Good morning, Chicago. ✶
🔎 Below: How the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a wing of the Department of Homeland Security, is now being turned against the immigrants they were meant to help.
🗞️ Plus: The State/Lake train station’s closing, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s head tax hunt continues and more news you need to know.
📝 Keeping score: The Blackhawks beat the Kings, 2-1.
🗣️ Meet us on Reddit: Join Sun-Times reporters Cindy Hernandez, Tina Sfondeles and Jon Seidel today over at the subreddit r/chicago, where they’ll answer your questions about our reporting and the process behind it. “AMA” means “ask me anything” — be part of the conversation here.
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⏱️: A 9-minute read
TODAY’S WEATHER 🌤️
Partly sunny with a high near 26 and wind chill values as low as -4.
TOP STORY 🗞️
Citizenship agency was created to help immigrants — but is being turned against them
By Tom Schuba
Major shift: As the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection carry out aggressive deportation campaigns in Chicago and elsewhere, the lesser known U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has begun transforming itself — from one that serves immigrants into a law enforcement entity that makes it harder for them to gain legal status to be in the country.
USCIS changes: The agency has directed its employees to scrutinize applications for immigration benefits, review immigrants’ social media accounts, and make referrals to ICE and other law enforcement agencies for potential deportations. USCIS has also created special agents empowered to carry guns, make arrests and execute warrants.
Key context: Under President Donald Trump, political asylum decisions have been halted, green card holders from countries “of concern” face new vetting and other protections have been stripped away. Enrique Espinoza, an immigration lawyer, says the sweeping changes send a message: “Give up, and pretty much self-deport.”
MORE ON IMMIGRATION ✶
DOJ lawyer warns deportation campaign isn’t over as judge considers lawsuit’s dismissal
By Jon Seidel
The U.S. Department of Justice also accused lawyers who challenged the deportation campaign of “seeking to throw in the towel” in a move that amounts to “transparent procedural gamesmanship.”
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Broadview conspiracy defendants want to see if White House played role in case
By Jon Seidel
A significant legal battle appears to be brewing in the case of six people facing federal charges tied to protests outside the Broadview immigration facility.
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License plate tampering is a no-no, state warns feds and car rental agencies
By Mawa Iqbal
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias says his office fielded hundreds of complaints about federal immigration enforcement agents changing plates to disguise their vehicles. The tactic is illegal, he says.
CITY HALL 🏛️
Chicago is headed for bond rating drop if City Hall doesn’t get budget right, Civic Fed president says
By Fran Spielman
Warning lights?: Civic Federation President Joe Ferguson warned the city’s bond rating could drop further if City Hall doesn’t get its ongoing budget process right. In trying to salvage a proposed corporate head tax, Ferguson said Mayor Johnson has demonstrated an “almost willful blindness to the red flashing lights” around him.
Key context: The mayor in October proposed a $16.6 billion budget for 2026. The tax-heavy budget, aiming to erase a $1.15 billion shortfall, includes a $21 monthly per-employee head tax on companies with 100 or more employees. That proposal was shot down by City Council’s Finance Committee, prompting some council members to float alternative ideas to generate revenue.
Ideas refused: Johnson’s administration on Thursday delivered a pointed rebuttal to those alderpersons’ ideas, which included sharply higher taxes and fees for garbage collection, off-premises liquor sales, and Uber and Lyft rides.
MORE NEWS YOU NEED ✶
- Pope called out: Survivors of clergy abuse are calling for an investigation into Pope Leo XIV during his tenure as bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, alleging he was involved in covering up how priests and clerics accused of sexual assault were allowed to continue their roles in the Catholic Church.
- CPS settles with student: The Chicago Board of Education approved a $17.5 million settlement Wednesday for a former student who was sexually abused by a former dean at a Little Village high school. It’s reportedly the largest settlement for a school sex abuse case in Illinois history.
- DREAM Act reintroduced: U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, introduced the Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2025 — the bipartisan bill’s latest iteration since it was originally introduced in 2001.
- Remembering Justin Baren: The vocalist and bassist of Chicago pop rock band the Redwalls, Mr. Baren signed to a label right after graduating from high school and went on to open for Oasis. He died Nov. 28 at age 40.
- ComEd discounts: Thousands of lower-income residents in the Chicago area will be eligible for new discounts on their electric bills starting next year as energy costs soar.
