If you’re thinking, “Wow, it’s already Wednesday” or conversely “I can’t believe it’s only Wednesday,” you should read these stories from WTTW News. Southern Illinois University Carbondale, pictured here on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, is one of the Illinois schools where international students have seen their visas revoked by federal authorities. (Lylee Gibbs / Saluki Local Reporting Lab) The federal government has revoked the visas of some international students studying at universities across Illinois, but college administrators are sharing few details, including how many students have been impacted. The revocations are part of a broader federal crackdown playing out on campuses across the country. International students have faced abrupt visa cancellations in recent weeks, as the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration dragnet ensnares college students, federal officials claim have violated visa rules, though the reasons for the revocations are not always made clear. Some context: Across its vast network of public and private colleges and universities, Illinois hosts one of the largest international student populations in the nation, ranking fifth, with more than 55,000 international students, according to a 2024 Open Doors report. Confusion abounds: A spokesperson for Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office said it has been in “close touch” with both public and private university leaders across the state but declined to share any information about how many students have been affected — or whether it even knows. Ed Yohnka, a spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, said the lack of transparency from both federal officials and universities raises serious concerns about accountability and democratic oversight. University officials in Illinois have not disclosed the reasons that their students have lost their visas, and in some cases said they don’t even know themselves. Many schools are citing privacy laws, such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), as to why they cannot disclose information about student visas. Lawyers and legal scholars have begun to question the legality of these actions from the federal government, on international student visas. These uncharted legal waters — coupled with the looming threat of losing federal funding — have effectively pushed many U.S. colleges into a state of silence and compliance with the federal government. Read more (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News) A city worker who had an illegal gun while on the clock will not be fired by city officials, according to a report released Tuesday by the city’s watchdog. Inspector General Deborah Witzburg recommended the employee, who was not identified in keeping with the city’s rules, be terminated. But leaders of the Department of Water Management reprimanded the construction laborer, according to the watchdog’s quarterly report. The laborer was on the clock when he was pulled over by Chicago police while driving his personal vehicle. During that traffic stop, Chicago police recovered a gun from a crossbody bag that the laborer opened to get his identification. Because the laborer did not have a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification Card or a Concealed Carry License, they were arrested for possessing an illegal firearm. The charges were eventually dropped, according to the response to the inspector general’s report from water officials. While water officials did not contest the inspector general’s findings, they declined to terminate the laborer and refer them for placement on the ineligible for rehire list, telling Witzburg that it was “‘important to consider the broader context’” of the incident. "Rather than resorting to termination, this situation warrants corrective measures that address the error without being excessively punitive, including counseling on city policies,” wrote the water officials. Read more Learn about sponsorship opportunities. Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks with reporter on April 15, 2025. (WTTW News) Mayor Brandon Johnson said Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s efforts to strip federal funding from cities like Chicago with laws on the books designed to protect undocumented immigrants amount to “terrorism” and vowed again to fight the federal government. Johnson told reporters during a news conference at City Hall that he would not follow Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s lead and visit the White House to ask Trump to spare Chicago. Pictures of Whitmer hiding her face from photographers in the Oval Office went viral, threatening her political future. “I will just say, outside of a 2016 Cubs World Series ring, I’m not kissing a ring, OK?” Johnson said. “The president of the United States of America has an open invitation to the fifth floor of the greatest freakin’ city in the world, the city of Chicago. He can come talk to me.” Trump has repeatedly threatened to yank federal funding from self-proclaimed sanctuary cities and states. One of the first acts by Trump after taking office was to issue an executive order stripping self-proclaimed sanctuary cities of all federal funding. That order has been blocked by a federal judge. Read more Read more Back in the Day: April 16, 1975 - Mike Royko Writes About Potential Bears Move to Arlington Heights The Chicago Bears have threatened to move to Arlington Heights for longer than most realize. On this day 50 years ago, the legendary local columnist Mike Royko weighed in on the debate in a Chicago Daily News piece under the headline “A copyright on ‘Chicago’?:” He writes, “If the Bears move to the suburbs, it will be a depressing symbol of the great flight of families and businesses from the city, further evidence that under Daley’s rule a lot of people have decided Chicago really isn’t a very wunnerful place to live, work or throw a screen pass.” He also maligned critics like Mayor Daley who said the NFL team would have to change their name and would sue them if they didn’t, writing, “If so, is he going to sue such suburban companies as the Chicago Cork Works of Niles, the Chicago Ink and Research Co., of Antioch, the Chicago Rubber Co. of Waukegan, the Chicago Scale and Slicer Co. of Franklin Park, the Chicago Automatic Door Co. of Skokie?” A half-century later, the Bears’ stadium situation is still up in the air. While they purchased property in Arlington Heights in February 2023, they’re between that location and a planned lakefront domed stadium downtown. Local Live Music Recommendations for Apr. 16-Apr. 22 Each Wednesday, WTTW News producer Josh Terry presents must-see live music shows from indie rock to jazz, country, hip-hop and more. Thursday, April 17: Circuit des Yeux, FACS, Kinsella & Pulse at Thalia Hall. Tickets.Two Chicago acts—the experimental songwriter and the veteran post-punk outfit—celebrate the release of two new and critically acclaimed albums. Friday, April 18: Jeff Tweedy at the Vic Theatre. Tickets.The Wilco frontman’s beloved annual benefit shows will feature acoustic songs and rarities. Saturday, April 19: Jeff Tweedy at the Vic Theatre. Tickets.The Wilco frontman’s beloved annual benefit shows will feature acoustic songs and rarities. Kishi Bashi with the Chicago Philharmonic at Auditorium Theatre. Tickets.The talented songwriter, violinist and loop pedal maestro will team up with the city’s orchestra. Todd Day Wait, Brandon Good at Hideout. Tickets.This Nashville crooner is a treat: classic country with ample twang and charm. Tuesday, April 22: Renee Reed, Andrew Sa at Judson and Moore. Tickets.This Louisiana songwriter pays tribute to her Cajun roots with haunting and stunning folk songs. Learn about sponsorship opportunities. This year, lawmakers in Springfield and Washington D.C. are attempting to make daylight saving time permanent. What do you think? Let us know and tell us why. Email [email protected] with your responses and your answers might be published. We're one-on-one with Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates about the now-ratified teachers contract and the historic road it took to get there. 5:30 PM | 10:00 PM Want more WTTW News content? Follow WTTW on Instagram to check in with us daily, go behind-the-scenes, and more. Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry
