The Rundown | Chicago News

Illinois State Police say 11 people were arrested this morning outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in suburban Broadview. Members of the NAACP rallied in Chicago against the Trump administration’s deployment of federal troops in Black communities. Some Illinois universities are seeing drops in international student enrollment.
 
 Plus, as federal immigration agents aggressively detain people all over the city, some Chicagoans are fighting back by forming neighborhood patrols and gathering outside of schools and churches. To help sound the alarm, many of them are arming themselves with whistles. WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko brings us that story.

A federal appeals court in Chicago is refusing to undo a lower court's order blocking President Trump's deployment of National Guard troops within Illinois. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s newly unveiled budget relies on reinstating the city corporate head tax, a new social media tax, and a record, $1 billion dollar TIF surplus to close a massive budget gap. Loyola University and the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary honored the life of Jean Dolores Schmidt today.
 
 Plus, the one-time street gang the Young Lords has inspired a new exhibit at the DePaul Art Museum. The show traces the group’s transformation into an influential civil rights group and it comes at a moment when museums are under the microscope. WBEZ’s Courtney Kueppers explains.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said a federal judge may have to weigh in on aggressive federal immigration enforcement tactics in a Chicago neighborhood. Democratic governors from 14 states including Illinois have launched a new public health alliance in response to new public health policy enacted by the Trump administration. Medical professionals tell WBEZ’s In The Loop program that it is not likely Tylenol causes autism.
 
 Plus, we hear the story of one resident who heard a knock on their door during last month’s military-style immigration raid at a South Shore apartment building. It wasn’t federal agents, but a mother and her young daughter — pleading for a place to hide.

A car crash involving federal immigration agents late this morning in Chicago’s East Side neighborhood led to agents deploying tear gas after a large crowd gathered in protest of the agents. O’Hare and Midway International have joined a growing list of airports across the country that are refusing to play a Department of Homeland Security video. The Promontory, a South Side music venue and event space, is closing after New Year’s Eve.
 
 Plus, take a listen to what you can expect from a supersized music festival with a funny name that’s unfolding all month long in Chicago: The Ear Taxi Festival is running now through November 2 and features 40 concerts, 20 venues and 400 musicians.

The mayor in west suburban Broadview has removed a designated “protest safety zone” from outside the local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. Immigration advocates say networks of volunteers are documenting what’s actually happening on the ground in and around Chicago. A Northwestern University professor is one of three people awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics.
 
 Plus: After an immigration raid on a South Shore building two weeks ago that resulted in 37 arrests, federal officials blamed an influx of Venezuelan migrants for the building’s dangerous conditions. WBEZ’s Mariah Woelfel and the Sun-Times’ Sophie Sherry recently spent time in the building and bring us another side to the story, from longtime tenants who say the building was in terrible condition long before the migrants moved in.

We have a special episode for you today thanks to our public media partners at OPB based in Portland, Oregon. Enhanced immigration enforcement and court battles over National Guard deployments continued this week. 
 
 OPB’s Politics Now podcast hosts Lauren Dake and Dirk VanderHart spoke with WBEZ’s Araceli Gomez Aldana and Lucio Vasquez from the Texas Newsroom about how things are playing out in Portland, Chicago and Texas.

Gov. JB Pritzker went on Jimmy Kimmel’s show last night to ridicule the Trump administration’s claim “horrible violence” was savaging the streets of Chicago. At least three demonstrators have been arrested today at a protest outside the ICE facility in suburban Broadview. The Cubs head back to Milwaukee Saturday for a deciding game five. 
 
 Plus, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt died at 106-years-old. We hear from those who were changed by the nun’s joy.

U.S. District Judge April Perry is weighing whether to block the deployment of National Guard units to Illinois. The Village of Broadview says about three dozen National Guard troops are at the local ICE facility. Vice President JD Vance is expected to visit Indiana Friday for a second time in recent months as the White House continues to push for redistricting.
 
