Ignore the negative hype from politicians and right-wing media. Stand fast and refuse their distorted framing of Somali Americans. It's just not American.
byTerry Hansen Guest Commentary
When President Trump labeled Somali immigrants “garbage,” he weaponized presidential power to demean an entire community. In her insightful TED Talk, “The Danger of a Single Story," novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie warns that "power lies not only in the ability to tell another person’s story, but to make it the definitive story of that person."
Yes, some Somali Americans in Minnesota have been implicated in financial fraud. That fact should be reported, but it should never become the sole lens through which we view an entire community— thousands of Somali families including refugees, healthcare workers, business owners and students.
The Somali American story includes triumphs over war and displacement, civic engagement in American politics, and contributions to Minnesota’s economy. When politicians or the media reinforce the “single story” of crime and corruption, they obscure a broader truth.
Adichie reminds us that “stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity.”
To honor the history of immigration in America, we must refuse the temptation to see any community through one distorted frame. It is our duty not to amplify division, but to tell stories that affirm our shared humanity.
More Editorial Viewpoints
TAGS: President Trump hating on Somali Americans, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie warning, Somali refugees contribute to the Minnesota economy, Politicians and the Media reinforce the same tired story
New Illinois law protects people attending court, making them “privileged from civil arrest inside state courthouses and within a 1,000-foot buffer zone outside of the buildings.
by Brenden Moore Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD - Christening it as part of a “nation-leading” response to aggressive federal immigration raids, Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Tuesday allowing Illinois residents to sue immigration agents who arrest them in or near courthouses or if they believe their constitutional rights were violated.
The new law — which lawmakers have acknowledged is likely to face a legal challenge — also requires public colleges and universities, hospitals and child care facilities to set up policies for dealing with immigration enforcement and mostly prohibits them from disclosing the immigration status of students, patients, parents and children.
“Together, we're sending a message to Donald Trump, to Kristi Noem, to Gregory Bovino and anyone else seeking to terrorize our people: Your divisiveness and your brutality are not welcome here,” Pritzker said, surrounded by state lawmakers and immigrant rights advocates in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood.
“We know that this new set of laws can't mitigate all of the harm, but it gives us new protective tools and is a symbol of our shared action against those terrorizing, our communities and our state,” Pritzker said.
Response to ‘Midway Blitz’
The Democrat-led state legislature passed the bill in late October during the height of the federal immigration enforcement campaign known as “Operation Midway Blitz.”
Our rights follow us into the courthouse, onto campus, to the hospital and when taking our kids to day care
The Department of Homeland Security said the operation, which launched in September and wound down last month, resulted in the arrest of more than 3,000 immigrants who were living in Chicago and its suburbs without legal permission.
Though federal officials claimed they were targeting the “worst of the worst,” DHS data indicates that most arrested had no prior criminal convictions or pending charges.
The raids often led to violent confrontations between masked federal agents and protestors during various operations in the city and suburbs, including near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in suburban Broadview. Many of these skirmishes resulted in the deployment of tear gas and other chemical agents.
Bovino and about 200 Border Patrol agents under his command left Chicago for southern states last month, though they could be back fourfold this March, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Photo: CNI/Illinois Answers Project/Janelle O’Dea
Jose Jeronimo Guardian, 48, was detained for deportation in the Clinton County Courthouse on Monday, October 27, 2025, in Carlyle, as his daughter watched. The men who arrested Guardian declined to identify themselves and took him out of the courthouse in handcuffs. Guardian is undocumented and was attempting to go to a Spanish-language traffic court for charges unrelated to his immigration status.
Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said the law “sends the message that if you abuse your authority, there are consequences.”
“Our rights follow us into the courthouse, onto campus, to the hospital and when taking our kids to day care,” Harmon said. “No one gets to take them away. We are providing the victims of this chaotic federal assault a clear, legal path to go after their abusers and hold them accountable.”
With Pritzker’s signature, all people attending court are considered “privileged from civil arrest” inside state courthouses and within a 1,000-foot buffer zone outside of the buildings.
Illinois Republicans have criticized the provision, arguing that it would have unintended consequences for state and local law enforcement.
