Editor’s Note

Welcome to Newswire — your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what action we can take to make our city great, featuring public meeting coverage by City Bureau’s Documenters.

Quote of the Week

“... our economy cannot handle mass deportations. We, as Chicagoans, must direct our energy and organizing towards those who are actually oppressing us and divesting from us. It is easy to turn new migrants into an enemy for U.S. residents, but it's harder to look our own local government in the eyes …”

— Jordan Esparza-Kelley of CAIR-Chicago (Council on American-Islamic Relations), speaking about proposed changes to Chicago’s Welcoming City ordinance during public comment

[Chicago City Council, Jan. 15, 2025]

Chicago maintains ‘welcoming’ city status

Alders staved off an attempt to weaken Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance, which promises that all residents may access basic city services — such as shelter and 911 emergency responses — and will not be required to prove citizenship or legal immigration status. City Council voted 39-11 to block a vote on an amendment which would allow CPD to work with federal immigration enforcement agencies to detain people here without legal status and who have been previously arrested or convicted for certain crimes. Opponents of the amendment say it is unclear how people with past convictions would know if their charges qualify and it contributes to further fear mongering in immigrant communities. 

Chicago is one of the cities Trump’s administration has set its sights on for mass deportations, threatening to use the city as “ground zero.” Administration officials have distanced themselves from leaked plans to carry out a deportation operation in Chicago as soon as this week. While some alleged sightings of ICE were posted on social media, no mass raids occurred Tuesday.

Planning for the worst

Chicago is increasingly at risk of severe winter weather, flooding, tornados, wildfires, and other extreme weather events, experts say. At a public safety meeting last week, alders were briefed on updates to the Hazard Mitigation Plan for Cook County and Chicago, a comprehensive assessment of how local infrastructure might respond to natural disasters and climate change. Jurisdictions are required to update this plan every five years in order to be eligible to receive funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Missing persons

A state task force on missing and murdered Black women in Chicago recommends that the Police Department create a dedicated missing persons unit, move reports online, and improve data collection practices. The task force’s 2024 annual report to the Illinois General Assembly and Governor J.B. Pritzker cites data and stories from “Missing in Chicago,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation by Sarah Conway of City Bureau and Trina Reynolds-Tyler of Invisible Institute. The task force will continue meeting to discuss solutions to systemic causes, improved policies, and healing for victims and their families.

Southwest Side story

Members of the 8th Police District Council discussed youth engagement, Chicago’s alternative response team for mental health crises, and police misconduct allegations. The district councilors also expressed support for changing Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance and keeping ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology. The 8th district is based in Chicago Lawn and stretches from Archer Heights to Ashburn and west to the city limits.

At City Bureau

A look at what’s happening within our own programs, events and other work at City Bureau. This week, we’re sharing stories from our fall Civic Reporting Fellowship team.

The elections are over, with Trump sworn into office for his second term this week. But there’s so much more to politics and elections besides who is in the White House. Locally, Chicago went to the polls to choose its first elected school board, weighed in on mental health services in their neighborhoods and more. But who gets to participate in our civic processes? Who influences public policy – and who gets left out? 

Led by Engagement Reporter Jerrel Floyd, our fall Civic Reporting fellows  tackled stories about what it means to be politically engaged. Our fellows focused their work on disenfranchised communities who can’t vote for various reasons or don’t see their interests represented by local or national politics.  This cold election week, we’re sharing these stories of how people in our communities are building civic power, and why these Chicagoans need to be included in our democracy.

The Consequences of Ignoring Long Covid

Jess Maciuch, a Northwestern University researcher of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Long Covid, laments that there was little talk of chronic illness during election season.

By Khalil Dennis

‘Once They Realize, There’s No Stopping Them’: Showing Youth Their Voices Matter in Elections

Jahmal Cole, founder of youth advocacy organization My Block, My Hood, My City, said it’s critical for mentors like him to show young people how local politics affect their lives and how they can overcome challenges to use their influence.

By Chitra Iyer

Inside an Effort to Give Incarcerated Illinoisans the Right to Vote

State Rep. LaShawn Ford hasn’t given up on making it legal for people convicted of felonies to vote while serving their sentence. He’s working on new legislation after his first bill stalled in Springfield.

By NaBeela Washington

Voting While Homeless — Chicago Advocates Push for Inclusivity at the Ballot Box

Niya Kelly of the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness challenges common misconceptions about voting without a permanent address.

By Gabriella Gladney

Public Newsroom 157: How to Hold Elected Leaders Accountable

Organizers who work in education, homelessness and housing justice shared several tips on how Chicagoans can get more involved in key local issues affecting our communities in 2025.

By Jerrel Floyd and Ahmad Sayles

A version of this story was first published in the January 22, 2025 issue of the Newswire, an email newsletter that is your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what we can do to make our city great. You can sign up for the weekly newsletter here.

Have thoughts on what you'd like to see in this feature? Email Civic Editor Dawn Rhodes at dawn@citybureau.org.