 Plus, a deadly smash-and-grab in downtown Chicago is raising questions about the best way to reduce crime in the city. WBEZ’s Anna Savchenko explains.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker vowed not to back down after President Trump posted on social media that the governor and Mayor Brandon Johnson deserve to be jailed. Demolition of the historic Damen silos resumed. Local artist Tonika Lewis Johnson is among the latest class of MacArthur “Genius” Fellows, which were announced this morning.
 
 Plus, if you look closely at a map of Chicago, you can see a hole on the Southwest Side in the 19th Ward. It’s a part of the city that’s not officially part of the city. Curious City has the story behind that hole.

Texas National Guard members arrived early today at a federal military training site south of Joliet. Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Attorney General Pam Bondi tangled bitterly over the Trump administration’s National Guard deployment to Illinois. More than 70 drivers in Cook County have been ticketed in the past week for driving on the shoulder.
 
 Plus, officials in Broadview have opened three criminal investigations into ICE activity. The western suburb has seen aggressive federal response to protests outside an immigration detention facility.

The state of Illinois is suing President Donald Trump over the deployment of National Guard troops over the objections of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. Mayor Brandon Johnson has signed an executive order establishing “ICE-free zones” after federal agents tear-gassed residents and Chicago cops. Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson has signed an executive order establishing fixed protesting hours outside of the ICE processing facility in the west suburb.
 
 Plus, Actress Elizabeth McGovern is perhaps best known for her role in the British period drama, Downton Abbey. But this month, McGovern is on stage in Chicago in “Ava: The Secret Conversations,” in which McGovern plays Ava Gardner, the mega star from Hollywood’s Golden Age. WBEZ arts reporter Courtney Kueppers recently caught up with McGovern backstage.

The city of Chicago has halted the demolition of the historic Damen Silos over concerns about “excessive dust." Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is facing a setback in his bid to avoid prison while appealing his federal corruption convictions. Chicago area transit agencies have found some savings and a looming fiscal cliff isn’t as big as it used to be.
 
 Plus, Chicago-born jazz singer Kurt Elling is starting a new adventure that is taking him to Broadway. WBEZ arts reporter Mike Davis spoke with Elling about his career.

Chicago advocates say calls from immigrants seeking deportation legal support have skyrocketed since Operation Midway Blitz started last month. Public defenders and legal aid groups are pushing to bar arrests by ICE officers at Cook County courthouses. The federal government has placed a restriction on all private drone activity around the Chicago area. The Trump administration is cancelling $7.6 billion in grants that supported hundreds of clean energy projects in Illinois and 15 other states.
 
 Plus, victims of corrupt former Chicago police sergeant reflect on historic legal settlement.

Illinois Democrats in Congress are condemning the federal government shutdown and are demanding funding to save health care subsidies that are set to expire leading to soaring insurance costs. A Chicago non-profit that helps patients find abortion care expects to field more calls from Wisconsin after Wisconsin Planned Parenthood paused abortion services today. A new study from Rush University Children’s Hospital and the Cook County Medical Examiner reveals some common causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome that largely involve unsafe environments.
 
 Plus, an initiative called Hope Chicago announced in 2022 that every student at a group of high schools on the South and West Side could go to college for free. Three years later, it is helping to answer the question of what happens when money is no longer a barrier to education beyond high school. WBEZ’s Sarah Karp introduces us to one family.

President Donald Trump told hundreds of the country’s top military officials today that he spoke to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about using “dangerous cities as training grounds” for the military. A small Mexican grocery store in Cicero is pivoting to grocery deliveries as immigration operations continue in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. A WBEZ analysis of federal data for H-1-B visa applications shows which employers in Chicago could be impacted by an executive order that President Trump signed last week.
 
 Plus, WBEZ’s Chip Mitchell spent a day with the leader of the People’s Patrol, a rapid-response network that monitors immigration agent activity.