Though there had long been a de facto understanding that such facilities were off-limits for immigration enforcement, they have increasingly been the site of apprehensions over the past year. Those who violate the act could be liable for statutory damages of $10,000.
It gives people arrested under those circumstances the right to sue the agents who detained them.
Criticisms and potential challenge
The law also allows residents to sue immigration agents for violating their constitutional right to due process and protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.
They would be able to collect punitive damages that can increase if the agents are wearing masks, concealing their identities, failing to wear body cameras or using a vehicle with a non-Illinois or obscured license plate.
Illinois Republicans have criticized the provision, arguing that it would have unintended consequences for state and local law enforcement. It also likely invites a legal challenge from the Trump Administration on the grounds that it violates the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution.
DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLauglin told Capitol News Illinois in an emailed statement that Pritzker “must be unfamiliar with the U.S. Constitution.”
“By signing this law, Pritzker violated the supremacy clause, his oath he took as governor to ‘support the Constitution of the United States’ — which itself falls under the oaths clause of the Constitution,” McLaughlin said. “We hope the headlines, social media likes, and fundraising emails he did this for are worth it!”
Harmon acknowledged in October that the law would likely be challenged, though Pritzker — one of Trump’s most pugnacious critics and seen as a potential 2028 Democratic candidate for president — said Tuesday that he believed it to be “in good shape.”
“Whenever you enact something that is tough, that is about protecting people, there are going to be people out there who attack it,” Pritzker said. “No doubt they have the ability to go to court about it. But I believe this is not just a good law, but a great law.”
Day cares, colleges and hospitals
The law requires all general acute care hospitals to implement a policy for interactions with law enforcement by Jan. 1. All other hospitals need a plan in place by March 1.
The law also prohibits day care centers from sharing the immigration status of children or parents unless required by law.
Illinois colleges and universities will need to have procedures in place for approving requests from law enforcement agents attempting to enter campus by the new year.
The law also prohibits day care centers from sharing the immigration status of children or parents unless required by law. It also requires the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and Illinois Department of Early Childhood to provide “know your rights” materials and preparedness plans to families on their websites.
Day cares will also need to adopt plans for interacting with law enforcement agents and notifying parents if agents request a child’s information.
State Rep. Norma Hernandez, D-Melrose Park, said that the fatal shooting of unarmed father and Mexican immigrant Silverio Villegas González in September by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer after dropping off his two young sons at school and day care in the Chicago area “reminds us why this law matters so deeply.”
“His death was not an isolated tragedy,” Hernandez said. “It is a painful reminder that without strong protections, everyday life becomes a place of danger, and that is where we are right now.”
In addition to the law, Pritzker signed an executive order in October creating the Illinois Accountability Commission, which has been tasked with producing a public record of alleged abuses perpetrated by federal agents during “Operation Midway Blitz.”
It will also examine the impact of such conduct on Illinois residents and communities and offer recommendations for accountability and reform.
“His death was not an isolated tragedy,” Hernandez said. “It is a painful reminder that without strong protections, everyday life becomes a place of danger, and that is where we are right now.”
In addition to the law, Pritzker signed an executive order in October creating the Illinois Accountability Commission, which has been tasked with producing a public record of alleged abuses perpetrated by federal agents during “Operation Midway Blitz.”
It will also examine the impact of such conduct on Illinois residents and communities and offer recommendations for accountability and reform.
More on Illinois politics
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
TAGS: Illinois send message to Donald Trump, New law prohibits university and hospitals from telling ICE immigration status, Illinois courthouse bill passed in October, 3,000 immigrants without status arrested in Illinois, Law gives people the right to sue customs agents
Department of Justice makes the surprise motion to dismiss their case after an appeals court indicated it may not uphold the lower court judge’s order restricting use of force including tear gas and other riot control weapons.
by Hannah Meisel Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO - An attorney for the Trump administration on Thursday told a federal judge that it is “wrong to allege” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Chicago-area “Operation Midway Blitz” immigration enforcement campaign is over, but declined to give any specifics on when the city may experience another surge of federal agents.
