Stories by Beth Hundsdorfer — Capitol News Illinois

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth has fired a staffer accused of misrepresenting himself as an attorney and falsifying an official form to visit and secure the release of a Staunton restaurant owner detained by immigration agents.

The decisive, bipartisan work in Congress Tuesday further showed the pressure mounting on lawmakers and the Trump administration to meet long-held demands that the Justice Department release its case files on Epstein.

A Democratic lawmaker from Washington defied her party by introducing a resolution on the House floor to rebuke Garcia, who represents parts of western Chicago and its suburbs.

Starting Wednesday, Illinois residents will be able to add their Illinois-issued driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet. The Mobile ID program will also “soon” expand to Google and Samsung wallets, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Johnson said there are currently only four people being held at the Broadview facility, a drastic reduction that comes weeks after detainees there testified they had been crammed into rooms with hundreds of others.

The mayor’s budget plan faces a major setback at City Hall. And Texas National Guard members leave Illinois ahead of a Supreme Court decision on their deployment.

The comments deepened the uncertainty about the Trump administration’s next steps toward Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s government.

“The military is not the method we use for law enforcement,” said retired Maj. Gen. Randy Manner. “They are not trained for this, and we don’t want to put these young men and women in situations they are not trained for.”

The Chicago Fire has committed to enhanced bird protections for its proposed new stadium. Does this represent a tipping point for bird-friendly design in Chicago?

Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Board of Higher Education on Monday announced that total enrollment in Illinois public universities increased for the second year in a row and hit its highest overall level in 10 years.

“This withdrawal represents an unconditional surrender by the Trump administration,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “But more than that, it represents a massive waste of taxpayer dollars.”

Broadview’s mayor has declared a civil emergency following a series of “serious and credible” threats made against village officials and increasing protests outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.

The refusal of the City Council’s Finance Committee to advance Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed spending plan is another sign there is no clear consensus on the bulk of Johnson’s proposal to impose $623 million in new taxes on the wealthiest Chicagoans and largest firms.

The Justice Department engaged in a “disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps” in the process of securing an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey, a federal judge ruled Monday.

The beloved holiday tradition will return starting next week and run through late December, the Chicago Transit Authority announced.

Federal immigration officials used the popular children’s book “Charlotte’s Web” to name their latest crackdown, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

President Donald Trump says Democrats and the media are misleading voters who are concerned about high costs and the economy.

Between the end of February and mid-August, funding ceased for 383 studies that were testing treatments for conditions including cancer, heart disease and brain disease.

The most recent reassessment of the value of Chicago properties resulted in a “record-setting” 16.7% increase in the median homeowner’s bill, according to a new analysis from Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ research team.

It will likely cost Chicago taxpayers approximately $52 million in interest to borrow that money and pay off during the next five years, according to estimates provided to the Chicago City Council by Chief Financial Officer Jill Jaworski.

Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino and his agents are reportedly leaving Chicago soon. And the federal government reopens after a record shutdown — with dissent among the Democrats.

While Senate Bill 2111 was widely covered for the $1.5 billion it drives to transit throughout Illinois and its governance reforms in the Chicago region, the more than 1,000-page bill outlines a new approach to public transportation.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office said most faced charges of obstruction, disorderly conduct, and walking on a highway. One also faced a charge of mob action. Their ages ranged from 23 to 67.

The current proposed budget would impose a monthly $21 per employee tax on companies with more than 200 employees to generate $82 million to fund violence prevention and youth employment programs.

The city’s lawsuit accused DoorDash of advertising delivery services from restaurants without their consent, damaging the restaurants’ reputations and forcing them to scramble to resolve complaints.

Chicago taxpayers have spent at least $285.3 million to resolve lawsuits alleging Chicago police officers committed a wide range of misconduct — including wrongful convictions and improper pursuits — so far this year, according to an analysis of city data by WTTW News.