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 students should not be living in fear. They should not be choosing between getting an education or being safe.”
— Yesenia Lopez, Chicago School Board Member for District 7
[Chicago Board of Education, Jan. 30, 2025]
¡Hamline dice fuera! (*chacal trumpet plays*)
In light of rising fears of Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity throughout Chicago, CEO Pedro Martinez assured that Chicago Public Schools will continue to follow their current procedures and policies and not admit ICE agents without an adequate warrant or share information about students or parents with the agency . A recent incident at Hamline Elementary in Back of the Yards saw rapid response from school community members when two agents thought to be from ICE were turned away. They were actually Secret Service agents looking for a child who posted an anti-Trump video, Block Club Chicago reported, citing a CPS source.
Martinez said CPS saw student attendance decline after the four-day weekend on Jan. 22. “School is where every child in our city belongs regardless of their immigration status,” said Martinez urging that parents bring their children to school.
Chicago Board of Education by Angela Arias Zapata and Natalie Frank
Making a list, checking it twice
Alders are critiquing a city policy which bars city employees from being rehired. The Ineligible for Rehire policy, first written in 2011, bars previous city employees from being rehired for the violation of city personnel or department-specific rules addressing conduct. The Department of Human Resources oversees the system housing these records and manages appeals. However only department heads hold the power to determine whether someone should be placed on this do-not-hire list .
Alders have critiqued the policy for being “too subjective,” as Ald. Gil Villegas (36th) said there should be clear outlines to determine what warrants IFR designation. In December two city staffers were granted an appeal to be removed from the list after being placed on it by former mayoral Communications Director Ronnie Reese.
DHR Commissioner Sandra Blakemore explained some of the clarifications to the policy she made in 2024, and said her department is working with the city’s Office of Inspector General and Department of Law to improve the policy in 2025 and close any loopholes by the end of the first quarter.
City Council Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight by Cary Robbins and Nikki Roberts
“Just resign”
Calls for 14th Police District Council member David Orlikoff to resign are intensifying – from both community members and council members. In December, 19 council members representing 13 of the city’s 22 police districts signed a letter asking Orlikoff to resign by the end of 2024. When he did not, several called for his resignation during public comment at a Jan. 4 district council meeting and made the letter public via press release. Over 10 community members gave public comments accusing Orlikoff of racist and aggressive behavior, and abuse.
Following public comment, council member Ashley Vargas, who was among the 19 to sign the letter, read it aloud, “Your role on the District Council places you at the forefront of accountability and safety efforts. It is therefore critical that you reflect the values of restorative justice and community trust,” she said. Orlikoff, Vargas and Chair Christopher M. Laurent were elected to four-year terms in 2023, but the council has experienced various internal divisions and clashes with community members. “I think you do great work,” Laurent said to Orlikoff. “But we can't get the confidence of the community behind us.”
“In response to the calls for my resignation, this is definitely not what accountability looks like…” said Orlikoff. “In terms of the movement versus me, I would love to step down if any of you are interested in taking my position.”
14th Police District Council - Logan Square/Humboldt Park/Wicker Park by Parker Garlough and Betsy Johnson
A version of this story was first published in the February 5, 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.