The comment came during a hearing Thursday in front of U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis on how best to wind down a lawsuit initiated earlier this fall by protesters, clergy and journalists over federal immigration agents’ use of riot control weapons like tear gas. Earlier this week in a surprise move, plaintiffs’ attorneys asked Ellis to dismiss the case.
The people of Chicago stood up to the Trump administration’s bullying and intimidation, and showed them they were messing with the wrong city.
After a marathon hearing last month that included video footage of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino tackling a protester and throwing tear gas canisters into a crowd, Ellis issued a searing ruling granting a preliminary injunction restricting agents’ use of force. But the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals halted Ellis’ order, siding with the Trump administration’s argument that the judge overstepped and “impermissibly” infringed on how the executive branch conducts law enforcement activity.
The appeals court’s stay on Ellis’ order came in the days after Bovino and roughly 200 more Border Patrol agents left Chicago for North Carolina. At the same time, the Trump administration sent home approximately 200 members of the Texas National Guard who’d been flown to Illinois in early October to protect immigration agents but were blocked from deploying by another federal judge’s order.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys used Border Patrol agents’ departure in framing their motion to dismiss as a legal win, without addressing the specter of the 7th Circuit or U.S. Supreme Court gutting Ellis’ order or giving the Trump administration any permanent expanded powers against civilians.
“We won our case the day they left town,” plaintiffs’ attorney David Owens of Loevy & Loevy said in a statement Tuesday. “The people of Chicago stood up to the Trump administration’s bullying and intimidation, and showed them they were messing with the wrong city.”
In response, the administration wrote in a Thursday morning filing that the move was “transparent procedural gamesmanship,” a characterization U.S. Department of Justice attorney Elizabeth Hedges repeated later during the hearing in front of Ellis.
A dismissal of this lawsuit can in no way give defendants a free hall pass to beat up press, protesters, priests months (or) years from now and commit other constitutional violations.
Addressing plaintiffs’ contention that Operation Midway Blitz was over, Hedges said the administration was “pushing back on that as a factual matter.”
“We’re making the point that they’re wrong to allege it’s over,” she said. “They’re free to look at news reports and make whatever conclusions on what they want to do in this court.”
But she demurred when Ellis asked whether immigration agents were “returning to Chicago imminently to continue Operation Midway Blitz.”
"We’re not committing one way or the other on the future,” Hedges said.
Based on news reports last month that Bovino would return to the Chicago area in the early spring with a much larger contingent of agents, Ellis scheduled a trial in the case for March 2, telling attorneys during a mid-November hearing that, “It would make sense that if it does ramp up again, everyone knows what the rules are.”
But that trial, along with arguments set for later this month in front of the 7th Circuit, will now be canceled.
Hedges also tried to assert that Ellis’ dismissal of the lawsuit would bar members of the public from bringing legal action against the Trump administration alleging possible future violations of their constitutional rights by immigration agents.
But plaintiffs’ attorney Craig Futterman of the University of Chicago Law School’s Mandel Legal Aid Clinic disagreed.
"A dismissal of this lawsuit can in no way give defendants a free hall pass to beat up press, protesters, priests months (or) years from now and commit other constitutional violations,” he said. “That’s not how the law works.”
Ellis also told Hedges, “that’s now how the law works.”
“And while it was the government’s position that no agent did anything illegal or unconstitutional, having watched the videos, having read the reports, having listened to the witnesses, I strongly disagree,” the judge said.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
TAGS: DOJ response to Operation Midway Blitz lawsuit developments, federal court ruling on immigration agents’ use of force in Chicago, Seventh Circuit actions on Sara Ellis injunction against DHS, legal challenges involving Border Patrol operations in urban protests, Trump administration defense of Operation Midway Blitz continuation
Millions of Americans are preparing to take part in the second nationwide No Kings day of action on October 18. Over 2,100 local rallies across all 50 states aim to defend democracy and resist authoritarianism.
