“Just to go use the bathroom and get something to eat, that’s even a safety concern,” Border Control Cmdr. Greg Bovino told a Tribune photographer Thursday, holding up a Slim Jim in a Gage Park store where he’d just asked a guy buying a soda where he was from. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/06/b...

“And having answered so I turn once more to those who sneer at this my city, and I give them back the sneer” Judge Ellis today not only denounced the Trump administration’s immigration action, but had biting remarks on its clumsy views of Chicago itself UPDATE: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/06/o...

Attorney Jon Loevy after today's ruling: "ICE has come to town, they said they were going to go after murderers and rapists, but we all know how that's played out. They are attacking communities. They are grabbing people at work, at Home Depots, people on the street, people with their kids."

En Bovino Veritas? Not according to Judge Sara Ellis, who said today that Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino admittedly lied in his sworn deposition Watch clips from his testimony here: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/06/c...

'The use of force shocks the conscience': Chicago federal judge issues sweeping injunction limiting force by immigration agents in 'Operation Midway Blitz' www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/06/o...

///BREAKING/// A federal judge is issuing an injunction putting more permanent use-of-force restrictions on immigration agents during “Operation Midway Blitz,” saying top government officials lied in their testimony about threats that protesters posed www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/06/o...

FYI this story started with a tip that led to two reporters combing through DUI arrest records in DuPage County, which led to callings lawyers, more reporting and eventually like 15 FOIAs, not to mention the vetting, writing, editing and social media. So go ahead and complain about paying for it

WATCH body cam video of an ICE agent arrested for DUI after his shift at the Broadview facility. He crashed into some bushes after officers found him asleep at the wheel and knocked on the window. "Oh this is a fun one,” the officer tells his sergeant. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/05/i...

Good morning from the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, where testimony is about to being in a marathon injunction hearing over use of force by immigration agents in "Operation Midway Blitz." When it comes to live posting, I'm mostly over on X, but will try here too www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/04/i...

Martinez’s attorney filed a response today blasting the government’s “Karate Kid wax on, wax off narrative” as self-serving.

Hearing over allegedly inhumane conditions at 'black site' Broadview facility underway. Judge Gettleman says it's clear that some of the conditions there are "disgusting" and unconstitutional, including people sleeping on the floor next to overflowing toilets. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/04/b...

NEW: Prosecutors say a Border Patrol mechanic in Maine attempted to “wipe off” some scuff marks but did no actual repairs on an immigration agent’s SUV after he shot a woman in Brighton Park last month. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/04/b...

NEW: Attorneys file alleged TRO violations against immigration agents for a high-profile action in Evanston on Halloween, where agents allegedly slammed a man's head into the pavement and pointed a gun at unarmed protesters saying "step back or I'm going to shoot you”

As bystanders yelled, “You hit her! We have it on video!” agents ignored the crowd and forced Dayanne Figueroa into a red minivan and drove away. Her car was left behind in the middle of the road, her coffee still in the cup holder, and her keys in plain view. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/03/c...

NEW: The deposition of Border Patrol Cmdr. Greg Bovino nearly ground to a halt last week as government lawyers repeatedly objected to questions by plaintiffs’ attorneys, including some about communications between Bovino and White House advisor Stephen Miller. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/03/b...

A ruling from the Supreme Court on whether President Trump can deploy National Guard troops to Illinois is likely at least three weeks away as the justices ask for more briefing on what constitutes the "regular army" www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/29/n...

Six Broadview protesters indicted on charges of assaulting/impeding a federal immigration agent, including congressional candidate Katherine 'Kat' Abughazaleh, a Cook County Board candidate and an Oak Park trustee www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/29/i...

A federal judge in Chicago is set to grill a pair of immigration officials this morning about “Operation Midway Blitz” tactics that allegedly violate her restraining order “I don’t want anyone to get up there and say, ‘I don’t know,’ or ‘Not my responsibility’” www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/20/f...

Archie Collins went to sleep the night of the raid like he often does: on the floor and hungry. He had no gas for his stove. No electricity, except for that provided by an extension cord from a neighboring unit. Powerful story on the South Shore federal raid: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/19/i...

The federal court whiplash continues Friday as the Trump administration asks U.S. Supreme Court to step in and allow deployment of 700 National Guard troops in the Chicago area while its appeal is pending Our story here: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/17/t...

///BREAKING/// Saying "political opposition is not rebellion," a Chicago appeals court has ruled "the facts do not justify the President's actions in Illinois, leaving intact a judge's order barring National Guard deployment while the case is on appeal. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/16/a...

In today's "news of the weird" out of Chicago's federal court, we learned the Immigration agent who shot a woman in Brighton Park was allowed to drive his allegedly rammed vehicle back to Maine, before the defense could inspect it Story: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/16/a...

"I’m not blind, right?…I’m getting images and seeing images on the news, in the paper, reading reports where I’m having concerns about my order being followed.” Judge orders ICE field director to address use of tear gas, wants agents to turn on body cams www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/16/j...

"Case replete with evidence of bad faith": Emotional arguments cap federal hearing on barring National Guard deployment The judge seems ready to rule at 4:30 p.m. Our updated story: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/09/t...

