In closing, Rep. Kam Buckner called the Republicans “the Houdini caucus, silence and absence, ignoring the harsh realities of what their inaction will lead to for the people that they represent, proving that they’re in a rocky relationship with democracy. Nobody in any of our districts gets paid to leave their job early, and they don’t expect that of us. What they do expect is for us to fight, for them, to push back against ham handed, haphazard, nonsensical government action. And we, those of us who remain, will do exactly that.”
…Adding… More from McCombie’s spokesperson…
“I think we struck a nerve: The Speaker’s unhinged grandstanding this evening just proves our point. If Speaker Welch needs ideas on how to serve Illinois families, House Republicans have solutions to get the job done.”
Gov. JB Pritzker says the Trump administration’s widely reported plans to slash funding and staff at the Department of Education, or eliminate it altogether, could cost the state’s schools billions. […]
Federal funding accounts for roughly 10% of budgets for K-12 schools, he said. […]
Pritzker also noted the importance of federal support for special-education funding.
“To get rid of special education is to harm the most vulnerable children in our state,” he said.
Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday signed legislation aimed at making it easier for relatives to become a child’s foster parents.
The Kinship in Demand (KIND) Act would allow the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services more flexibility in certifying grandparents and other relatives as foster parents for children in their family. […]
Currently, relative caregivers must go through the same certification process as traditional licensed foster parents who may be total strangers to a child, making it difficult for them to take in a related child as their own. […]
The KIND Act also makes sure related foster parents would get the same financial benefits as traditional licensed foster caregivers to help them pay for the care and supervision of a child in their care.
…Adding… This will cause a stir…
WHAT: Press conference introducing legislation to restore protections for peaceful advocacy in
Illinois by repealing the state’s 2015 anti-boycott law targeting advocates for Palestinian freedom.
WHO: State Representative Rashid
State Senator Porfirio
Advocates representing the Illinois Coalition for Human Rights, a diverse multifaith coalition of local advocates including, Rabbi Brant Rosen, Lesley Williams, Deanna Othman, Sheri Maali
WHEN: Wednesday, February 5, 2025 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
WHERE: Blue Room Illinois State Capitol Building Springfield, IL
WHY: Illinois’ 2015 anti-boycott law has had serious consequences for human rights advocacy. The most prominent example came when the state divested from Unilever after Ben & Jerry’s decided to stop selling ice cream in Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian territories due to human rights concerns. President Trump’s latest statement—calling for the U.S. to take over Gaza—raises the alarm about the risk of wholesale ethnic cleansing, making the repeal of this law even more urgent. Illinois must not be complicit in shielding human rights abuses from accountability or suppressing peaceful advocacy.
VISUALS: Coalition of diverse faith leaders, civil rights advocates, and community members gathering to support legislation protecting constitutional rights, including the right to advocate for Palestinian freedom.
Apparently, folks are tiring of the Illinois Freedom Caucus speeches during what's so far been a nothing-burger legislative week https://t.co/X4iCkntctb
…Adding… After two Democrats spoke in debate, the House Republicans called for a caucus of between an hour and an hour and a half.
* Equality Illinois…
Equality Illinois Boards of Directors launches an open search process to identify the next CEO for the statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization
Brian C. Johnson, the CEO of Equality Illinois since 2016, announced today that he will transition out of the role on June 30th after nine years helping to grow the statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization into a multi-issue and high-impact advocacy organization. He will focus his energies in the interim on fighting back against the hate-filled agenda flowing from Washington DC, making Illinois the first state in the country to protect the lives of sex workers by fully decriminalizing adult consensual sex work, and providing for a smooth leadership transition.
“It has been a privilege of a lifetime serving the half a million LGBTQ+ Illinoisans over these past nine years,” Johnson said. “I have served during three Presidents, worked with two Governors, and partnered with three Chicago mayors. We have even survived a global pandemic and shutdown together. But now is the right time to hand the baton over to the next leader who will direct the important work ahead. I plan to spend this next year discerning how I can continue to serve Chicago, Illinois, and our country while spending some more intentional time as a husband and father; my two favorite roles.” […]
Commenting on the transition during this time, Johnson said “I know these are tough times. We are under attack like we haven’t been in my lifetime. This is why we are planning a thoughtful extended transition.” Johnson added, “Until then, I am all in. I am comforted to know that Equality Illinois has never been better poised to meet this moment.”