URBANA - When millions of Americans stepped into the streets this past June for the first “No Kings” day of action, it wasn’t just a single day’s protest. For many, it felt like the spark of something larger. Now, four months later, that spark has grown into a nationwide call for unity and defiance. On October 18, people from every corner of the country will gather again to raise their voices against what they see as a dangerous slide toward authoritarianism.
More than 2,100 local protests and rallies have already been confirmed, stretching across all 50 states. Organizers expect the turnout to surpass June’s demonstrations, which drew an estimated five million participants. From small towns to major cities, the gatherings are intended to be peaceful yet powerful reminders that democracy belongs to the people.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
An estimated of more than 3,000 demonstrators of all ages and backgrounds crowded the sidewalk on both sides of the street between Vine and Main Street at Urbana's "No Kings" protest in June. See the Sentinel's "No Kings" photo gallery.
“Trump wanted a coronation on his birthday, and what he got instead was millions of people standing up to say no kings,” said Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible. “On October 18, we’re going to show up stronger and more organized than ever before.”
For community members preparing to join the marches, the day is about more than politics. April Verrett, president of the Service Employees International Union, described it as a defense of what everyday people have built together. “Working people built this country, not billionaires,” she said. “We’re protecting what we’ve built, and we’re building what’s next.”
That sense of collective ownership runs through many of the groups now organizing events. Nurses plan to march alongside teachers. Environmental advocates will walk with civil rights organizers. Veterans will stand shoulder to shoulder with young people rallying for the first time. Each community carries its own reasons for being there, but all are tied together by a common theme: resisting the concentration of power in one man’s hands.
For Jacob Thomas, a U.S. Air Force veteran, it comes down to honoring the oath he once swore. “Generations before us defeated fascism abroad,” he said. “Now it is up to us to defeat fascism at home.”
Organizers emphasize that the demonstrations will remain peaceful, with volunteers trained in de-escalation and safety. Local partners are working to create spaces where families can participate, and where communities can share both their frustrations and their hopes.
Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said that hope remains at the heart of the effort. “This country does not and will never have a king,” she said. “The power of the people is and will continue to be greater than the man obsessed with keeping power for himself.”
As October 18 approaches, the coalition behind the movement — which includes Indivisible, SEIU, Human Rights Campaign, ACLU, National Nurses United, Public Citizen, MoveOn, and many others — is asking neighbors to bring their families, their signs, and their voices. Whether in a downtown square or a small-town park, they say the act of showing up together is what matters most.
“It’s not about party, it’s about what Americans want and need,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. “A government that upholds freedom and opportunity. A government that solves problems. A government that believes in democracy, not dictatorship.”
For those planning to attend, details about participating cities and local events can be found at NoKings.org. Organizers are encouraging participants to bring courage, compassion, and an unwavering belief that, in America, power must remain with the people — not with a king.
TAGS: No Kings movement October 18 protests, nationwide anti-authoritarian rallies, grassroots democracy demonstrations, peaceful political protests USA, community unity against authoritarianism
A federal judge rules that Illinois cannot be denied emergency funding for refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
by Ben Szalinski Capitol News Illinois
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Andrew Adams
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul discusses a lawsuit against the federal government at a news conference in January 2025.
SPRINGFIELD - The Trump administration cannot withhold federal emergency funding from Illinois because the state refuses to participate in federal immigration enforcement, a Rhode Island federal judge ruled on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January requiring the Department of Homeland Security and agencies under its command, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to stop providing federal funds to states that don’t cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
The move was designed to force states like Illinois to abandon laws that prohibit law enforcement from participating in civil immigration enforcement. Trump’s order could have applied to hundreds of millions of dollars of federal funding Illinois receives for natural disaster responses and other emergencies. But a judge ruled it unconstitutional after Illinois and other states sued.
“I appreciate the court’s conclusion that DHS’ decision-making process was ‘wholly under-reasoned and arbitrary,’” Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement. “The court’s ruling will ensure vital dollars that states rely on to prepare for and respond to emergencies are not withheld simply for political purposes.”
The 2017 TRUST Act, signed by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, prohibits Illinois law enforcement from arresting a person based solely on their immigration status. In most cases, law enforcement cannot assist immigration officials with detaining people based solely on immigration status, according to Raoul’s office.
