Isabel’s afternoon roundup (Updated)
Friday, Jan 24, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Block Club Chicago…
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrived at a CPS elementary school in Back of the Yards Friday but were turned away by school administrators, CPS officials said.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials arrived at Hamline Elementary School, 1548 W. 48th St., Friday morning, Chicago Public School officials said. The principal said school administrators followed protocols and did not allow the agents inside the school, according to officials.
Students and staff inside the school were safe, officials said.
“They kept the ICE agents outside of the school and contacted CPS’ Law Department and CPS’ Office of Safety and Security for further guidance,” CPS spokesperson Mary Ann Fergus said in an emailed statement.
* Fox Chicago Political Correspondent Paris Schutz…
*** UPDATE ***
* Tribune…
A downstate Republican lawmaker is urging Illinois prison employees to secretly send her information on undocumented immigrants who are behind bars so she can pass the information on to federal immigration authorities, raising concerns from a civil liberties group that she’s encouraging the workers to circumvent the state’s sanctuary law.
“If you are (Illinois Department of Corrections) staff who wants ICE to know of an illegal immigrant in IDOC call or message me,” state Sen. Terri Bryant of Murphysboro wrote in posts on X earlier this week. “I won’t rat you out. I will notify ICE.” […]
On Wednesday night, Bryant wrote three posts on X that include what appears to be an IDOC internal order telling state prison workers not to assist federal authorities in any immigration enforcement against people incarcerated in the state prison system.
Under the 2017 Trust Act, law enforcement in Illinois, including IDOC corrections officers, are generally barred from assisting federal law enforcement in immigration matters. But Bryant said in her posts that if IDOC employees confide in her about undocumented prison inmates, she will bring the information to the feds without revealing her source.
* Governor JB Pritzker…
Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) announced the addition of 5,150 publicly funded preschool seats as the result of the fiscal year 2025 Early Childhood Block Grants. The grants mark the second year of Governor JB Pritzker’s Smart Start Illinois plan, which aims to expand access to early childhood education by increasing the number of preschool seats available to working families. A total of 11,000 seats have been added under Governor Pritzker’s leadership.
“This is another historic step forward for early childhood education in Illinois, bringing us 5,150 seats closer to our goal of Universal Pre-K,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Every Illinois child deserves our full investment starting in their earliest years. Smart Start Illinois will put our children on the path to growth and opportunity while making our communities stronger, healthier, and more connected.” […]
Gov. Pritzker’s Smart Start Illinois initiative, which was launched in FY 2024, aims to eliminate gaps in access to preschool by expanding high-quality, publicly funded preschool programs to serve at least 80% of all low-income 3- and 4-year-olds in every community across Illinois. […]
The initiative prioritizes awarding funding to grantees in identified preschool deserts. The FY 2025 Early Childhood Block Grants awarded $32.2 million to 91 grantees administering half-day Preschool for All (PFA) and full-day Preschool for All Expansion (PFAE) programs, as well as Prevention Initiative services, which provide children aged 0-3 and their families with comprehensive support services.
Early Childhood Block Grants in FY 2025 include:
- Preschool for All: A total of $15.63 million awarded to 51 programs to serve 4,008 additional children.
- Preschool for All Expansion: A total of $9.70 million awarded to 25 programs to serve 1,142 additional children.
- Prevention Initiative: A total of $6.85 million awarded to 15 programs to serve 512 additional children.
*** Statehouse News ***
* WAND | Illinois lawmakers look to ban cancerous forever chemicals from household items: Illinois lawmakers have a new bill that would ban all use of forever chemicals in cookware, cosmetics such as makeup, dental floss, child products like pacifiers, underwear, menstrual products and food packaging. State Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Highland Park) said this is this the right time to raise awareness and start restricting the chemicals widespread use.
* Capitol News Illinois | Republican picked to chair Illinois House veterans committee ‘overwhelmed with emotions’: “And I said ‘sir, I’d be honored. I’d be honored to do that. I’d be honored to serve as chairman of the Veterans committee, serving Illinois veterans and veterans throughout the district,’” he said. Democrats have held a majority in the Illinois House since the mid-1990s, making it rare for a member of the minority Republican Party to chair a committee. Former Rep. Don Moffitt of Galesburg chaired the House Fire Protection Committee in 2010.
