A look at USBP's role in Chicago. An interesting finding, most of these immigration officers had extensive training and still behaved recklessly. Undercutting the policy prescription that more training is needed for these agents. blockclubchicago.org/2026/06/30/w... via @cplhouse.bsky.social

As thorough an attempt as I've seen to account for the US Customs & Border Protection personnel who operated for a little over two months here. #chicago

Must read: Tortured In El Salvador. Detained For Over A Year. Then Deported Anyway blockclubchicago.org/2026/05/12/t...

As Operation Midway Blitz targeted Southwest side residents, Ald. Raymond Lopez made at least 10 appearances on right-wing media, ripping immigration “sanctuary” laws & repeating false claims that roundups were targeting criminals. blockclubchicago.org/2026/04/14/h... ✍️ @mannyramos.bsky.social

As Southwest Side neighbors were targeted or hid in their homes, Ald. Raymond Lopez repeatedly defended Trump’s immigration roundups on conservative media. We looked at Lopez’s rise and how he became a favorite in the right-wing media ecosystem. blockclubchicago.org/2026/04/14/h...

illinoisanswers.org/2026/03/13/p... My latest about the Polymarket CEO giving a UChicago freshman $20k to start a campus prediction market club, Coinbase suing Illinois while donating $20k to House and Senate Dems, and the prediction markets running wild in defiance of state gambling regulators

I wrote about an increase in domestic homicides in Chicago for @blockclubchi.bsky.social earlier this year. Today the Mayor’s Office, CPD and community orgs are all meeting to discuss how to combat the surge.

Incredibly proud of the entire @blockclubchi.bsky.social team — we're nominated twice for the A-Mark Prize for Investigative Reporting for "Chicago Under Siege" + our Midway Blitz coverage + @mannyramos.bsky.social's troubling investigation "Death Hospital." headlineclub.org/2026/02/04/f...

Officials have revealed little about what led to the arrests. State Police haven’t fulfilled records requests for incident reports. Court records don’t include many details & few of the protesters arrested have appeared in court. @blockclubchi.bsky.social blockclubchicago.org/2025/11/12/p...

“This is my ward! This is my ward!” Rodriguez (22nd) chirps back as Sigcho-Lopez (25th) grills Gov., saying, “the State Police are arresting protesters.” “They’re protecting our protesters,” Gov. JB Pritzker responds.

Two Illinois moms among millions facing SNAP cutoff as pantries say: ‘We cannot meet this need.' From @elviamalagon.bsky.social and Casey He. chicago.suntimes.com/news/2025/10...

Broadview ICE Protesters, Including Congressional Candidate, Facing Federal Conspiracy Charges blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/29/b...

Judge Blasts Border Patrol Boss Greg Bovino For Violating Excessive Force Order by @minabloom.bsky.social blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/28/j...

The Trump administration’s ongoing immigration enforcement surge brought Congressional Democrats to Chicago on Friday, then forced an abrupt exit by some local officials from a public hearing on the topic. blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/24/c... via @blockclubchi.bsky.social

The Chicago area companies making money directly off the federal immigration "blitz" in many city neighborhoods and suburbs blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/23/c...

Big props to Block Club and the reporter @mannyramos.bsky.social. This was such an important contribution for us to understand what is happening in our city rn.

Great reporting from @mannyramos.bsky.social: "One Chicago-based company was awarded more than $7 million to relocate ICE employees while a suburban weapons manufacturer was paid nearly $1.5 million in two weeks to supply pepper balls and air-powered guns." blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/23/c...

Great reporting here by Manny on the many companies that benefitted from the ICE surge in Chicago.

Chicago-Area Companies Raked In Millions From Feds As Operation Midway Blitz Intensified Among the awards: A suburban weapons manufacturer was paid nearly $1.5M in 2 weeks for pepper balls + air-powered guns @blockclubchi.bsky.social @mannyramos.bsky.social blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/23/c...

Federal agencies paid $1.5 million to a local nonlethal weapons manufacturer in Chicago for air-powered guns and pepper balls. It also paid $7.3 million to a downtown real estate company to relocate ICE agents leading up to Operation Midway Blitz. blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/23/c...

ICE all across the northwest side of Chicago with hotspots in Hermosa and Belmont Cragin. There is a recent development in Logan square as well around Central Park and armitage where videos and eyewitnesses are sharing tear gas thrown at protesters trying to intervene.

Illinois takes a jab at CDC chicago.suntimes.com/health/2025/...

Chicago isn’t a “hellhole.” And funds Trump might use to deploy National Guard troops here would be better spent investing in long-term social-safety-net programs already helping reduce the city’s violent crime, experts say. blockclubchicago.org/2025/09/05/s... via @blockclubchi.bsky.social

New story w/ @hilaryburns.bsky.social: A DOJ lawyer accused Harvard of ‘indifference to antisemitism.’ As a Harvard undergrad he wrote a paper from Hitler’s perspective. www.bostonglobe.com/2025/09/02/m...