The judge ruled that the order violates the Constitution because Congress controls spending. The attorneys general filed the suit in the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island.
“Sweeping immigration-related conditions imposed on every DHS-administered grant, regardless of statutory purpose, lack the necessary tailoring,” U.S. District Judge William E. Smith wrote. “The Spending Clause requires that conditions be ‘reasonably calculated’ to advance the purposes for which funds are expended ... and DHS has failed to demonstrate any such connection outside of a few programs.”
Abortion funding
Raoul also filed a new motion on Wednesday alongside 21 other states and Washington, D.C., that seeks to stop a new federal law from blocking funding to Planned Parenthood and other health care facilities that provide abortion services.
The attorneys general originally filed the lawsuit at the end of July to challenge a provision in congressional Republicans’ “One Big Beautiful Bill” that prohibits abortion clinics from using Medicaid funding for reproductive health services for one year.
The attorneys general argue the timeline of the law and details about which providers are included is too vague.
“We are urging the court to halt enforcement of the Defund Provision, which is clearly intended to shutter Planned Parenthood,” Raoul said in a statement. “Planned Parenthood facilities play a key role in our nation’s health and wellness by providing preventative care to more than 1 million Americans.”
The motion comes as Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin announced Wednesday that it will pause scheduling abortions because of the bill, causing fears for Illinois abortion providers about a surge in demand. Wisconsin Attorney General Joshua Kaul is also part of the lawsuit.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Federal agents expand immigration raids in Chicago. Hands Off Chicago poll shows majority of residents oppose federal immigration enforcement in the city.
by Ben Szalinski Capitol News Illinois
SPRINGFIELD - The federal government is significantly ramping up immigration enforcement in the Chicago area as a specialized federal law enforcement team arrived in Chicago on Tuesday.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commander Gregory Bovino posted a video on social media announcing his specialized team has arrived in Chicago to “continue the mission we started in Los Angeles.”
Photo: Capitol News Illinois/Jade Aubrey
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with one of two men being processed by Homeland Security officials during a visit to Springfield on May 7, 2025.
At the same time, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shared a video of herself participating in an early morning immigration raid reportedly at a house in Elgin , where the Chicago Tribune reported an American citizen was briefly detained.
“President Trump has been clear: if politicians will not put the safety of their citizens first, this administration will,” Noem said in a statement. “I was on the ground in Chicago today to make clear we are not backing down.”
The enhanced immigration enforcement began earlier this month and has been dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz” by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, while Bovino said he is leading a separate CBP plan called “Operation At Large.” It’s not clear what, if any, difference there is between the operations.
The operations have not been strictly limited to Chicago. Residents have reported seeing federal agents in several suburbs. How long the operations will last also remains unclear. Illinois officials say they have been left almost entirely in the dark about federal agents’ work.
Gov. JB Pritzker said federal officials are not communicating with Illinois law enforcement groups, which he argued is making their work more dangerous.
“When they (local law enforcement) see skirmishes going on, they don't know if those are real ICE officials, especially if they're wearing masks and in unmarked cars and aren't carrying or showing their identification,” Pritzker said Tuesday.
Illinois law prohibits law enforcement from participating in civil immigration enforcement, but it does not outright ban communication between state and federal agencies.
Tense encounters
DHS’ work has already turned deadly after an ICE agent shot and killed a man last week in Franklin Park. The undocumented man, who CBS News reported has no criminal history beyond traffic violations, allegedly tried to flee from ICE agents during a traffic stop and struck and dragged an agent in the process, causing serious injury, according to DHS. Federal authorities said that prompted an agent to shoot and kill the man.
DHS has released little information about the shooting, prompting calls for answers by state leaders. Pritzker pointed out Monday that Illinois law enforcement agencies would have already released substantial information and began investigations had the incident been an officer-involved shooting.
“This is the most unusual situation I’ve seen in my entire lifetime where we have no transparency and the federal government is not policing itself,” Pritzker said Monday.
Trump had previously backed off sending the Guard to Chicago because Pritzker refused to ask the president for a deployment.