A top U.S. Border Patrol official tells WBEZ that immigration agents are arresting people based on how they look. Federal criminal charges have been filed against four people detained during protests Saturday outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in suburban Broadview. And, Latino activists are calling for an end to the targeting of day laborers at Home Depot stores in the Chicago area.  Plus, a Black woman-owned grocery store celebrated its opening this past weekend. WBEZ’s Esther Yoon-Ji Kang has the story.

Chicago is home to people and cultures from all over the world — including a large Kurdish community. The story of how they came to America is an epic one, a story of bloody genocide, of freedom fighters, of sacrifice and above all… perseverance.
 
 All month, we’ve been hearing from host and reporter Rose Gilbert from Nashville Public Radio in a series called “The Country in Our Hearts.” It’s focused on the story of one Kurdish family and their generations-long fight to exist. 
 
 This is the final episode.

Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson is accusing Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents of “making war on my community.” Four Chicago alderpersons voted against a symbolic resolution to apologize to Black residents for slavery. Republican Darren Bailey formally announced his gubernatorial campaign yesterday during a tour of the state.
 
 Plus, Chicago youth organizations brought together a group of teens last week to talk about what they are feeling and thinking as federal immigration agents continue making arrests in Chicago neighborhoods and suburbs. WBEZ’s Sarah Karp brings us their voices.

Illinois abortion-rights advocates and providers are preparing for an influx of patients from Wisconsin. At 29 years old, Walter “Red” Burnett is now the city’s youngest alderperson. The first satellite designed at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign was deployed to space Wednesday.
 
 Plus, The fifth solo project from Chicago musician Jeff Tweedy comes out Friday. We hear how “Twilight Override” feels both familiar and pushes his sound in fresh directions.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is recommending COVID-19 vaccinations for most people in the state, in direct contrast to recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A Chicago police officer is accused of using his law enforcement credentials to buy guns, including an AR-style rifle, for a man who then smuggled them into Mexico. Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has been awarded NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career for his performance Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.
 
 Plus, it’s been just over two weeks since the Department of Homeland Security started an expanded immigration enforcement campaign in the Chicago area. Sun-Times reporter Nader Issa talked to WBEZ’s Clare Lane about where things stand today.

Illinois Democrats in Congress have signed a letter asking the federal government to end what it's calling "dangerous and reckless immigration operations" in the state. New video obtained by the Sun-Times is raising questions about the narrative put forth by the Department of Homeland Security after the September 12th shooting death of Silverio Villegas González in Franklin Park. The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued new guidance expanding COVID-19 vaccine access ahead of the fall respiratory virus season.
 
 Plus, Chicago artist Theaster Gates has exhibited work all over the world but it has taken him nearly two decades to get his first solo museum show in his hometown. WBEZ contributor Ben Austen paid a visit to Gates as he prepares for his show opening at the University of Chicago’s Smart Museum.

Illinois Democrats in Congress have signed a letter asking the federal government to end what it's calling "dangerous and reckless immigration operations" in the state. New video obtained by the Sun-Times is raising questions about the narrative put forth by the Department of Homeland Security after the September 12th shooting death of Silverio Villegas González in Franklin Park. The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued new guidance expanding COVID-19 vaccine access ahead of the fall respiratory virus season.
 
 Plus, Chicago artist Theaster Gates has exhibited work all over the world but it has taken him nearly two decades to get his first solo museum show in his hometown. WBEZ contributor Ben Austen paid a visit to Gates as he prepares for his show opening at the University of Chicago’s Smart Museum.

A WBEZ investigation found the city is months behind a federal deadline to notify residents about their lead pipes. Summer officially ends today, as warm, dry forecasts have persisted through September. Beloved Loyola nun Sister Jean has retired from official campus duties.
 
 Plus, WBEZ’s Melba Lara sits down with two members of the Chicago punk band Rise Against to talk about their latest album.

Chicago is home to people and cultures from all over the world — including a large Kurdish community. The story of how they came to America is an epic one, a story of bloody genocide, of freedom fighters, of sacrifice and above all… perseverance.
 
