U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi Sues Illinois, Chicago in Immigration Squabble!

The U.S. government sued Illinois and the city of Chicago on Thursday, accusing them of impeding the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies. Citing a national emergency declared by President Donald Trump on Inauguration Day, the U.S. 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. Read More At Newsmax Feb. 6, 2025, 2:53 PM CST / Updated Feb. 6, 2025, 4:01 PM CST By Adam Edelman, Shaquille Brewster and Michael Kosnar The Trump administration sued the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago on Thursday, alleging that their sanctuary city policies are blocking federal authorities from enforcing immigration laws. The federal lawsuit is the first by President Donald Trump’s Justice Department against states or municipalities that have sanctuary city policies in effect. The 22-page lawsuit, filed one day after a sanctuary jurisdiction directive was issued by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on her first day on the job, alleged that the sanctuary policies put in place by Illinois, Chicago and Cook County “obstruct” the federal government from enforcing immigration laws. “The challenged provisions of Illinois, Chicago, and Cook County law reflect their intentional effort to obstruct the Federal Government’s enforcement of federal immigration law and to impede consultation and communication between federal, state, and local law enforcement officials that is necessary for federal officials to carry out federal immigration law and keep Americans safe,” the lawsuit reads. The suit is the latest vehicle to be used by the…

The Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools entered the “fact finding” phase of negotiations in January 2025. Here’s what that means, whether Chicago students might be out of class, when and what it all could do to taxpayers.

The Chicago Teachers Union isn’t likely to be on strike until April under Illinois labor laws. The union had expected to sail through contract negotiations with Chicago Public Schools this time around after bankrolling one of their own union operatives into City Hall in 2023. “This year’s CTU contract negotiations will be different than any other,” CTU boasted in April 2024. Then the union started negotiations with a self-proclaimed “defiant” list of more than 700 demands that would cost the district an additional $10.2 billion to $13.8 billion. The union’s president was cavalier about how it “will cost $50 billion and 3 cents. And so what?” But despite having former CTU employee Brandon Johnson as mayor, there’s been a gigantic hurdle: the school district’s $500 million budget deficit and CPS CEO Pedro Martinez’ determination not to stick it to Chicago taxpayers. Seven months after the expiration of the previous agreement, the two sides are deadlocked on several provisions. They formally entered the “fact finding” portion of negotiations in January 2025, moving CTU one step closer to going on strike. Here’s what you need to know about fact finding, how it could play out in coming weeks and how CTU is posturing itself for a strike – its go-to weapon against the families and taxpayers of Chicago. What is fact finding? The Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act governs collective bargaining between public school districts and teachers unions. Under the law, when CPS and CTU fail to reach an agreement, the dispute can be submitted to “fact finding” by either side. Under the law, the parties each…

Brandon Johnson Will Testify to Congress About Chicago’s Sanctuary City Status on March 5

Heather Cherone | February 5, 2025, 2:37 pm Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Wednesday accepted an invitation from the Republican chairperson of the U.S. House Oversight Committee to testify about the city’s self-proclaimed status as a sanctuary city. Johnson will appear March 5 alongside Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and New York City Mayor Eric Adams, according to a statement from his office. All four are Democrats. Johnson’s appearance is likely to represent a flashpoint in the ongoing battle with the GOP-controlled U.S House and the Trump administration, which is attempting to strip self-proclaimed sanctuary cities of all federal funding. Johnson has repeatedly said Chicago will remain a welcoming city and Chicago police officers will continue to be prohibited from helping Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents deport undocumented Chicagoans. Johnson has blasted Trump’s efforts to launch the largest mass deportation in American history as “unconscionable and abhorrent.” U.S. Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky), the committee’s chair, also requested all documents and communications related to Chicago’s sanctuary status, including those between each city, non-governmental organizations and state officials. State law also prohibits law enforcement agents from assisting federal immigration agents. “Sanctuary mayors have prioritized criminal illegal aliens over the American people,” Comer said in a statement posted to the social media platform X. “They owe Americans an explanation for their policies that jeopardize public safety and violate federal immigration law by releasing dangerous criminal illegal aliens back onto the streets. These reckless policies in Democrat-run cities and states across…

Chicago schools to take $400M advance from revolving credit, Even Amid Possible Strike!

