ILLINOIS
AROUND THE STATE
Judge declines to halt Trump's National Guard plan yet, sets Thursday hearing
“A federal judge in Chicago today declined to immediately block the Trump administration's plans to deploy Illinois and Texas National Guard troops in the Chicago area, instead giving the White House two days to respond to a lawsuit filed by the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.
Over Pritzker’s objections, Trump sending 300 National Guardsmen to Chicago, governor says
“After weeks of threatening to do so, President Donald Trump is taking command of 300 Illinois National Guard troops and sending them to Chicago over Gov. JB Pritzker’s objections, the governor announced Saturday,” by Capitol News Illinois.
Transit Budget Gap Down to $200M, RTA Says; Advocates Aim to Keep Up Pressure for Reform, Funding
“Regional Transportation Authority officials announced Friday that the fiscal cliff facing CTA, Metra and Pace has fallen to $200 million — but warned that without swift action from lawmakers, service cuts and layoffs will still hit in 2026 and dramatically worsen in 2027,” by WTTW.
Pritzker calls on state agencies to investigate feds’ treatment of children at South Shore raid
“Gov. JB Pritzker is directing the state’s Department of Child and Family Services and the Department of Human Services to evaluate how children were treated during an aggressive immigration raid on a South Shore apartment building this week, he said in a Friday statement,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Here’s what’s in Illinois’ $50.6B six-year infrastructure plan
“Illinois on Wednesday unveiled its latest six-year, $50.6 billion infrastructure plan for the state’s roads, bridges, railways, airports and more. The plan spans all 102 counties and includes $32.5 billion over six years for roads and bridges, including $25.7 billion for the state system and $6.8 billion for the local system,” by Capitol News Illinois.
CHICAGO
MORE FROM CITY HALL
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signs order prohibiting use of city property for immigration enforcement
“Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order Monday morning prohibiting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agencies from using city property for civil immigration enforcement,” by CBS.
Chicago biz groups push back on Trump National Guard plan
“Three high-profile organizations representing Chicago’s business community issued an unusual joint statement over the weekend rapping President Donald Trump’s plan to deploy Illinois National Guard troops on the city’s streets,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.
Service Cuts on the Table as Chicago Confronts $1.15B Budget Shortfall, Alderpeople Say
“Mayor Brandon Johnson is expected to unveil his 2026 budget proposal to the Chicago City Council on Oct. 16. A budget forecast released in late August projects a $1.15 billion deficit for the city, driven by the end of one-time federal pandemic aid and continued uncertainty over pension payments for Chicago Public Schools employees,” by WTTW.
Trump freezes $2.1B for Chicago transit projects in latest ‘punishment’ of blue states
“The White House on Friday froze $2.1 billion in federal funding for Chicago infrastructure projects in the latest move targeting Democratic cities and states amid the federal government shutdown,” by Capitol News Illinois.
Joint City Council committee buries Chicago sidewalk snow removal experiment
“A joint City Council committee on Friday buried an influential alderperson’s plan to launch a narrow test of sidewalk snow removal amid fears about rising costs, legal liability and political expectations,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.
FEDERAL
Cozen Currents: All Policy is Tech Policy
As President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping approach their in-person meeting next month, beneath the positive rhetoric, tensions continue to simmer beneath the surface.
The White House’s rapid rollout of changes to the H-1B visa lottery system followed by a series of significant clarifications to the new policies highlights the challenge the Trump administration faces in balancing restrictive immigration policy with pro-growth economic policy.
Despite increasing polarization, Congress is expected to pass the National Defense Authorization Act by the end of the calendar year, providing lawmakers with a legislative vehicle for their pet projects. Read the Cozen Currents here.
Beltway Briefing: From Washington Gridlock to New York’s Mayoral Shake-Up
With the 24 hours of the government shutdown underway, Washington is on edge—but is the rest of the country paying attention? In New York, Mayor Adams’s sudden exit from November’s race has upended the political landscape, setting the stage for a potential showdown between Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani and moderate Andrew Cuomo. How will the shutdown and shifting federal-local dynamics play into the mayoral contest? Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Jamie Ansorge here.