 We continue the series “The Country in Our Hearts” from host and reporter Rose Gilbert at Nashville Public Radio. In it, she focuses on the story of one Kurdish family and their generations-long fight to exist.
 
 This is Episode 3.

Advocates are urging U.S citizens to step up and help immigrant workers with food and financial assistance. Illinois House Speaker Emmanuel “Chris” Welch said state lawmakers have no plans to change legislative maps to try to send more Democrats to Congress in next year's elections. Chicago Public Schools is being tightlipped on how it will respond to a threat from the federal government to strip the district of a 5-year grant worth $15 million.
 
 Plus, WBEZ’s Mawa Iqbal reached out to every Illinois professor on what’s called the “Professor Watchlist,” an online database compiled by late conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA. Several said they’ve faced online hate and, in some cases, threats of sexual assault and death.

The latest phase of ramped up immigration enforcement activities in Chicago coincided with Mexican Independence Day. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has condemned the death on Friday of a man shot by US immigration agents in Franklin Park. And, architecture buffs can see new sites at this year’s Open House Chicago.Plus, The number of CPS students in special education is at its highest in at least 15 years. Yet this summer the school district cut about 1000 special ed positions. WBEZ’s Sarah Karp reports.

The Border Patrol agent who led an enhanced immigration enforcement in Los Angeles has arrived in Chicago. Mayor Brandon Johnson has signed an executive order aimed at protecting protesters amid any federal law enforcement presence. And, today is Mexican Independence Day.Plus, there are two more events this month with Chicago's prestigious jazz festival. WBEZ’s Courtney Kueppers gets the scoop from Sun-Times reporter Erica Thompson.

Chicago City Council voted in favor of settling nearly 200 police misconduct cases tied to disgraced former police Sergeant Ronald Watts, costing city taxpayers a total of $90 million. Gov. JB Pritzker said he and his family feel safe in light of escalating political threats. Enrollment is up for international students at the University of Illinois despite federal immigration policies.
 
 Plus, if you want to know how many arrests immigration officers have made in Chicago this year, you won’t get answers from the government. Watchdog groups have stepped in to fill some key gaps and Sun-Times Reporter Lauren FitzPatrick brings us the most recent numbers.

Chicago is home to people and cultures from all over the world — including a large Kurdish community. The story of how they came to America is an epic one, a story of bloody genocide, of freedom fighters, of sacrifice and above all… perseverance.
 
 We continue the series “The Country in Our Hearts” from host and reporter Rose Gilbert at Nashville Public Radio. In it, she focuses on the story of one Kurdish family and their generations-long fight to exist.
 
 This is Episode 2.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is calling for a full accounting of the circumstances behind what he called the troubling, fatal shooting of a Franklin Park man by a federal immigration enforcement agent. More than 20 Chicago alderpersons are calling for a review of security measures at City Hall following the shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. A new study finds low-income patients with anorexia tend to be hospitalized longer than they need to be in Chicago.
 
 Plus, this week a local arts group put an orchestra on a sightseeing boat in the Chicago River, all to create a moment of joy. WBEZ’s Courtney Kueppers brings us a dispatch.

The city is moving forward with a 90-million-dollar settlement to resolve 176 lawsuits tied to a former Chicago police sergeant. New data released by the Census Bureau shows a fast-growing immigrant community in Chicago. And, the long-running Taste of Chicago food festival will move back to its mid-summer time slot next year.Plus, Jenna Fischer is the star of the world premiere play “Ashland Avenue” at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre. WBEZ’s theater reporter Mike Davis sat down with her to discuss the play which was written by her husband, Lee Kirk.

The Chicago Public Schools Board of Education meeting was placed on a soft lockdown today after a Brinks security officer shot an alleged robber. Federal agents have seized illegal vaping products nationwide as the Trump administration cracks down on items often used by teens. And, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker says the Supreme Court is reversing years of progress.Plus, Immigration enforcement actions are ramping up and many immigrant workers say they’re afraid to go to work. But legal experts say there are ways for workers and business owners to be prepared. WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz spoke with reporter Adriana Cardona Maguigad to break down the details.

