Free Republic

The headlines say federal troops are coming to Illinois. ICE is calling for National Guard protection. Governor J.B. Pritzker is howling about federal overreach, while the media frames it as another Trump stunt.But let’s be clear: the issue at hand is much larger than safeguarding ICE personnel.This is power politics, pure and simple.Let me explain: urban areas like Chicago are mini-states with single-party rule under Democrats; Chicago hasn’t had a Republican mayor in nearly a hundred years. The urban areas are then power bases for Democrats to have undue influence over the rest of a given state. Illinois is actually...

The Justice Department on Thursday warned California officials, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), against engaging in an “apparent criminal conspiracy” to arrest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued the letter to Pelosi, Gov. Gavin Newsom, state Attorney General Rob Bonta and San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins after the former House speaker suggested Wednesday that local police could arrest ICE agents if they violate state laws while carrying out immigration enforcement operations. “Rather than supporting and working with federal law enforcement professionals, California politicians, including U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi and San Francisco District Attorney...

A federal judge in Chicago just made a decision that’s raising eyebrows — and not just among immigration officers.In a move that’s already stirring debate nationwide, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Cummings ruled that ICE agents — yes, federal officers — can be arrested if they take migrants into custody at Cook County courthouses without a proper warrant. Let that sink in for a second. (snip) So, who’s actually in charge here — federal law enforcement… or local judges?And if ICE agents can be arrested for doing their jobs, what kind of message does that send to those who aren’t even...

HOAX ALERT: Erin Burnett provides air cover for a “volunteer” ICE stalker, Leo Martinez, who is part of large network of people in Ventura County, CA who surveil and harass federal agents. This individual knows exactly what he’s doing. He follows around ICE agents while gangs like Latin Kings are ramming ICE vehicles and launching violent attacks against them, and while Cartels put bounties on agents' heads. Stalkers like Martinez know ICE is on high alert and are intentionally provoking these types of encounters so he can run to CNN and play the victim. Martinez even ADMITS that legal counsel...

Lemon is facing warranted backlash after telling Black and Brown Americans to legally arm themselves in case ICE agents come to their doors. During a live broadcast, Lemon said he was “tired of the niceties” and suggested the Second Amendment exists for situations like this. “Black and Brown people need to get a gun legally. Go get your permit, go get your license, and learn how to use it,” Lemon said. “Because if ICE shows up at your door, you should be able to protect yourself and your family.”

FYSA: The history of color revolutions and warning signs to recognize today in the United States. THE HISTORY-Serbia in 2000. Georgia in 2003. Ukraine in 2004. Kyrgyzstan in 2005. All these uprisings and movements were textbook “color revolutions.” In each, a color or a symbol unified protestors and gave the movement a brand that could be recognized around the world. In Serbia, the symbol was the bulldozer. On October 5, 2000, Jubisav Djokic drove his bulldozer into downtown Belgrade during mass protests against Siloban Milošević that became known as the Bulldozer Revolution. In a moment broadcast worldwide, he smashed through...

My daughter’s death exposes how Illinois’s criminal justice and sanctuary policies failed her. President Donald Trump is in an ongoing struggle with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, with Pritzker seeking to slander or stymie every effort Trump makes to restore law and order in the streets of Chicago and in Illinois more broadly. That struggle for law and order is personal for me. My daughter died after allegedly being left unresponsive in the home of an illegal alien from Mexico, and Illinois’ politicians put him right back on the streets. On Feb. 19, 2025, my daughter Megan, a vibrant 37-year-old and...

Cook County will now prohibit the use of county owned property, resources, and personnel for civil immigration enforcement. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said the executive order is yet another move to safeguard against federal immigration enforcement she said has “instilled fear rather than promote fairness and justice.” Agents have been prohibited from using county facilities and personnel time for ICE investigations without a criminal warrant since an ordinance was put in place in 2011. “It is critical that the government’s interactions with the public adhere to our nation’s laws and values,” Preckwinkle said in a statement Thursday. “Yet,...

Summary Washington DC and Illinois see largest percentage funding cuts DHS says changes based on risk analysis, not politics Federal judge blocks fund distribution pending legal challenge WASHINGTON, Oct 16 (Reuters) - The Trump administration plans to shift terrorism prevention funding from Democratic-led states toward those led by Republicans, government records show, as it overhauls a $1 billion program created after the 9/11 attacks.Twelve Democratic-led states are suing to block the cuts, alleging that the Trump administration is trying to punish them for not cooperating with federal immigration agents.The Trump administration released estimates in late summer for how much money...