*** Statewide ***
* Crain’s | Purdue, Sackler family reach new $7.4 billion opioid accord: Bankrupt Purdue Pharma LP and members of the billionaire Sackler family agreed to pay $7.4 billion to a group of US states, including Illinois, and other parties to settle long-running litigation over OxyContin’s role in the deadly opioid epidemic. Illinois is slated to receive as much as $154 million from the settlement, according to state Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office.
*** Chicago ***
* Bloomberg | Chicago schools to take $400M advance from revolving credit: The Chicago Board of Education tapped $400 million from its short-term revolving credit agreements with Bank of America and PNC Bank. The amount drawn on Jan. 8 exceeded the $100 million draw down taken just a year ago, according to bond filings. It comes as the fourth-largest US public school district faces escalating fiscal pressures with federal pandemic aid coming to an end, underfunded pensions and rising labor costs.
* Block Club | Bally’s Chicago Wants Women, Minorities To Invest In New Casino — But Is It A Safe Bet?: But with bids due Jan. 31, financial experts are offering this advice for consumers: Don’t invest more than what you can afford to lose, because if the casino is never built or goes out of business, you’ll lose it all. […] “To say this will guarantee generational wealth building I think is a strong statement,” said William Towns, a professor of social impact at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and managing director of Chi-Town Impact, a private equity fund. “Could it possibly lead to that? Yes, it could, but there’s some big caveats there.”
* Bloomberg | Billionaire Crown dynasty revamps leadership after death: One of Chicago’s wealthiest families has named new leaders and appointed a board for the dynasty’s business after the death of Jim Crown at a racetrack accident in 2023. Bill Crown, Jim’s first cousin, will replace him as president and chief executive officer of Henry Crown & Co., according to a statement released on Friday. Jim’s brother Steve Crown will serve as executive chairman of a board of directors that will have five members.
* Sun-Times | Homeless tent camp to be removed from Gompers Park on Northwest Side: Ald. Samantha Nugent (39th) said in a letter to residents Thursday night that the city agreed to begin a process called an “accelerated moving event” that potentially will place people now living in tents at Gompers into shelters. The process begins the week of Feb. 24, Nugent said. An actual closure can take weeks. Once a decision to close is made, those living in the tents will be given a choice to move into a shelter with city assistance or to leave the park.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Lake County News-Sun | Illinois Supreme Court clears way for permanent Waukegan casino: Work on the permanent American Place Resort and Casino in Waukegan, which has been on hold since August of 2023, can resume after the Illinois Supreme Court put an end to litigation to which casino owner Full House Resorts was never a party. As soon as Alex Stolyar, Full House’s senior vice president and chief development officer, learned of the court decision, he said in a text work on the permanent facility will restart as the company’s temporary American Place casino continues to operate on the permanent site.
* Daily Herald | Aurora announces plan for sports complexes, housing near mall: An indoor sports complex and an e-sports facility will be built on 50 acres of city-owned land near the Chicago Premium Outlets mall, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin announced Friday. The development could also include other uses, including housing, Irvin said before revealing the companies selected to bring the vision to fruition.
*** Downstate ***
* TSPR | WIU announces nearly 90 administrative furloughs: Zach Messersmith, WIU Director of Governmental Relations, told TSPR that 89 employees are included in the furlough program, which will save the university nearly $500,000. Employees will not be allowed to work, receive regular pay, or report hours worked during their furlough days.
* WSIL | Chief Stan Reno accepts Carbondale City Manager position: Stan Reno has accepted a conditional offer for the Carbondale City Manager position. Reno is the current Interim City Manger and the Chief of Police in Carbondale. Reno will take on the City Manager position upon final approval of an employment agreement by the Carbondale City Council. As this transition is completed, Reno will appoint an Acting Chief of Police for the Carbondale Police Department. There will be a nationwide search for the Chief of Police position.
*** National ***
* WBEZ | Research contradicts public-safety rationale for Trump’s crackdown on immigrants and sanctuary cities: Benjamin Gonzalez O’Brien: Nationally, violent crime rates have been trending down and are now back to pre-pandemic levels. And while crime rates vary from city to city, state to state, there is no evidence that an increase in the undocumented population actually leads to an increase in crime. Research has found that immigrants, both documented and undocumented, actually offend at lower rates than the native-born population, including when it comes to violent crime.