*** Statehouse News ***
* Tribune | Illinois attorney general says state will protect gender-affirming care, despite Trump executive order: After a week of uncertainty for Illinois hospitals and clinics over an executive order seeking to end gender-affirming care for minors, the Illinois attorney general issued a statement Wednesday saying the state will protect such care. The statement, from Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the attorneys general of 14 other states, says that federal dollars remain available to institutions that provide gender-affirming care despite the executive order, and that Illinois and the other states will take legal action if that funding is halted.
* The Triibe | Social justice organizations push to automate expungement and record sealing in Illinois: The Clean Slate Illinois Coalition (CSIC), which is leading the effort, aims to streamline expungement and record sealing statewide. Advocates say the economic impact is projected to restore up to $4.7 billion in lost income to the Illinois economy, as people with sealed records could see an estimated 20% wage increase, according to CSIC. For many impacted by the criminal justice system, the stigma of a conviction doesn’t end once their sentence is complete. A criminal record creates barriers to housing, jobs, and more, according to Antonio Lightfoot, who’s among those lobbying for the Clean Slate Act.
* Crain’s | 2nd bill in Springfield aims to get rid of single-family zoning: The bill, HB 1814, calls for small municipalities in Illinois to let builders put up multi-unit structures on most lots that are now zoned for single-family residential. It complements a bill introduced a year ago that would do the same in large municipalities, including Chicago.
* WAND | Amy Meek to serve as Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Human Rights: Meek is a civil rights attorney. The announcement comes alongside Alex Bautista’s transition from IDHR after nearly 8 years of service to work on special projects with the Governor’s Office of New Americans. “Alex Bautista has been an essential advisor for the last 6 years. He was thoughtful, deliberate, and collaborative,” said IDHR Director Jim Bennett. “I am confident that Amy Meek will rise to the occasion in her new role as she leads our efforts to secure freedom from unlawful discrimination for all individuals in Illinois.”
*** Chicago ***
* Tribune | Following budget strife, Mayor Brandon Johnson says passing a spending plan is ‘City Council’s responsibility’: At an inaugural “Lakeside Chat” community engagement event to tout Johnson’s 2025 budget, the mayor and his budget director Annette Guzman sought to appeal directly to constituents after a bruising road to securing enough City Council votes for the $17.1 billion 2025 spending plan two weeks before the Dec. 31 deadline. But the event at Harold Washington Library, originally billed for 300 guests, saw only a few dozen attendees.
* Crain’s | City asks judge to reconsider ruling on how TIF dollars are awarded: Cook County Circuit Judge Cecilia Horan ruled last month that an internal city committee that reviews funding requests for the city’s tax-increment financing districts met the definition of a public body and violated the Open Meetings Act by not holding public meetings or making committee agendas available, nor taking notes or audio recordings of the nearly monthly meetings. In a motion filed yesterday asking Horan to reconsider the ruling, the city argues the decision would have the “unintended consequence of chilling communications of high level officials that are necessary to do the business of the residents of the city of Chicago.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson is accepting an invitation to testify on Chicago's sanctuary city status as part of a GOP House probe. pic.twitter.com/jS6xSXEBAn
City Clerk Anna Valencia accuses a member of the mayor's staff "improperly" asked that a video of a public meeting be edited & that an employee of the clerk's office took down the video before Valencia ordered it restored: https://t.co/5pDB5iHbEn
* WTTW | Lawsuit Filed by Man Who Spent More Than 29 Years in Prison After Being Tortured, Wrongfully Convicted Set for Trial: The police detectives who tortured James Gibson were directly supervised by Jon Burge, a disgraced former Chicago police commander. Dozens of lawsuits and complaints alleging physical abuse have been filed against detectives trained by Burge, who city officials admit tortured and beat more than 100 Black men during his career. Although no physical evidence or eyewitness ever linked Gibson to the murders of 61-year-old Lloyd Benjamin and 56-year-old Hunter Wash in an Englewood garage in December 1989, the then 23-year-old was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison after telling police he was in the garage when the two men were killed.
* Block Club | Chicago Fire’s Near West Side $80 Million Training Center Opening Next Month: The new “world-class” center includes two and a half hybrid grass/turf pitches, three synthetic turf pitches, a 10,000-square-foot inflatable dome and a 56,000-square-foot performance center containing the soccer club’s athletic and medical facilities. Construction is nearly done and the soccer club expects its professional team to start training at the Near West Side center before the Major League Soccer season begins in late February. Plans call for the center to officially open in March.
