{"id":514179,"date":"2026-01-13T23:27:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T23:27:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/514179\/"},"modified":"2026-01-13T23:27:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T23:27:10","slug":"feds-hit-with-new-lawsuit-over-immigration-the-rundown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/514179\/","title":{"rendered":"Feds hit with new lawsuit over immigration: The Rundown"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good afternoon! It\u2019s Tuesday, and my colleagues want to know what you think Illinois political candidates should be talking about this primary election season. You can fill out this survey<\/a> to help us shape our coverage. Here\u2019s what else you need to know today.<\/p>\n

1. The Trump administration was hit with a federal lawsuit over its \u2018occupation of Illinois and Chicago\u2019<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Illinois and Chicago accused federal immigration officials of an illegal occupation that led to \u201cfear,\u201d \u201cindiscriminate violence\u201d and an \u201cimpermissible interference with state sovereignty\u201d designed to force local leaders to abandon critical public policy.<\/p>\n

As my colleagues Jon Seidel and Tina Sfondeles report, the new lawsuit amounts to the broadest challenge yet to the Trump administration\u2019s aggressive immigration enforcement campaign. It accuses the feds of an \u201corganized bombardment\u201d in which \u201cuniformed, military-trained personnel, carrying semi-automatic firearms and military-grade weaponry, have rampaged for months.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lawsuit is similar to but goes further than the high-profile lawsuit brought by protesters, media and clergy last fall that challenged the feds\u2019 tactics. U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis issued an historic order in November, limiting the feds\u2019 use of force.<\/p>\n

The plaintiffs in that case have sought its dismissal, but Ellis hesitated to grant their request after the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis last week. Now state lawyers have sought to have their new case assigned to Ellis, given the similarities. A hearing on the question has been set for Thursday.<\/p>\n

Minnesota officials also filed a similar lawsuit yesterday. [Chicago Sun-Times<\/a>]<\/p>\n

2. States say they need more help replacing lead pipes. Congress may cut funding instead<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

The U.S. Senate is taking up a spending package passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that would cut $125 million in funding promised this year to replace toxic lead pipes, Inside Climate News reports.<\/p>\n

Including three of 12 appropriations bills, this package will fund parts of the federal government, including the Environmental Protection Agency. Senators are slated to vote on it later this week. Near the end of more than 400 pages of text, it proposes repurposing some funds previously obligated by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.<\/p>\n

That law, advanced by the Biden administration, promised $15 billion over five years to fund the replacement of service lines \u2014 pipes routing water into people\u2019s homes and other buildings \u2014 that are made of or contain lead, a neurotoxin that can cause cognitive, developmental, reproductive and cardiovascular harm. Illinois has the most lead pipes in the country.<\/p>\n

The slashed funding would be repurposed for wildland fire management. Safe drinking water advocates and some lawmakers have called for the money to be restored, calling it critical for health and safety. [Inside Climate News<\/a>]<\/p>\n

3. Chicago will weigh paying $875K to settle claims tied to police handling of George Floyd protests<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Chicago taxpayers could soon be on the hook to compensate demonstrators who claim they were manhandled and beaten by Chicago police officers during the civil unrest that in some instances devolved into looting after Floyd\u2019s murder in 2020, my colleagues Fran Spielman and Tom Schuba report.<\/p>\n

The underlying lawsuit, filed in November 2020, highlights widespread misconduct that has already been detailed in reports by the city\u2019s top watchdog and the former federal prosecutor overseeing the police department\u2019s court-ordered reform push.<\/p>\n

The lawsuit alleges that officers \u201cconsistently targeted protesters who were peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights with unlawful, retaliatory, and lethal force,\u201d leaving many bloodied, with concussions and other serious injuries.<\/p>\n

Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara said Chicago police officers were \u201cput in a trick bag from the beginning with no plan in place\u201d for the demonstrations that at times led to rampant looting and violence across the city. Even though police were put in a difficult situation, Catanzara insisted \u201cnothing unlawful happened.\u201d [Chicago Sun-Times<\/a>]<\/p>\n

4. Bears fans united with the help of cheese graters, both real and fake<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

The Chicago Bears\u2019 Saturday night victory over the Green Bay Packers had fans \u2014 and even Bears players \u2014 celebrating with some shredded cheese, my colleague Mariah Rush reports for the Chicago Sun-Times.<\/p>\n

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was grating cheese during his post-game interview on Amazon Prime, while sporting a large foam grater hat. But he wasn\u2019t alone in the cheeky celebration.<\/p>\n

The content creators behind the popular Instagram account Explore Chicago took to the streets on Saturday, asking Bears fans to grate cheese for a video.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went through two blocks of cheese,\u201d said 24-year-old Leen Alqaissi, who runs the account with her sister, Yasmeen. The video got over 8,000 likes, including a comment from Chicago-based Kraft Heinz saying, \u2018We approve this message!! … Shred that cheese!!!\u2019\u201d [Chicago Sun-Times<\/a>]<\/p>\n

5. Whether you are cold or sick, Chicago has a soup for that<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

A hot bowl of soup represents a nearly universal balm for the sick, homesick or hungover that\u2019s totally unique to each person, WBEZ food contributor Maggie Hennessy writes.<\/p>\n

Whether your preferred liquid comfort veers toward allspice-scented, Afro-Caribbean fish stews; golden chicken soup; pepper-laced, Indian drinking broth; or earthy borsch, Chicago has a soup for that. As we traverse the long dark months of post-holiday winter amid surging flu cases, here are nine soups to revive the worn-out body or soul. Unless noted, the dishes are all available for preorder and carryout.<\/p>\n

You can see the list in the link. [WBEZ<\/a>]<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what else is happening<\/b><\/p>\n