* WaPo | Trump immigration raids alarm cities, but ICE arrests fewer than in 2017: The White House said immigration agents have arrested 538 undocumented immigrants and deported “hundreds” more. Those numbers are relatively modest for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge operations — a possible indication that the Trump administration’s show of force has so far outpaced the government’s capacity to deliver on the president’s lofty goals.
* The Daily Beast | Mayor Rages as U.S. Military Vet Nabbed in Trump’s Much-Hyped ICE Raids: About 10 or 12 ICE agents raided a Newark, New Jersey, seafood wholesaler and restaurant on Thursday and arrested three people, including the Puerto Rican warehouse manager, Ocean Food Depot owner Luis Janota told PIX11 news. Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. […] The ICE officers also didn’t have a warrant, in “plain violation” of the Fourth Amendment, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said in a statement. “One of the detainees is a U.S. military veteran who suffered the indignity of having the legitimacy of his military documentation questioned,” he said. “Newark will not stand by idly while people are being unlawfully terrorized.”
* NBC | Experts saw Samoa’s plunging vaccination rates as a crisis. RFK Jr. saw an opportunity: Months after Kennedy’s visit, the question of what would happen to Samoa’s unvaccinated babies was answered. A measles outbreak swept the country, sickening thousands and killing 83, mostly small children. As measles raged, Kennedy stayed connected to the island, writing to the prime minister to raise concerns about the vaccine and providing medical guidance to a local anti-vaccine activist who posted false claims about the vaccination campaign and promoted unproven alternative cures.
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* More background is here if you need it. Remember this?
Johnson’s campaign folks said they’d actually raised $200K during the quarter, but that it wasn’t reported.
* Turns out, they were apparently allowing the campaign checks to pile up before they deposited them, which they finally got around to doing. Tribune…
A new campaign finance report filed by Mayor Brandon Johnson includes over $200,000 his campaign had discussed but not officially reported. […]
State law requires politicians to report contributions greater than $1,000 within five business days of depositing the contributions. While Johnson may have been given checks for the large contributions months earlier, he appears to have followed campaign finance law by reporting the money shortly after depositing it, Illinois State Board of Elections spokesperson Matt Dietrich said.
Politicians often hold on to uncashed checks until elections get closer, he added. But for regulators, what matters is the deposit day.
“It’s not the day they had this big fundraiser, it’s the day they took all the money they raised at that fundraiser and put it into their bank account,” Dietrich said. “By our system, this has been done by the rules.”
It’s unclear whether any of those checks were received but not cashed during the Democratic National Convention last year, because the mayor’s third quarter report only disclosed about $3500 in receipts.
* Meanwhile, from the Sun-Times…
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s campaign fund has returned most of a $50,000 contribution it accepted a year and a half ago from a political action committee led by a City Hall lobbyist whose law firm has a city contract to collect outstanding utility bills.
Chicago ethics rules bar campaign contributions to a mayor by city lobbyists and city contractors. The Friends of Brandon Johnson campaign fund appears to have repeatedly violated those restrictions since Johnson took office in May 2023, prompting tens of thousands of dollars in refunds, the Chicago Sun-Times has reported.
The latest give-back appears to have been prompted by City Hall Inspector General Deborah Witzburg finding that the $50,000 given by the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee in June 2023 “exceeded the contribution limits set forth in” Chicago’s city code.
…Adding… It’s always a self-inflicted drip, drip, drip with this administration…
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* Memo to the State Employees’ Retirement System from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul…
We have your letter inquiring whether, pursuant to section 14-149 of the Illinois Pension Code (the Pension Code) (40 ILCS 5/14-149 (West 2022)), Timothy Mapes, a member of the State Employees’ Retirement System, has forfeited his pension benefits because of his convictions for the offenses ofperjury (18 U.S.C. § 1623(a) (2018)) and attempted obstruction of justice (18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(2) (2018)). For the reasons stated below, Mapes’ felony convictions related to, arose out of, or were in connection with his service as a State employee, thereby requiring the forfeiture of his pension benefits.