Some public officials have directly confronted DHS agents. State Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, posted a video Monday showing her approaching masked federal agents in SUVs in a West Chicago neighborhood. Villa, a candidate for comptroller, was seen running down the street telling people to hide in their homes.
Crowds have also gathered in protest outside a Broadview detention facility where ICE is holding people in custody. The protests have occasionally devolved into skirmishes with ICE tactical teams as protesters have blocked entries and exits into the facility.
The Hands Off Chicago coalition of groups opposing ICE and National Guard soldiers in Chicago released a poll Wednesday showing Chicagoans largely oppose the Trump administration’s immigration tactics. The poll conductedlast week by Public Policy Polling of 582 registered Chicago voters found 66% oppose federal immigration enforcement and 73% believe President Donald Trump is threatening to send the National Guard to Chicago for political reasons.
Trump reconsidering National Guard
After initially backing off sending the National Guard to Chicago in favor of an apparent crime-focused mission in Memphis, Trump has again pledged that Chicago will be the next city to see a National Guard deployment.
Trump had previously backed off sending the Guard to Chicago because Pritzker refused to ask the president for a deployment, but Trump now says he will do it anyway. The Constitution places significant limits on the federal government to send the U.S. military into a city for police action without a request by the governor or mayor.
State leaders have encouraged people protesting immigration enforcement to remain peaceful ...
Pritzker told reporters Tuesday he is done trying to guess what Trump will do as the pair continues to exchange barbs through TV cameras.
“I think he might be suffering from some dementia,” Pritzker said. “You know, the next day he'll wake up on the other side of the bed and stop talking about Chicago. So I've never really counted on anything that he said as real.”
State leaders have encouraged people protesting immigration enforcement to remain peaceful as they fear Trump will use any skirmishes with law enforcement as justification to deploy the National Guard.
Meanwhile, immigration advocacy groups are encouraging residents to know their rights, such as what types of warrants require them to open the door to police, and their right to an attorney if detained.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
TAGGED: Chicago immigration raids, ICE operations Chicago, Trump immigration Chicago, DHS enforcement Chicago, National Guard Chicago deployment
LWV Illinois and ICIRR lead a Chicago march opposing ICE buildup. Protesters urged to plan ahead and prioritize safety.
CHICAGO - A broad coalition of community organizations, led by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) and the League of Women Voters Illinois, will stage a protest in downtown Chicago this weekend in opposition to the federal government’s deployment of immigration enforcement agents and military resources to the city.
The peaceful demonstration is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Ida B. Wells Drive. Organizers say the event will send a clear message against what they describe as “federal abuse of power” under the Trump administration.
The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that an intensive deployment of ICE agents will be stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Base in North Chicago. Civil rights groups say the move is designed to create fear and normalize racial and ethnic profiling in immigrant communities.
Safety and preparation
The League of Women Voters Illinois has urged participants to make safety a priority, stressing that anyone planning to attend should travel in groups, use public transportation when possible, and prepare for long waits. Suggested items include water, snacks, a backup cell phone battery, and a small first-aid kit.
The League also recommends writing the name and phone number of an emergency contact on one’s arm in permanent ink in case a phone becomes unavailable, as well as disabling biometric phone locks in favor of a passcode. Protesters are advised to create and share a plan that includes exit routes and safe meet-up points.
“Peaceful protest is a constitutional right,” the organization said in its advisory. “But ensuring your safety and the safety of others must come first.”
Legal concerns
Legal observers have raised concerns after Cook County’s newly elected state’s attorney revoked formal “peaceful protest” protections earlier this year. While the office has clarified that it does not intend to restrict First Amendment rights, groups are warning participants to avoid confrontations with law enforcement.
The League’s statement emphasized that protesters should refrain from language or behavior that could be interpreted as intentionally provocative or threatening toward officials.
Building a rapid response
ICIRR and its partners are organizing a phone tree to quickly mobilize future demonstrations should federal agents appear in Chicago neighborhoods. The coalition has urged community members to stay connected through League In Action alerts and to prepare rapid response teams that can move within 24 hours of deployment.