UPDATE: The man fatally shot by an ICE agent during an traffic stop in Franklin Park this morning has bene identified as Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, 38. DHS says he is in the U.S. illegally and was targeted for arrest due to a history of reckless driving www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/12/i...

Mayor Brandon Johnson seeks $90 million in settlement of suits tied to corrupt cop, @jake-sheridan.bsky.social and @jmetr22b.bsky.social w the details. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/11/m...

"A wired-up executive entertaining politicos at his suburban cigar lounge, secret contracts siphoning funds from red-light cameras to a mob-connected businessman, and another mayor ... handing over an envelope of bribe money at a Crestwood pancake house called Stacked." @jmetr22b.bsky.social

“It takes courage to speak up, to say no in the face of power like Mr. Madigan’s,” a judge told ex-ComEd lobbyist John Hooker today. “It’s easy to say yes when you have the talent and the wherewithal to play within the corrupt system." www.chicagotribune.com/2025/07/14/j...

Michael J. Madigan spent decades as speaker of the Illinois House, but when he strode to the lectern in a packed federal courtroom on Friday he seemed almost unsure of what to say. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/13/m...

Chicago-born Elias Rodriguez, a UIC grad and son of an Iraq war veteran who railed against Israel’s attacks on Gaza, is now facing a potential death sentence in the fatal shootings of two Israeli Embassy employees in Washington DC. Our final report here: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/05/22/a...

“I kick myself in the ass every day for having got it so wrong.” Tragic ending to a federal fraud case as ex-CPS principal Sarah Jackson Abedelal is found dead on the day of her sentencing www.chicagotribune.com/2025/05/07/e...

In his testimony so far, state Sen. Emil Jones III has called FBI mole Omar Maani a “used car salesman,” former colleague Martin Sandoval a “bully” and ex-Senate President John Cullerton a “boss” And he says he can dance Catch up here: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/16/s...

This week in politics, State Sen. Emil Jones III of Chicago is accused of taking bribes from a red-light camera company. Now, his political career, and his freedom, are at stake in federal court, as @jmetr22b.bsky.social reports. Plus, Linda Kenyon and the latest on tariffs.

'They always asked me for money': Ex-red light camera exec talks about cigars, dinners, bribes www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/10/e...

Former red-light camera company executive Omar Maani, one of the more prolific FBI moles in recent Chicago history, is expected to take a federal witness stand for the first time today as the bribery trial of state Sen. Emil Jones III kicks off in earnest. www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/09/r...

Anointed by powerful father, state Sen. Emil Jones III heads to trial on bribery charges www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/06/a...

A Skokie man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison in a multi-million-dollar bank fraud case that involved a 58-foot party yacht known as the “Flying Lady,” a onetime fixture in Chicago’s summer boating scene adorned with a pink stripper pole attached to the afterdeck.

'They've got everlasting money, bro': Chicago archdiocese alleges conspiracy to file false sex abuse claims against defrocked priest www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/25/c...

“If I were a criminal and I knew I did something bad, the last person I would want to see show up in court on my case is Amar Bhachu.” Top Madigan prosecutor known for bringing blockbuster mob, corruption cases, stepping down www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/14/t...

NEW: 2 years after Chicago's last Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney departed, the number of indictments is in free fall, there's been an exodus of leadership, and upheaval in DC has many on edge. The city's storied U.S. attorney's office is at a crossroads: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/10/c...

“If Mike Madigan is being bribed in 2016, how the hell does that happen? Because he wasn’t.” Madigan defense attempts to chip away at bribery allegations as closing arguments continue www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/27/m...

Former House Speaker Michael Madigan's "made out like bandits" comment on a federal wiretap has finally been aired in court and is attached to this updated story: Prosecutor: "That’s you laughing, sir, isn’t it?" www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/13/c...

In a stunning and risky move, Michael J. Madigan, once the state’s most powerful politician, took the witness stand in his own defense Tuesday, offering wide-ranging testimony about his rise to power as well as emphatic denials he ever betrayed his office: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/01/07/m...

Far Northwest Side Ald. Jim Gardiner has agreed to pay more than $157,000 to settle a federal lawsuit filed by Northwest Side residents who accused the alderman of violating their First Amendment rights when he blocked them and deleted their comments on his official government social media account.

Historic preservationists thought demands had been answered when the federal government appeared to green-light the rehab of century-old office towers on State Street. But security restrictions governing how the buildings are used have raised questions.

With Michael Madigan’s defense case now underway, one angle that has so far not materialized is the idea that Madigan would try to throw his old friend and co-defendant, Michael McClain, under the proverbial bus. So what will they argue to the jury? Read on: www.chicagotribune.com/2024/12/22/d...

After weeks of legal wrangling, ex-state Rep. Eddie Acevedo is finally on the witness stand in the Madigan corruption trial. His testimony has so far been as expected— he claimed Monday he did do work for AT&T, but only “verbally” …and, he forgot his glasses www.chicagotribune.com/2024/12/16/m...

A prosecutor in the Madigan corruption trial accused the defense of trying to insinuate that fired 13th Ward political aide Kevin Quinn was “just a poor guy with kids when we all jolly well know” he’d been accused by a woman of sexual harassment. www.chicagotribune.com/2024/12/16/m...