BACKGROUND
According to the records of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois provided to this office, on May 26, 2021 , a special grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Mapes. On August 24, 2023, a jury found him guilty of both counts.
Section 14-149 of the Pension Code requires the forfeiture of a participant’s retirement annuities and other pension benefits upon his conviction of a service-related felony and provides, in pertinent part:
Felony conviction. None of the benefits herein provided for shall be paid to any person who is convicted of any felony relating to or arising out of or in connection with his service as an employee.
The purpose of the felony forfeiture provisions in the Pension Code is to discourage official misconduct and to implement the public’s right to conscientious service from those in governmental positions by denying retirement benefits to public servants convicted of violating the public’s trust. […]
Illinois courts have employed three alternative tests for evaluating whether the requisite nexus exists. […]
“But For” Test
[…] Although Mapes made the false declarations triggering the perjury and attempted obstruction of justice convictions in March 2021 , after Mapes ceased his employment with the House of Representatives, Bauer makes clear that felony forfeiture provisions do not exclusively apply to felonies committed while the pension claimant is employed […]
The Indictment indicates that the federal investigation Mapes sought to obstruct concerned certain actions and communications that occurred, in part, while Mapes was still employed as Chief of Staff. Regardless of when Mapes made the false statements, there can be little question that Mapes knew about and sought to obstruct the matters that were the subject of the federal investigation because of his State employment. Additionally, while the Indictment refers to Mapes’ role as Executive Director of the Democratic Party, his conviction was for conduct that was not limited to that role […]
But for Mapes’ service as Chief of Staff to the Speaker, Mapes would not have been privy to the communications or activities at issue during his questioning before the grand jury. […]
“Material Element and Substantial Factor” Test
The court records likewise show that Mapes’ position as Chief of Staff was a material element and substantial factor in bringing about the subsequent criminal acts. […]
(A) nexus existed between Mapes’ felonies of perjury and attempted obstruction ofjustice and his service as Chief of Staff. As alleged in the Indictment, Mapes’ criminal conduct that resulted in his convictions was undertaken to hide certain actions and communications that occurred when Mapes was Chief of Staff for the Speaker, and involved the Speaker, other current and former members of the House of Representatives, current and former lobbyists, and others with legislative business before the House. […]
“Causal Connection” Test
[…] The court records available to this office also establish that Mapes’ felonies arise out of his employment as Chief of Staff or his knowledge gained from that position. […]
In sum, Mapes was in a position to commit these offenses because of the knowledge gained in his capacity as Chief of Staff for the Speaker. Mapes was employed as a senior aide to the Speaker for over 25 years. In this role, he obtained information related to the activities of the Speaker, as well as other current and former elected officials, and took actions and communicated with others in that capacity. Mapes attempted to hide these communications and actions. Mapes’ false statements, and the corresponding obstruction, thus clearly related to his public employment
CONCLUSION
Based on the records of the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois provided to this office, Timothy Mapes was convicted of felonies requiring the forfeiture of his pension benefits under the State Employees’ Retirement System pursuant ot section 14-149 of the Illinois Pension Code. However, pursuant to Illinois case law, he does retain the right to a refund of his contributions ot the system.
This is not an official opinion of the Attorney General. If we may be of further assistance, please advise.
…Adding… Comptroller Susana Mendoza…
I agree with Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s opinion that Tim Mapes’ state pension should be forfeited.
As I have stated all along, it is my personal opinion that anyone convicted of violating the public trust should be stripped of their taxpayer-funded pension.
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* Shortly before Biden left office, the Department of Justice announced a memorandum of agreement with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office and other local governments in the wake of Sonya Massey’s killing. The WaPo did not post the correspondence online, so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens…
The Justice Department has ordered the civil rights division to halt much of its investigative activity dating from the Biden administration and not pursue new indictments, cases or settlements, according to a memo sent to the temporary head of the division that was obtained by The Washington Post. […]
A separate memo sent to Wolfe on Wednesday says the civil rights division must notify the Justice Department’s chief of staff of any consent decrees the division has finalized within the last 90 days. That directive suggests that police-reform agreements the Justice Department has negotiated with cities including Minneapolis, Louisville and Memphis could be in jeopardy. […]
In December, the department announced a federal oversight agreement with the city of Louisville, where the 2020 police killing of Breonna Taylor helped spark nationwide justice protests. In early January, the civil rights division forged a police accountability plan with city leaders in Minneapolis, where the police killing of George Floyd galvanized the nationwide protests even further. Neither has been approved by a judge.