The Chicago Board of Education tapped $400 million from its short-term revolving credit agreements with Bank of America and PNC Bank! Read More At Crains Chicago. CHICAGO (WLS) — The potential of a teachers strike is moving closer to reality in Chicago. Chicago Public Schools and the teachers union are reaching a stalemate in negotiations. Chicago teachers are no strangers to strikes: The last three contracts with Chicago Public Schools landed after the teachers walked off the job. “To force our hand to take a strike vote is a very cruel and mean joke,” CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said. Davis Gates claims CPS CEO Pedro Martinez is deliberately stalling. “He is being a bully,” Davis Gates said. Martinez and his team deny they are stalling. “There is all this rhetoric and accusations that are not based on truth; we have more agreements today in contract than last two contracts,” Martinez said. Both sides have agreed to take the next step, which is a fact-finding: a path to a potential strike. Read More At ABC 7 Chicago. New CPS school board needs fiscal discipline, creative problem-solving There were hopeful notes at the swearing-in of 20 new board members, half of them elected. Now the hard work begins. We don’t envy the difficult job facing Chicago’s new Board of Education members, 20 of whom were sworn in on Wednesday. But we’re rooting for the board to succeed, especially in these tumultuous times. And the swearing-in at Chicago Public Schools headquarters provided plenty…

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s finance reports show trouble raising money, accounting for it – Chicago Tribune/MSN

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s latest campaign finance reports suggest ongoing issues with sloppy clerical work as well as fundraising, a troubling sign for the freshman mayor midway into his term. State records show that from July through September 2024, the mayor’s political fund raised about $3,500, at that point his lowest haul during his first two years in office — and a surprise given his role as host mayor of the Democratic National Convention that August. After that, Johnson reported an astonishingly low total of $970 raised during the next quarter that ended Dec. 31. Johnson’s political spokesman, Jake Lewis, did not say Friday whether that $970 was a mistake beyond suggesting that amendments were forthcoming. Another spokesperson, Christian Perry, had told Politico the previous day that the mayor actually raised about $200,000, a much higher total but one that could land his political committee in hot water with the state due to contribution reporting requirements. “Our campaign abides by all state and local campaign finance rules and regulations,” Lewis said in a statement. “Recent changes to city campaign finance law have required us to take the necessary time to properly vet contributions and ensure compliance. As we’ve done for the entirety of this Mayor’s term, we will file the appropriate amendments to reflect contributions to the campaign, a process that is commonplace in Illinois.” Lewis did not elaborate on what city law he was referring to, but the mayor last year clashed with his handpicked Ethics Committee chair, Ald. Matt Martin, 47th,…

Chicago prepares for possible deportation arrests!

Immigration officers may be making their way to Chicago in the coming days. It follows a campaign promise from incoming President Donald Trump to begin mass deportations across the country. By Kasey Chronis Published  January 20, 2025 10:16pm CST Migrants in Chicago FOX 32 Chicago The Brief CHICAGO – As President Donald Trump returns to the White House, he is vowing to execute the largest deportation operation in U.S. history.  What we know: There are reports of large-scale Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids possible in Chicago as early as this week. In response, immigration support networks are ramping up resources, attorneys have been busy, and experts are encouraging employers to have I-9 forms ready. In the hours since Trump took the oath, some Chicagoans are bracing for the possibility of ICE agents showing up at their doors. “The talk has been of trying to catch people who have outstanding deportation orders, quite a number of which could result from just having missed a court date, or people who have some kind of criminal record or criminal history that would bring them to the attention of ICE,” said Fred Tsao, senior policy counsel, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). Still, Tsao says exactly when and where raids could happen is unknown. “Folks certainly are within their rights not to answer any questions or even to identify themselves. If ICE agents show up to their homes, they have the right to not answer the door, not open the door,” Tsao said. Michael LeRoy, a professor in the School…

Homan ‘Reviewing’ Plans for Chicago Raids After Leak

Incoming border czar Tom Homan said plans for immigration raids beginning in Chicago on Tuesday are now being reviewed in the wake of a leak about the operations. Homan made the remarks in two different interviews on Saturday. “We’re reviewing any plans in Chicago because of the leak,” Homan told ABC News, also telling The Washington Post that the incoming Trump administration “hasn’t made a decision yet.” “We’re looking at this leak and will make a decision based on this leak,” Homan told the Post. “It’s unfortunate because anyone leaking law enforcement operations puts officers at greater risk.” At issue is a Wall Street Journal report from Friday that outlined plans for mass deportations in the Chicago-area beginning Tuesday, the day after the inauguration. The report outlined plans by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to send up to 200 agents to target 300 illegals with histories of violent crime. “When the president gets sworn in, ICE officers are going to have a new priority of seeking out those who are considered a public safety threat and a national security threat,” Homan told ABC News. Donald Trump and Homan have been promising mass deportations, starting with violent criminals, ever since the president-elect tapped Homan as border czar shortly after winning the election. Trump vowed mass deportations on the campaign trail. Trump called the raids a “big priority” in his interview with ABC News on Saturday. Separately, Trump told NBC News on Saturday that “it’ll begin very early, very quickly,” he said. “I can’t say which cities because…

