"Why are we asking the people with the least power to figure out something? Don't ask these boys. Ask the people who can show up." Thank you, Cortez Watson Jr. of the Black Star Project, for setting me straight. @wbez.org @opencampus.org #college #chicago www.wbez.org/education/20...

Please take the time to read what the children detained in Dilley wrote me in their own words: www.propublica.org/article/ice-... 10/

My latest for @wbez.org and @opencampus.org about the painting over a trans flag with an alleged hate symbol and Northwestern University's decision not to intervene. www.wbez.org/education/20...

“I think the best defense against an ICE officer potentially seizing your camera in a public space is other people recording that action and then being able to use that footage as evidence in court, when you sue them,” FPF's @trevortimm.bsky.social said.

UPDATE — The Chicago Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is calling for the immediate release of Lemon and Fort, and for all charges against them to be withdrawn. thetriibe.com/2026/01/jour...

Big changes to college affordability are coming ⏰ New limits on student loans, repayment plans, and Pell Grants begin in 2026. ➡️ Visit edtrust.org for more. #HigherEd #StudentLoans #Educationpolicy

Memory is a fragile thing in this moment, so it is important to keep in mind that Hakeem Jeffries refused to whip his caucus against ICE funding earlier this week.

As Border Patrol immediately — and some would say reflexively — declares the latest killing in Minnesota to be a good shooting: A reminder that the bearer of the message — Cmdr. Greg Bovino — lied about why he lobbed tear gas in a Chicago neighborhood, per a U.S. judge www.wbez.org/immigration/...

Our reporting has found that ICE sent 600 immigrant kids to detention in federal shelters in 2025. A 17-year-old was detained at a traffic stop because officers couldn’t make contact with his dad, who is deaf. Another kid ended up in a shelter after making a wrong turn:

I wonder how #IL universities who have backed away from #DEI programs will respond. Will they reinstate initiatives? I'm thinking of the University of Illinois system, for instance, which in October banned the consideration of #race/#gender in scholarship decisions.

🔴 "Government invasion into a reporter’s home and the seizure of journalistic materials is exactly the kind of scenario our First Amendment was conceived to protect against." Today, we joined over two dozen organizations in condemning the outrageous government invasion.

The #Trump administration is starting to seize people's pay to cover their defaulted student loans. More than 177,000 #IL residents are at risk. Here's how you can prevent this situation - or try to get out of it. @opencampus.org @wbez.org #studentdebt www.wbez.org/education/20...

It has been a rollercoaster of a year, both personally and professionally (a 🧵). I went from attending my close college friend's memorial to reporting on Trump's attacks on programs that have helped people I love both go to college & feel like they belong there. (1/?) www.wbez.org/education/20...

“I haven’t been there through Pastor Brown’s whole life, but at least I know that he’s been through some things,” Gates said of Brown. “You have to go through … some type of trial in life to be able to show me that you’re worth that ‘mentor’ status.” www.wbez.org/education/20...

From @sammiesmylie.bsky.social at Chalkbeat: Illinois quietly changes scholarship for teachers of color amid lawsuit, threats from federal government www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2025...

Once again, I'm a lot of fun at parties.

"At least $5.9 trillion will be inherited by billionaire children over the next 15 years, the bank calculates."

Curious about how to access police body-cam video through public records? This new guide explains when recordings are eligible, how long they're kept and how to write a proper FOIA request. https://www.bettergov.org/2025/12/02/how-to-foia-for-body-camera-footage/

Rep. Delia Ramirez introduced the resolution criticizing the agency and is urging her party to take a firmer stance against the administration’s immigration enforcement agenda.

A U.S. postal worker on Long Island is accused of trying to help a man escape from ICE custody earlier this month, according to a federal criminal complaint: https://gothamist.visitlink.me/YNagDp

Oh wow @reuters.com got the photo here:

Highlight of my week: Calling into @wbez.org's Say More to chat with Hari Kondabolu about how Indians really do f***ing love mangoes, what journalists can learn from comedians in these dark times and the most common mispronunciation of his name (Hasan Minhaj 😂) www.wbez.org/say-more-wit...

This week #IL students and faculty delivered stacks of postcards to the state higher education board asking for $25M meant for their public universities to be released. Their colleges have been squeezed by federal cuts, decreases in international students and decades of declining state funding.

Young people in #Chicago age 18-29 can apply to be part of a Civic Matchmaking program run by Chicago Votes and The Civic Success Project. More info here:

Stop what you're doing and read this piece by @vanessalop.bsky.social: "I carry the weight of his sacrifice while navigating the gaping hole left by his departure. I am the daughter who made it, who did better while knowing that “better” came with a cost." chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2...