* Meanwhile, some far-right types attended a press conference today held by Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Johnson…
Q: Governor, what’s your response to people who might say that Democrats are the ones sowing chaos, confusion and fearmongering when talking about mass deportations that haven’t even happened in Chicago?
Pritzker: How can you say that we’re overreacting somehow? We’re not. They’re the ones, I’m talking about Donald Trump and his administration, Tom Homan, people at the Department of Homeland Security. They’re the ones that are threatening people, again, who are law abiding, who are often the anchors of their communities, who are paying taxes in this country. They’re the ones who are threatening people. We’re just standing up for people who live in our state and in our city. […]
Q: But rather than spending that amount money, focusing here, the amount of money you’ve spent on harboring illegals for the last four years and protecting them. And after Mayor Johnson’s email that just went out yesterday saying they’re going to spend more money on protecting illegals at the expense of American citizens, in particular on the West Side and the South Side, got representatives here, you got politicians over here why not invest that money there? And the second question is-
Pritzker: No, sit down, I’m going to answer that question. No we’re going to move on, we’re going to move on. Let me answer.
[cross talk] Q: President Trump- [cross talk]
I’m going to answer your question. The money that we spend in the state of Illinois is about protecting the residents of the state of Illinois.
Q: Citizens! Citizens!
Pritzker: That is what it is about. We will stand up for anybody who is standing up for the law. We follow the law in the state of Illinois, I’m very concerned that Donald Trump and the federal government is not going to be following law. Indeed, they have proposed getting rid of birthright citizenship for many families. Imagine, I mean my own family, many families that came to this country years ago, right? Who who have made successful lives over many years, that opportunity would be completely cut off. It’s unconstitutional. What they’re suggesting. It’s in the Constitution that we protect birthright citizenship. We all ought to stand up for the Constitution. This president does not. […]
Q: What about the Venezuelans? Why don’t you collaborate with ICE? [cross talk]
Please pardon any transcription errors.
* ISBE…
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has released Non-Regulatory Guidance on Immigration Enforcement Actions, providing actionable steps for schools to take to prepare to respond to immigration enforcement actions on school property under the Trump Administration. […]
When adopting policies on the level of cooperation - or non-cooperation - with ICE, ISBE guidance advises that school boards and superintendents should consider the following course of action:
• Adopt policies and set forth administrative guidance that clearly explains the steps their schools should take in the event immigration enforcement personnel seek to carry out an enforcement action or otherwise request information from schools.
• Establish a point person or department where ICE personnel can be directed should they arrive on campus. This might include a legal office, superintendent, or chief executive officer.
• Establish a point person or department to review records requests or subpoenas arriving from ICE or other related authorities as well as keep track of ICE requests in case this information is needed for future reference.
• A school’s policy should be made available to and discussed with instructional staff, administrative staff, and other staff and faculty members who might otherwise be on campus.
• Schools should ensure that their student data-sharing policies are up to date and that such policies are readily available to all faculty and staff as well as all third-party contractors who might have access to student data.
• Instructional staff, administrative staff, and other staff and faculty members should receive appropriate training to ensure proper implementation of school policies.
• Schools should encourage parents to keep their child’s emergency contacts updated and accurate.
• Schools are encouraged, to the extent possible, to have policies and procedures in place in the event a student’s parent is detained or deported.
* These numbers are not huge, to say the least. But it’s early…
According to U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE), the agency reported more than 460 arrests in a time period spanning Tuesday to Wednesday in a nationwide effort that included Illinois, Utah, California, Minnesota, New York, Florida, and Maryland.
Those arrested had criminal histories, including sexual assault, robbery, drug and weapons charges, and domestic violence, the agency said.
ICE also issued 420 detainer requests, which request that jails notify ICE when undocumented individuals are released from custody.
* Click here for the TRO…
* More from Isabel…
* WCIA | Illinois LGBTQ organization responds to Trump executive order slashing gender identity protections: In an email sent Tuesday night, Equality Illinois CEO Brian Johnson said to supporters while this executive order has a broad scope and could impact many areas, the orders do not go into effect immediately.