A protest is planned for today in response to President Trump's escalating immigration enforcement in Chicago. The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture cut the ribbon on a new outdoor education space and garden yesterday. And, Pitchfork co-founder Mike Reed is back with a new music festival, called Sound and Gravity.Plus, while bracing for the deployment of the National Guard, we look back at Chicago’s history with troops in the city. Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg joined WBEZ’s Clare Lane to discuss.

The Department of Homeland Security says it is launching an ICE operation in Illinois. The Bears will show off their new-look offense on the national stage tonight. And, it’s apple picking season. This year's crop is right on track. Plus, President Trump has been threatening to send the National Guard to Chicago. Sun-Times national political reporter Tina Sfondeles has more on what she is seeing in the nation’s capital.

Chicago is home to people and cultures from all over the world — including a large Kurdish community. The story of how they came to America is an epic one, a story of bloody genocide, of freedom fighters, of sacrifice and above all… perseverance.
 
 This is a series called “The Country in Our Hearts” and it’s brought to us by Nashville Public Radio. That city is home to the largest Kurdish community in the country. We hear from host and reporter Rose Gilbert who traces the story of one Kurdish family and their generations-long fight to exist.
 
 We’re going to be dropping all four episodes in our feed over the next month. This is Episode 1.

The city of Chicago tries to prepare immigrant residents ahead of increased immigration enforcement expected soon. Choose Chicago, a tourism marketing agency, is trying to change the city’s violent narrative by highlighting the arts.Plus, Chicago’s Printers Row Lit Fest is celebrating its 40th anniversary this weekend. Organizers say it’s more important now than ever to gather.

Governor Pritzker is urging Chicagoans to get out their phones and record federal agents they see on the streets. Organizers of events this weekend are grappling with the possibility that federal agents could soon arrive in the city. And, Angel Reese may be on the bench for the Chicago Sky’s final Indiana Fever matchup of the season.Plus, while President Trump is attempting to send the National Guard to Chicago, a WBEZ analysis finds a drop in murders. Public safety reporter Chip Mitchell has the story. 

The White House is still considering whether to send National Guard troops to Chicago. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is challenging Illinois laws that provide in-state tuition and financial aid to immigrant students who live here but lack legal status. And, The Chicago Public Library has announced its One Book, One Chicago pick for 2025. Plus, with the looming threat of federal troops in Chicago, teenagers who live in a neighborhood notorious for gun violence are sharing their feelings. WBEZ’s Sarah Karp has the story.

President Donald Trump says he plans to direct federal law enforcement intervention in Chicago and Baltimore. Most of Illinois’ congressional Democrats have signed a strongly worded letter telling the President to keep troops out of Chicago. And, many people are mourning after a violent Labor Day weekend in Chicago.Plus, you can find Will Liverman on opera stages across the country. But this summer the Chicago baritone did something different. WBEZ contributor Hannah Edgar has the story.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said he would welcome more help from the feds to tackle crime in Chicago, but not from the National Guard. Some Illinois veterans are sounding the alarm against President Donald Trump’s threats to send the National Guard to Chicago. More than 10,000 people are expected to cycle down a car-free DuSable Lake Shore Drive in Chicago on Sunday morning.
 
 Plus, city officials held a briefing to share what they know – and, mostly, what they don't – about President Trump’s threat to send the National Guard to Chicago.

Some Black faith leaders and elected officials are denouncing President Trump’s threats to send the military to Chicago. Chicago's airports expect nearly 1.8 million passengers to make their way through O’Hare and Midway airports through Tuesday. Free Narcan boxes are now available inside blue newsstand boxes in the Uptown neighborhood, making the life-saving drug more accessible. 
 
 Plus, today is gonna be the day Oasis plays in Chicago. Fans have been waiting for 16 years for the brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher to reunite. And for one fan in Chicago, the reunion hits especially close to home.