Some Call It The ‘Death Hospital’: Inside The Northwest Side Medical Center Plagued By Problems. Outstanding work from @mannyramos.bsky.social and @blockclubchi.bsky.social blockclubchicago.org/2025/08/27/s...

There is a lot going on in the world, but I am popping back in this space to share a yearlong investigation we published today about a hospital on Chicago's Northwest Side that some call the "Death Hospital." Here's why: blockclubchicago.org/2025/08/27/s...

Some Call It The ‘Death Hospital’: Inside The Northwest Side Medical Center Plagued By Problems blockclubchicago.org/2025/08/27/s..., reports @mannyramos.bsky.social

Come work with us!

📢 DREAM JOB ALERT: @blockclubchi.bsky.social is hiring an Investigative Editor to help lead our award-winning investigative team, The Watch. Deadline: 6/27 Learn how to apply here: blockclubchicago.org/were-hiring-...

UnitedHealth Group paid nursing home thousands to stop transferring ailing patients to hospitals to save the company millions. One former worker described the practice as "Well, they’re medically frail, and no one lives for ever.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

A heart-wrenching story about the domestic violence crisis in Chicago as victims often suffer in silence. Read @minabloom.bsky.social recount the tragic story of DeMarie' Williams and how her story is sadly too common. blockclubchicago.org/2025/05/20/a...

Incredibly proud of @blockclubchi.bsky.social investigative reporter @mannyramos.bsky.social, who is a finalist for the Driehaus Foundation Investigative Reporting Award for his series “CTA In Crisis." blockclubchicago.org/2025/05/15/b...

Here's Kevin Jackson, who did 23 years & was rejected twice by the CIU, though the evidence against him consisted of statements witnesses recanted before trial. A cop in his case married a prosecutor in the unit. Footage by Abel Uribe, editing by @msivit.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwr8...

With no updates from police, Logan Square victims of sexual and physical attacks have banded together to speak out about their assaults, which date back to at least 2022 and remain unsolved. They're encouraging the community turn out for a CAPS meeting next week. blockclubchi.co/416NPG5

So, if in fact terminated, MTA won't get that critical funding to upgrade its deteriorating transit system. gothamist.com/news/trump-m...

City crews removed tents at the Gompers Park tent encampment on one of the coldest mornings of the year. https://buff.ly/3D19RSL

New landlord says he is being "nice" by kicking long-time tenants out or raising the rent by 25% so they can stay a few months longer before they're kicked out so he can build luxury apartments. But hey, they can come back if they can afford the $2,400 rent. blockclubchicago.org/2025/01/23/a...

Sun-Times owner seeks voluntary buyouts from the newsroom chicago.suntimes.com/chicago/2025...

City inspectors also found a malfunctioning boiler among 11 building violations at the Albany Park property. blockclubchicago.org/2025/01/14/e... via @blockclubchi.bsky.social

With Dorval Carter retiring I want to highlight some of our reporting coming out of the pandemic. We were accused of having an axe to grind with CTA leadership, but our position was always about accountability. Here are some stories worth revisiting. blockclubchicago.org/2025/01/14/a...

CTA Boss Dorval Carter Retires After Years Of Mounting Pressure Over Struggling Transit Service blockclubchicago.org/2025/01/13/c...

Martinez has been fired without cause. His contract requires that he continue serving with pay during a six-month transition period. @wttw.bsky.social

NEW: Advocates push for at least $20M in city’s 2025 budget for housing measures to help tenants facing eviction & those being displaced near the Obama Presidential Center. They’d address inequities documented in Injustice Watch’s August investigation www.injusticewatch.org/project/tena...

I‘ve begun putting together a starter pack of Chicago’s alternative, independent and community media. We have one of the richest media ecosystems anywhere around! go.bsky.app/Rn9XDbg

The man arrested following a North Center road rage shooting and SWAT standoff Monday has been released without charges, according to police. blockclubchicago.org/2024/11/20/m... via @blockclubchi.bsky.social

Great background here on Trump’s Transportation pick that goes beyond “reality TV star.” His background lobbying for deregulation in the airline industry (among other issues) could make travel more dangerous via @katyaaaa.bsky.social @lucydeanstockton.bsky.social www.levernews.com/trumps-trans...

New to Bluesky? We've got you covered! ⭐ Follow Block Club's team on here to stay in the know about all things Chicago. We'll keep adding to the list as more members of our team join. go.bsky.app/BpnBAMv

My daughter told me today her Pre-K class "practiced" on what to do if their school had an active shooter. She then showed me what she learned — crouching, facing the wall, with her hand over her head. I don't know how to feel other than a sudden rush of dread. She's 4.

The 211 Metro Chicago hotline plans to move into the South Side's XChange tech training hub, which is set to open next year. (I deleted an earlier post, in which XChange reps said the move would create a "feeder system" for 211 employees seeking tech careers.) blockclubchicago.org/2024/11/19/x...

This is by far the best thing I've ever written. Hope you'll give it a read (to make up for the harassment and microwaved food): chicago.suntimes.com/transportati...