Chicago blocks proposal that’d allow law enforcement to cooperate with ICE on targeting criminal migrants

Ald. Ray Lopez of the 15th ward and Ald. Jessica Tabares of the 26th ward first introduced the measure in 2023.Mayor Brandon Johnson. “Who are you loyal to? The American citizens in Chicago or the illegal immigrants in Chicago? ~ Vashon Tuncle The Chicago city council on Wednesday blocked a proposal that would have allowed local law enforcement to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain migrants with a criminal record. Chicago’s “welcoming city” ordinance, in compliance with the 2017 Illinois Trust Act, prohibits local law enforcement from participating in federal immigration enforcement. Ald Ray Lopez and Silvana Tabares wanted to change the ordinance to enable police to cooperate with ICE to target migrants who had been arrested for gang or drug-related activities or sexual crimes involving minors. Their measure received backlash from activist groups when they first introduced the measure in 2023.  The two officials saw their proposed amendment get struck down by a 39-11 vote. CHICAGO FAITH LEADERS BRACE FOR MASS DEPORTATIONS, CEASE HOSTING IN-PERSON SPANISH SERVICES: REPORT Before Chicago officials voted down the proposed amendment, Jordan Kelly, a member of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and resident of 30th ward, spoke out against Lopez and Tabares’ proposed amendment. “Self-hating cowards such as Ray Lopez and Tabares want to turn our city into a hell for migrants who are not only Latin, by the way. CAIR Chicago has 40-50 open asylum cases currently. What do we tell these people and families if we don’t remain a sanctuary? Plus, our economy cannot handle mass deportations,” Kelly said.  Immigration has…

S&P Global downgrades Chicago’s credit rating after budget passage

The Brief CHICAGO – S&P Global downgraded the City of Chicago’s credit rating after the passage of the 2025 budget last month. Credit downgrade What we know: The rating agency knocked the city’s rating from BBB+ to BBB, according to a city news release. The downgrade comes after the City Council passed a 2025 budget without a property tax increase to close a nearly $1 billion deficit. Instead, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office relied on other measures like a $40 million line of credit, $10 million in special event reimbursements, $5 million in gas and electricity savings and $1 million in staff cuts across city departments. There were also several fee increases to raise revenue. Why you should care: Credit downgrades are important because they could make borrowing money more expensive in the future. The rating is like the city’s credit score, meaning lenders use it to determine how much to charge the city to take out a loan. The city uses taxpayer money to pay back such loans as well as the interest payments. ‘We do not agree’ The other side: Chicago officials argued the credit downgrade doesn’t reflect the city’s financial outlook. Johnson’s office pointed to the city’s economic output, which is “larger than most countries.” The Johnson administration also pointed out that S&P commended the city for its $272 million advance pension payment in its 2025 budget. What they’re saying: Johnson said despite the downgrade, the city will continue to meet its fiscal challenges “head-on.” “The S&P report focuses on the fiscal challenges we face, but…

CPS perched on financial cliff, state financial takeover an option: report

‘The amount of money we’re talking about involves a deficit of well north of $750 million, may be as much as a billion dollars’ CHICAGO (WLS) — The nation’s fourth-largest school system is perched on a financial cliff, and will fall if something is not done soon, according to the Civic Federation. The budget watchdog group released a comprehensive report detailing the dire financial situation Chicago Public Schools faces, especially next year. ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch “The amount of money we’re talking about involves a deficit of well north of $750 million, may be as much as a billion dollars,” Civic Federation President Joe Ferguson said. Ferguson says the report is a reality check for CPS’ new hybrid-elected school board: 21 members will be sworn in on Wednesday. Ferguson warns the board the financial situation is so serious, a state financial takeover is a possibility as a last resort. “If you put guardrails on the system fiscally, I think that opens the door to the state saying, ‘OK, let’s reexamine some of the inequitable kind of funding practices from the state,’” Ferguson said. SEE ALSO: CPS Inspector General investigated 300 cases, including sports fraud, annual report says Ferguson says CPS cannot afford even the minimum cost of a new teachers contract. He says revenue ideas from the Chicago Teachers Union, like a short term loan or using reserve funds, would result in downgrades and tip the district into insolvency. Besides the state fully funding CPS, Ferguson…