Cook County’s chief judge has signed an order banning federal immigration agents from arresting people around local courthouses without a warrant. Timothy Evans on Tuesday signed a new general order, which reaffirms the common law privilege against civil arrest while attending court, after county officials complained of arrests by immigration agents being made before, during and after unrelated court hearings. “The fair administration of justice requires that courts remain open and accessible, and that litigants and witnesses may appear without fear of civil arrest,” the order states. “The common law has long recognized this privilege to ensure individuals can fulfill...

Los Angeles County leaders declared a local state of emergency in the region Tuesday, according to local officials. News of the proclamation was shared in a news release online by LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath's office. The measure was said to be a response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across LA County, which is home to more than 10 million people and one of the U.S.'s largest immigrant populations. The county can now offer to support residents financially who have been impacted by the raids, including rent relief and accessing state funds for any legal aid. "What’s happening...

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has vowed to prosecute Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in a post-Trump era. Pritzker made the comments during an interview with FOX 32 Chicago this week as ICE agents step up their efforts across the city of Chicago. “The tables will turn one day,” Prtizker explained. ”These people should recognize that maybe they’re not gonna get prosecuted today, although we’re looking at doing that, but they may get prosecuted after the Trump administration because the statute of limitations would not have run out.” The 60-year-old added that he had spoken with Illinois Attorney General Kwame...

U.S. District Court Judge LaShonda Hunt, a Biden-appointed federal judge in Illinois, has ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE to dismantle a security fence protecting the federal immigration processing facility in Broadview, Illinois, a facility that has been the site of violent protests and anti-ICE riots since the launch of President Trump’s Operation Midway Blitz earlier this fall.

The foreign-born population in the United States declined by an unprecedented 2.2 million in the first half of 2025. It was not long ago that Washington’s establishment experts announced that the crisis on the U.S. southern border was unfixable. They claimed illegal mass immigration was a historic phenomenon, an unstoppable force that no president could halt. Typical was the Cato Institute’s David Bier, who wrote two years ago in the New York Times: “Biden Can’t Stop Immigration. Time to Embrace It.” Precisely because these open-border illuminati should be held accountable for their irresponsible pronouncements, view a sample of what Bier...

It’s a small, but mighty sign: “Everyone is welcome here, except I.CE.” Katherine Duncan, owner of Katherine Anne Confections, fastened it proudly on her shop’s front door. “It was a no-brainer for me,” Duncan said on a recent Wednesday afternoon, hours after she put the sign up at the storefront on 3653 W. Irving Park Road. “I feel so helpless. With my business and my kids, I can’t escort students to and from school or other things like that. So it was like, well — what can we do?” In recent weeks, Chicago has seen an increase in Immigration and...

Tear gas still hung in the air as Albany Park neighbors and elected officials hugged and cried, processing the scene they had just witnessed Sunday afternoon after at least four vehicles full of federal agents had taken a man and tear gassed their neighborhood as residents responded. A man spoke to Chicago police officers in the 3200 block of West Wilson while his hands bled after being shoved to the ground by federal agents. Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33rd) led the crowd of rapid responders, some on bikes and others with dogs, as she sprinted toward each call with state Sen....

A federal appeals court has ruled that US President Donald Trump's administration cannot deploy the National Guard in Illinois. The Chicago-based US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit also ruled that the force could remain under federal control for now. The decision partially upheld a lower court ruling that blocked the deployment of troops in the Chicago area, which said it was "likely to lead to civil unrest" and "only add fuel to the fire". Trump has previously sent the National Guard to other Democratic-led cities, such as Los Angeles, Washington DC and Portland, Oregon. He has argued troops...

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson ordered the removal of police tape near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility this week despite the federal government's call for the establishment of a perimeter around the ICE location, according to a report on oregonlive.com. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited the ICE facility on Tuesday and Portland Police Bureau Chief Bob Day noted that authorities had the vicinity cordoned off for the occasion. But the perimeter was removed on Wednesday, according to the report.

Summary Powerful Trump aide Stephen Miller key part of crackdown ICE agents being redeployed to target activist groups George Soros' charitable network on White House list Trump using isolated ICE clashes to justify national crackdown WASHINGTON, Oct 9 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's threatened crackdown on the finances and activities of liberal non-profits and groups opposed to his agenda is a multi-agency effort with top White House aide Stephen Miller playing a central role, according to officials. The Trump administration plans to deploy America's counter-terrorism apparatus - including the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department -...

Democrats are using arguments for states’ rights as a cynical ploy to paint themselves as victims of an oppressive federal government.There’s an old adage that says history doesn’t repeat, but it does rhyme. As the past few years have shown, Democrats aren’t too keen on history, especially American history. In fact, they hate American history so much that they probably don’t realize they’re repeating it.In their rebellion against Trump’s constitutional purview and mandate to enforce immigration laws, Democrats have resorted to using almost the exact same talking points that southern leaders used leading up to the outbreak of the Civil...