* Tribune | Chicago schools, churches and hospitals vow to protect migrants in US illegally after Trump lifts ban that limited immigration arrests in safe spaces: During a visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago said that the reports of the mass deportations in Chicago are “disturbing,” according to a news release. “The Catholic community stands with the people of Chicago in speaking out in defense of the rights of immigrants and asylum-seekers,” he said, adding that the church “would also oppose all efforts by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other government agencies to enter places of worship for any enforcement activities.”
* WGN | CTA, Chicago launch ‘Know Your Rights’ ads after Trump ICE threats: The ad campaign, featured on over 400 screens across CTA buses and trains, directs riders to online resources and guidance for visits by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
* AP | Here’s why some of your social media accounts appear to have automatically followed President Trump: After the new president is sworn in, the Facebook and Instagram accounts of the previous administration are archived and the posts, as well as followers, are preserved. These followers are then transferred to the new official accounts.
…Adding… From AG Raoul…
JOINT STATEMENT FROM ELEVEN STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL: STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CANNOT BE COMMANDEERED FOR FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont, today issued a joint statement addressing a memorandum from a Trump political appointee at the U.S. Department of Justice addressing state and local involvement in federal immigration enforcement:
“It is well-established — through longstanding Supreme Court precedent — that the U.S. Constitution prevents the federal government from commandeering states to enforce federal laws. While the federal government may use its own resources for federal immigration enforcement, the court ruled in Printz v. United States that the federal government cannot ‘impress into its service — and at no cost to itself — the police officers of the 50 States.’ This balance of power between the federal government and state governments is a touchstone of our American system of federalism.
“Despite what he may say to the contrary, the president cannot unilaterally re-write the Constitution. The president has made troubling threats to weaponize the U.S. Department of Justice’s prosecutorial authority and resources to attack public servants acting in compliance with their state laws, interfering with their ability to build trust with the communities they serve and protect. Right now, these vague threats are just that: empty words on paper. But rest assured, our states will not hesitate to respond if these words become illegal actions.
“As state attorneys general, we have a responsibility to enforce state laws, and we will continue to investigate and prosecute crimes, regardless of immigration status. We will not be distracted by the president’s mass deportation agenda.”
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* St. Louis Public Radio…
[Ted Kaye of the North American Vexillological Association] and fellow flag enthusiasts have even put together their own edits of some of the final designs, which had been whittled down from a field of nearly 5,000 by members of the Illinois Flag Commission.
The fundamental changes made to the finalists center around simplicity and being able to identify a flag at a distance.
“I think it’s very important to get back to that fundamental purpose of discernibility and memorability,” Kaye said. “Each of these designs could be made more simple and more effective as a design. There are some that just don’t really say Illinois, and others that really do. And those that say Chicago.”
For instance, Kaye said he’d change every flag with a six-point Chicago star for a classic five-point star to better represent the entirety of the state.
Through Feb. 14, you can vote once every 24 hours on 10 finalists. Click here to vote.
* The original options…
* Here are Kaye’s redesigns…
What are your thoughts? Are these redesigned flags any improvement?
…Adding… [By Rich] From Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation on not being selected as a finalist by the state panel…
“As leaders of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, we express our profound disappointment in the decision not to select a new design for the Illinois state flag that acknowledges the historic and enduring contributions of Tribal Nations to the region.
“Illinois takes its name from the Illiniwek Confederation, a collective of Indigenous Nations whose lands, cultures and governance shaped this region long before statehood. Tribal Nations, including the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, maintain deep connections to these lands and continue to contribute to the state’s cultural and historical richness.
“A new state flag was a meaningful opportunity to educate the public, honor the past, and demonstrate a commitment to reconciliation with the Indigenous peoples of this land.
“We urge Illinois leaders and residents to reflect on the significance of inclusion and to consider how the state can better represent and honor its shared history. A future where Illinois acknowledges its Indigenous foundations is not only possible but necessary for fostering mutual respect and understanding.
“The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation remains committed to dialogue and partnership, and we stand ready to support efforts that center truth, respect and recognition in the state’s symbols and policies.”
The nation’s submission…
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