* Crain’s | Citadel nears deal to shrink, move Chicago office: More than two and a half years after Citadel uprooted its headquarters from Chicago, the hedge fund is poised to slash its office footprint in the city and move out of its namesake Loop tower. Citadel is in advanced talks to lease about 55,000 square feet on two floors in the office building at 353 N. Clark St., according to sources familiar with the negotiations. The new office space in the 45-story River North tower would be a fraction of the 315,000 square feet it leases today at 131 S. Dearborn St., known as Citadel Center.
* NBC Chicago | Here’s the timing of when icy roads could impact Chicago-area travel: A winter weather advisory will take effect Wednesday afternoon across all of northern Illinois and parts of northwest Indiana, as up to one-tenth of an inch of ice could coat untreated roadways and sidewalks, along with power lines and tree branches. The advisory will first take effect across areas south of Interstate 80, including LaSalle, Grundy and Kankakee counties in Illinois, along with Newton and Jasper counties in Indiana. The advisory will take effect at 6 p.m. in the rest of northern Illinois and northwest Indiana, and remain in effect until Thursday morning.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Daily Herald | Mental health advocates decry planned service cuts, layoffs at Arlington Heights hospital: Northwest suburban mental health advocates are speaking out against the planned cuts to inpatient psychiatric services and layoffs of more than 100 workers at Arlington Heights-based Northwest Community Healthcare. Arlen Gould, a board member of the North-Northwest Suburban Task Force on Supportive Housing for Individuals with Mental Illness, called the proposed cuts by corporate owner Endeavor Health “troubling” at a time when the demand for mental health treatment continues.
* Tribune | North suburban schools prepare for potential immigration raids: Kalman Resnick, a Chicago-area immigration attorney, told Pioneer Press that it’s unlikely that immigration agents will attempt to detain students in school. “I don’t think it’s a priority (for the Trump administration) right now. They’re prioritizing people who are already in the process of deportation, either because they either have an outstanding order of deportation, or they have a criminal conviction,” he said.
*** Downstate ***
* SJ-R | Springfield-based health system names new president and CEO: The health system announced Mandy Eaton will be the new president and CEO beginning April 1. Eaton will take over for Ed Curtis who is retiring at the end of March. Before coming to Memorial, Eaton served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Cone Health, a non-profit healthcare organization that includes five hospitals and numerous outpatient locations serving a five-county area in North Carolina.
* WCIA | ‘I was absolutely shocked’; Effingham teacher surprised by classroom guest: “Hello, is this Becky Wilson?” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This is Governor JB Pritzker calling, how are you?” “Illinois is among the best states in the nation on these [test] scores for eighth graders for reading and math, and it can’t happen without great teachers like you,” he went on to say.
* WAND | Peoria County now has one confirmed case of tuberculosis: The Peoria County Health Department has confirmed one tuberculosis (TB) case in the county, and the patient is now in active treatment. […] Claushayla Nunn, an epidemiologist at the health department, said when someone’s infected, they’re isolated. “The team of disease specialists will track and do Directly Observe Therapy [where they watch the patient take medication if there is an active patient,]” said Nunn.
*** National ***
* AP | President Donald Trump’s birthright citizenship order is put on hold by a second federal judge: A federal judge on Wednesday ordered a second nationwide pause on President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship for anyone born in the U.S. to someone in the country illegally, calling citizenship a “most precious right.” U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman said no court in the country has endorsed the Trump administration’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment. “This court will not be the first,” she said.
* AP | NWSL creates $5M fund for players as part of a settlement from abuse scandal in 2021: The funds will go to players who experienced abuse. The settlement also requires the league to maintain safeguards put into place following a pair of investigations released in late 2022 that found widespread misconduct that impacted multiple teams, coaches and players. It also gives the attorneys general, Kwame Raoul of Illinois, Brian L. Schwalb of Washington, D.C., and Letitia James of New York, the ability to oversee changes that the NWSL made after the scandal broke, and the ability to fine the league if it fails to uphold those changes.
* AP | Pro-Trump Arab American group changes its name after the president’s Gaza ‘Riviera’ comments: Bishara Bahbah, chairman of the group formerly known as Arab Americans for Trump, said during a phone interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday that the group would now be called Arab Americans for Peace. The name change came after Trump held a Tuesday press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House and proposed the U.S. take “ownership” in redeveloping the area into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