- Landmark status: A city panel unanimously approved preliminary landmark status for 30 N. LaSalle St., the 44-story skyscraper for which architect Adler and Sullivan’s historic Chicago Stock Exchange Building was demolished — causing a civic uproar — in 1972.
- U.S. anniversary plans: As the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary, Gov. JB Pritzker announced plans for the country’s celebration and Illinois’ 270th birthday, including art installations and music festivals.
TRANSPORTATION 🚆
State/Lake L station closing until 2029 for $444M rebuild
By David Struett, Casey He and Mohammad Samra
Doors closing?: The CTA State/Lake station is set to close Jan. 5 for demolition, city officials announced Thursday. The $444 million reconstruction project won’t be completed until 2029.
Station break: Trains will bypass State/Lake for the duration of the work. The station, built in 1895, serves the Brown, Green, Orange, Pink and Purple lines. The adjacent Red Line subway station at Lake Street won’t be affected.
The plans: Renovations will feature platforms that are twice as wide, elevators for full ADA accessibility and a massive glass canopy.
New voice: Chatham’s own Chance the Rapper has partnered with the CTA to broadcast two new station announcements over the next several weeks.
WEEKEND PLANS 🎉
🛍️ One of a Kind Holiday Show
Through Dec. 7
📍The Mart, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza
This annual market returns with handmade work from more than 600 artists and makers, including fine art, furniture, apparel and jewelry.
Admission: $15+
🎨 Holiday Maker’s Market
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday
📍Harold Washington Library Winter Garden, 400 S. State St.
Knock out your holiday shopping with nearly 50 vendors offering unique and creative items.
Admission: Free
🎅 Santa Speedo Run
12-4 p.m. Saturday
📍Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted St.
Join hundreds braving the cold in their best festive undergarments and Santa hats to pound the pavement in this 1-mile run, followed by awards, entertainment and an afterparty.
Admission: $65+ to register
🎥 Sing-Along & Double Feature
Saturday through Dec. 24
📍The Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.
The 42nd annual holiday double feature of “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “White Christmas” has Santa leading a sing-along, accompanied by organist Dennis Scott, before each screening.
Admission: $10+
🎹 Holiday silent movie with live music
3-4:30 p.m. Sunday
📍River Park Fieldhouse, 5100 N. Francisco Ave.
Keyboardist David Drazin will perform live, providing the score for short films produced 1901-1916.
Admission: Free
FROM THE PRESS BOX 🏈🏀
- Bears predictions: The Sun-Times’ sports reporters have made their picks for Sunday’s rivalry game at Lambeau Field.
- Let Vucevic go: It’s time for the Bulls’ front office to do right by Nikola Vucevic and trade him, writes Joe Cowley.
- WNBA contract fight: The league has implied it’s not yet big enough for the kind of revenue sharing players want. But history shows revenue sharing is a question of power, not prosperity, writes Alissa Hirsh.
- High school football: Mount Carmel held on to the top spot in Michael O’Brien’s final Super 25 high school football rankings for the 2025 season.
GAMES AND CROSSWORDS 🧩
BRIGHT ONE 🔆
Chicago’s history of odd animal sightings
By Erin Allen
A coyote walked into a Quizno’s in downtown Chicago on a spring day in 2007. It skipped the sandwich counter and settled in among drinks in an open cooler as nervous customers took pictures with their cellphones.
The city has seen its share of exotic animals crawling, slithering and swinging unattended in Chicago streets and waterways, making the city’s reputation as a concrete jungle a little too on the nose. Some have made local and national news, including Chance the Snapper, a cougar found in Roscoe Village and a peacock strolling down an alley.
Experts are often called in to manage the situation, whether it’s Chicago Animal Care and Control, a local veterinary hospital or an animal shelter.
WBEZ’s Curious City program took a look at the unusual creatures spotted in Chicago’s neighborhoods and suburbs, on highways and in parks.
DAILY QUESTION ☕️
Chicago’s 20-year development plan for downtown calls for more nightlife, housing and greenery. It’s the latest update to a framework that the city puts together every two decades on the future growth and development of Downtown and adjacent neighborhoods.
We want to hear from you: What’s one change or enhancement to Chicago’s downtown that you’d like to see in the next 20 years?
Email us here (please include your first and last name). We may include your answers in Monday’s Morning Edition newsletter.
Thanks for reading the Sun-Times Morning Edition!
Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.
Written and curated by: Matt Moore
Editor: Eydie Cubarrubia
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