Our review of 700+ videos of the Portland protests shows a wide gap between the reality on the ground and the characterizations by Trump, Fox News and DHS, which said its office in the city was under “coordinated assault by violent groups.” By @robwdavis.bsky.social and Steve Suo

NEW: U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis is allowing the deposition of Border Patrol boss Greg Bovino to expand to FIVE hours (she'd limited it to 2), and she wants to hear about use of force by CBP in Little Village on Wednesday and Thursday. Plus a reminder to "preserve all body-worn camera footage."

NEW: I found 17 sheriffs in Illinois that have contracts to detain people for ICE through U.S. Marshals Service contracts. IL law explicitly prohibits these types of intergovernmental service agreements. news.wttw.com/2025/10/22/d...

Haunting photo posted by the 40th Ward Instagram. The caption says that the photo represents the remnants of two workers who were taken by ICE today. Chilling.

FULL STORY: A Border Patrol agent pointed a gun at state Rep. Hoan Huynh while he warned North Side residents that immigration agents were conducting enforcement operations, said Huynh, a Vietnam refugee who is running to represent Illinois' 9th District in Congress. @wttw.bsky.social

A federal judge on Monday declined to block Northwestern from disciplining students who refused to complete an online anti-bias training the graduate student plaintiffs say characterizes criticism of Israel as antisemitic, Casey He reports. #chicago #highered chicago.suntimes.com/education/20...

In an email shared with @wbez.org, University of Illinois Chicago leaders said race, gender and other factors will no longer be considered in financial aid and faculty tenure decisions. @opencampus.org #chicago #highered #college www.wbez.org/education/20...

The DHS Twitter has been tagging and calling out a local journalist writing on immigration in Chicago. Local journalists covering what’s happening need continual support especially as they write these important stories.

Going on @wbez.org's Say More with Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber at 10am CT today to talk about his book "Terms of Respect: How Colleges Get Free Speech Right." Please call in with questions and comments!!! #chicago #highered #campus #freespeech

"Don't bite the hook": Northwestern History Professor Leslie Harris tells a gathering of faculty, students and staff that universities including her own need to stand together against the Trump administration's 'fascist, authoritarian takeover' #highered #chicago

The deployment of tear gas throughout the Chicago area is a growing health concern. ICE is deploying tear gas in residential neighborhoods, near children, playgrounds, stores, etc. What are the health implications on our communities?

NEW investigation from @lkpwrites.bsky.social: IL colleges are contracting w/ for-profit businesses called online program managers which are paid as much as 50% tuition revenue for each student they enroll. www.wbez.org/education/20...

University of Illinois campuses pays a for-profit company to recruit students for online programs — a practice that would be illegal if done by the universities themselves, a WBEZ investigation found.

“I don’t want to be here anymore… What am I supposed to do?” Trump wants them to self deport. They want to self deport. But many Venezuelans cannot leave … like this woman who told me she now plans to try to turn herself into ICE to get out of USA. www.propublica.org/article/trum...

At the University of Illinois Chicago where dozens are protesting ICE's presence in their city. Multiple students say #ICE detained two women unaffiliated with UIC near the campus Student Services Building yesterday (Weds)

23-year-old journalist Plestia Alaqad, like many Gazans, lost her home in the first days after October 7. unable to reenter her homeland, stuck watching the horror continue, she’s publishing her diaries from reporting on the ground. full interview @teenvogue.com www.teenvogue.com/story/plesti...

For 2 years, Palestinian-American students in #Chicago have had to go to class while witnessing extreme violence against their community in #Gaza: “You feel the guilt of, ‘How am I letting my people go through that?’” @wbez.org @opencampus.org bit.ly/3VTFGCU

A new initiative announced by City Colleges of Chicago and the Greater Chicago Food Depository aims to better address food insecurity among students attending community colleges in the city.

In a few moments tune into @wbez.org 91.5 FM to hear Palestinian college student and #Chicagoan Henna Ayesh's story. The past two years have left her tired to the bone - but empowered. #college #Palestine #activism

Several of us went to Broadview tonight to scope out the situation for ourselves. What we witnessed was a completely peaceful—even uneventful—protest/gathering, until the exact moment ICE unleashed a totally unprovoked and unwarranted tear-gas attack.

I feel like news publications should put more energy into asking autistic people how they feel about all this because…

This is an absolutely terrific piece from @texastribune.org and reinforces my belief that the best coverage of right-wing cancelations occur at the local level, after years of the national media focusing on threats from the left. www.texastribune.org/2025/09/19/t...

Playing a major role in this festival is Ald. Stephanie Coleman , who founded the Englewood Music Festival in 2021 with hopes to bring music and positive community energy to her Chicago ward. thetriibe.com/2025/09/sout...

Employees at Fermilab in Batavia and Argonne in Lemont were recently offered voluntary separation packages. The move comes as the Department of Energy recommends funding for the local national labs be reduced by almost $240 million for the next fiscal year, and focuses on new research priorities.