Republican Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston says a meeting yesterday at the White House was "encouraging." A pickleball tournament kicked off today in Highland Park. And, the federal government wants to send the National Guard to a suburban naval base.President Trump’s threats to send the military to Chicago have some anti-violence organizations concerned. WBEZ’s Melba Lara spoke with Former Education Secretary Arne Duncan who now runs the anti-violence organization Chicago CRED.

People who have survived shootings in Chicago say President Trump’s threats to send in troops will make the city less safe. Star cellist Yo-Yo Ma will appear in concert Tuesday night in Chicago’s Millennium Park with esteemed African vocalist Angélique Kidjo. The Chicago Sky have officially retired former star Candace Parker’s jersey. 
 
 Plus, we hear from one of the Chicago-area doctors who are meeting with Illinois lawmakers to share their experiences and prompt action to end the war in Gaza.

President Donald Trump appears to be walking back his threats to send the military to Chicago. The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center is opening a satellite in the Loop. The Chicago region can expect autumn-like highs ranging between the upper sixties and the lower seventies – signaling that fall is on the way.
 
 Plus, Chicago’s new police oversight chief has been wiping out or dramatically scaling back recommendations to fire officers who investigators say have committed serious misconduct. A new investigation from WBEZ and the Sun-Times show these reversals are undoing months and years of investigative work and they’re coming at the request of the city’s top cop. Anna Savchenko from WBEZ and Tom Schuba from The Sun-Times talked through their findings with anchor Mary Dixon.

Teachers at Naperville School District 203 will strike on Tuesday if they don't have a contract deal. A new report shows Illinois is slowly making progress on funding the state’s pension systems. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is signing a new law aimed at giving journalists greater protections against retaliatory lawsuits.
 
 Plus, we look at how CPS school lunches went from delicious to disappointing.

The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project is raising the alarm about the lack of water safety education and the dangers of Lake Michigan. Chicago's Loyola University is celebrating Sister Jean's 106th birthday. Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications will reopen this fall in a new location with exhibits that will dive deep into the history of late night television.
 
 Plus, steakhouses open regularly, but this year brings an especially large crop of newcomers to the Chicago area. Between the fresh faces and the old guard, is Chicago teetering on steakhouse saturation? WBEZ culture reporter Courtney Kueppers sat down in-studio with food contributor Maggie Hennessy to survey our prime beef scene.

An autopsy shows that the shot that killed Chicago police officer Krystal Rivera struck her from behind through an opening in her bullet proof vest. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are at odds over vaccine recommendations for children. NASCAR has announced its 2026 schedule, featuring a new street course in San Diego and the return of Chicagoland Speedway in suburban Joliet.
 
 Plus, Chicago’s love for Korean skincare might be facing a setback. A new trade deal between the U.S. and South Korea includes a 15 percent tariff on Korean goods, meaning the beauty products may get pricier or harder to find. Sun-Times money desk reporter Mariah Rush joined WBEZ’s Araceli Gomez-Aldana to break down changes in Chicago’s K-Beauty scene.

High school seniors in Illinois can use a new online tool to express interest in attending the state's public universities and community colleges. Preschool students are back to school. And, after a hot start to the season, the Cubs are struggling.Plus, WBEZ’s Courtney Kueppers talks with a local cheesemonger.

It’s the first day of school for most Chicago Public Schools students. Texas House Democrats are heading back to Austin. And, the Bears won big last night in preseason action, but the real story away from the scoreboard was Caleb Williams’ impressive debutPlus, as the school year gets underway, we hear about the challenges new budget cuts could bring.

The Chicago police officer who fatally shot his partner Krystal Rivera while pursuing a suspect was stripped of his police powers today – but not for that shooting. The back and forth between the Trump administration and the Illinois State Board of Elections continues.
 Plus, each fall, more than 1,5000 freshmen start class at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. Half are the first in their family to attend college. That’s a big milestone for a group that faces challenges not only in applying to college — but in adjusting to it and graduating.
 Our higher education reporter Lisa Kurian Philip spoke with one student as she was getting ready to transition to college life this fall.