The League of Women Voters Illinois said members of its Chicago chapter will be present at Saturday’s event and can be identified by purple, star-shaped balloons.
The groups behind the march say the purpose is not only to resist the expansion of federal enforcement but also to affirm immigrant rights and civil liberties at a time of growing federal intervention in local jurisdictions.
TAGGED: Chicago protest September 2025, League of Women Voters Illinois ICE protest, Michigan Avenue Ida B Wells rally, ICE deployment Chicago response, immigrant rights protest Chicago
Most Americans still tell pollsters immigration is good for their communities and reject cruel deportations, especially those that separate families, target people without criminal records, or penalize people who came here as young children.
byEmily Rodiguez OtherWords
In the 19 years my uncle has worked in the healthcare industry, he’s only missed one day — the day his mother, my grandmother, passed away. He would then help plan a funeral he couldn’t attend.
Photo provided
If you live in his small town in Utah, you know my uncle. He’s the big man you see on a bike riding all over town. He’s part of the kitchen staff at a care facility and a friend to the other workers and patients. He’s the man who has the bus schedule memorized and can get you anywhere.
He’s also the man who was forced to miss his mother’s funeral in his home country. His immigration status requires him to apply for travel authorization, which can take months and puts him at risk of being denied reentry. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t possible for him to make it.
While it’s characterized as temporary, over 200,000 TPS holders have lived here for more than two decades.
Stories like these are all too common. And they could soon get worse.
My uncle has what’s called Temporary Protected Status, or TPS. TPS was created by Congress in 1990 to provide work authorization and protection from deportation to individuals from designated countries enduring armed conflict or environmental disasters.
Over a million people rely on the program. While it’s characterized as temporary, over 200,000 TPS holders have lived here for more than two decades. They’ve established lives here, yet live with the fear that it could be taken away at any moment.
Unfortunately, that moment has arrived.
President Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem have made it clear that they’re coming for TPS. The administration has carelessly terminated or rescinded the legal status of hundreds of thousands of TPS holders, needlessly uprooting their lives.
These deported TPS holders are now expected to navigate poverty, instability, violence, and other unsafe conditions in countries many haven’t lived in for decades. Many struggle to reintegrate after their return, and are often targeted by local criminal groups.
While the administration slanders TPS holders as criminals, an overwhelming amount of research shows that immigrants actually make our communities safer. They have a nearly 95 percent employment rate and generate over $1.3 billion in federal taxes, contributing to programs like Social Security and Medicare. With a high rate of entrepreneurship, they generate a spending power of more than $8 billion.
Their positive impact is undeniable. Yet instead of providing a pathway to citizenship, the Trump administration is systematically phasing out TPS and imposing significant financial hardship on TPS holders and their communities.
I urge you to defend the rights of your neighbors.
In addition to deeply slashing programs like SNAP to fund tax benefits for the wealthy, Trump and the GOP’s “Big Beautiful Bill” also adds exorbitant new fees for immigrants with TPS, asylum seekers, and migrants on humanitarian parole. The new law increases initial application fees for TPS holders from $50 to $500 and adds a non-waivable $550 fee for work authorization for first-time applicants — along with a new annual renewal fee of at least $275.
My uncle has already paid thousands of dollars in renewal fees during his 20 years as a TPS recipient, saving the money needed from his $16 an hour job to continue to work and provide for his family. Because my uncle loves this country, he’ll pay these predatory fees.
But he shouldn’t have to — and neither should anyone else on TPS. Our communities are better because TPS holders are here. Their livelihoods are in jeopardy unless Congress provides them a pathway to citizenship.
The American Dream and Promise Act would provide TPS holders — along with DACA recipients and other undocumented youth — a pathway to citizenship, along with the permanent relief and stability they and their families deserve.
As the niece of one of the one million-plus TPS holders, I urge you to defend the rights of your neighbors. Now is the time to protect what makes our communities so great.
Emily Rodiguez, a native of Utah, is a recent college graduate who’s pursuing a career in public policy. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.
Over 3,000 people joined a peaceful protest in Urbana against Trump’s policies and rising authoritarianism. Here are 27 photos from Saturday's rally.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Protestors shout and cheer from the corner of Broadway and Main Street in Urbana at the "No Kings" rally on Saturday. More than 3,000 people were on hand to support and express their opinion on the president's policies and his administration's inhumane immigration policies. URBANA — More than 3,000 people gathered in downtown Urbana on Sunday for a peaceful protest against former President Donald Trump’s policies and what organizers called a growing threat of authoritarianism in the United States. Many participants said they came not just to protest Trump’s immigration policies but also to stand up for democracy, civil rights, and free speech. Organizers and attendees stressed that these issues affect everyone — and that standing together is more important than ever.
The protest, part of a national movement known as “No Kings,” was one of over 2,000 events held across the country and around the world. Similar rallies took place in large cities like New York and Chicago, and in smaller towns across Illinois, including Bloomington, Peoria, and Macomb. The event was co-sponsored by the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) of Central Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, 50501 Movement of Illinois and Mahomet Persisterhood.
The Urbana protest started at 4 p.m. with a packed rally outside the Champaign County Courthouse and people standing along Main Street. There were a wide variety of flags throughout the assembly, including Pride, Ukrainian, Palestinian, Mexican, and American flags. Exercising their First Amendment right, protestors carried or held up signs, many clever and a few others not so family friendly, displaying clear messages against Trump and his efforts to concentrate power in the presidency.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
A young woman wearing a crown waves the Mexican flag while standing on the median on Main St. with other protestors. The second most-popular flag behind the Stars & Stripes, flags from Ukraine and Palestine were also carried by demonstrators.
While many sought refuge from the hot sun in the cooler shade of the courthouse shadow, local leaders spoke to the crowd, including Urbana Mayor DeShawn Williams, Mica Light of the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, and Ricardo Diaz of the Champaign-Urbana Immigration Forum. They called for unity, equal rights, and more support for immigrants and working families.
The protest was a block party with a purpose. As protestors made their way through the crowd, there was no shortage of handshakes, hugs and comforting smiles exchanged between friends and acquaintances. One thoughtful woman pulled a foldable wagon filled with bottled water, handing bottles to anyone who needed one under the hot June sun.
After about 45 minutes of speeches and chants, the crowd began an impromptu march through downtown Urbana. Volunteers in yellow vests helped guide people safely through the streets using bikes, cars, and foot patrols. The march moved along Main Street, turned onto Race Street and University Avenue, then circled back to Vine Street and returned to the courthouse. Protestors began leaving the area around 6:30 p.m.
The turnout was conservatively more than five times larger than the “Hands Off!” rally held in West Side Park this past April. Despite the large crowd, there was no visible police presence, and the event remained calm and respectful throughout.
“Somewhere around 3,000 people turned out at the courthouse as part of a larger movement rejecting authoritarianism and the president’s attempted consolidation of power into the executive branch," Jeff Dougan, an organizer for Champaign county’s chapter of Indivisible, a progressive network organizing for democracy, said. "We the people have rejected a king once before, and were uniting our voices today to say ‘not again.’ We’re so grateful for the community showing up in unity.”
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
An estimated of more than 3,000 demonstrators of all ages and backgrounds crowded the sidewalk on both sides of the street between Vine and Main Street at Saturday's rally.
Saturday marked the largest rally since the record-breaking Women’s March in 2017, when President Trump began his first term in office. Organizers with 505051 estimated that nationwide protests drew more than 5 million Americans on the day of the president’s 79th birthday. There were 51 “No Kings” protests planned across Illinois. From Rockford to Carbondale, the majority of the rallies - 26 in total - were held in cities and communities outside the Chicago metro area. Chicago hosted three separate events in different parts of the city.
Some notable examples of estimated turnout in major cities include:
Los Angeles: Over 200,000
Philadelphia: 80,000
Seattle: 70,000
Chicago: 75,000
New York City: Over 50,000
Ezra Levin, co-founder and co-executive director of the nonprofit Indivisible, another No Kings coordinator, told NPR the atmosphere at the event was joyful. "Today what I saw was a boisterous, peaceful display of First Amendment rights," he said.
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