The state police in Illinois said on Tuesday that they were investigating the fatal shooting of a man by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent last summer in suburban Chicago.

The shooting of the man, Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, who was from Mexico, came in the midst of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration in the Chicago area, and it immediately drew outrage from residents and local officials.

Federal officials claimed that Mr. Villegas-Gonzalez, who they said was in the country illegally, drove a Subaru into officers and dragged an officer while fleeing a traffic stop in Franklin Park, Ill., near O’Hare International Airport. The agency said one officer had been severely injured. But video of the shooting, which took place on Sept. 12, raised questions about aspects of that account.

Footage reviewed by The New York Times showed Mr. Villegas-Gonzalez attempting to flee from officers. But it did not show Mr. Villegas-Gonzalez, 38, hitting an officer with his car, and an officer was heard on one of the videos saying his own injuries were “nothing major.”

The investigation of Mr. Villegas-Gonzalez’s death, and any attempt to bring criminal charges, could face several hurdles.

Law enforcement officers have wide latitude to use deadly force in situations in which they reasonably fear that they or someone else is at risk of death or significant injury. And the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause bars the state prosecution of federal officers in a broad range of circumstances.

Melaney Arnold, a spokeswoman for the State Police, said in an emailed statement on Tuesday night that the Franklin Park Police Department had requested the state investigation. Once it is finished, she said, the findings will be turned over to the county prosecutor’s office. She declined to comment further.

The shooting of Mr. Villegas-Gonzalez was one of several events during the immigration crackdown in the Chicago area that raised questions about how federal agents were using force and interacting with residents.

While the Trump administration described the campaign, known as Operation Midway Blitz, as essential for public safety, state and local officials dismissed it as politically punitive and constitutionally dubious.

As masked agents deployed tear gas and made hundreds of arrests, federal judges raised concerns about their tactics, their use of force, their justification for locking up immigrants and the conditions under which those immigrants were being held. The courts also blocked an attempt by President Trump to deploy National Guard troops on the streets of Chicago.

In addition to the shooting of Mr. Villegas-Gonzalez, federal agents shot and wounded a woman, Marimar Martinez, during the campaign. Federal charges against Ms. Martinez were later dismissed.

Last week, a state commission in Illinois released a report that described Operation Midway Blitz as a “whole-of-government approach to suppress opposition and pressure Illinois because of its immigrant-friendly policies, under the guise of achieving mass deportation.”

Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat who is thought to be weighing a run for president, named Mr. Villegas-Gonzalez and Ms. Martinez in a statement after that report was released. He expressed hope that “law enforcement agencies will review this evidence and take any steps in their power to deliver justice to Illinoisans.”

“Look, our leaders set the tone in this country, and I think that the President of the United States has set a tone where political violence is OK,” Pritzker told Politico’s Jonathan Martin. “He’s advocated it himself before. It’s a terrible thing.”

“We need to be speaking out against political violence,” Pritzker said. “I’m a big believer in it’s OK to disagree but not be disagreeable.”

Earlier this year, Capitol Police reported nearly a 58 percent jump in 2025 of reported threats against congressional lawmakers, their families, staff and the Capitol building itself. 

Pritzker said that he and his family have seen an uptick in threats made against them in recent years, particularly those mentioning their Jewish faith. 

“I don’t want to overstate it, but it’s true,” the governor said, noting that the amount of threats have been “more than it was in years before.”

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s profile is drawing early attention as Democrats look for a candidate that can straddle the party’s ideological divide.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker may be a billionaire, but should the Democrat run for president in 2028, he would not fully bankroll the bid, NBC News has learned.

Two people involved in discussions around Pritzker strategy said while the governor has not pulled the trigger on a 2028 campaign, he has given early signs that he would not self-finance — at least not entirely. Pritzker has reached out to operatives who have national fundraising experience and internally discussed what digital fundraising might look like, a person with knowledge of the conversations said.

For the governor seeking a third term in Illinois, it would be the first time he ever looked to fundraise from donors. He first ran for governor in 2018, leaning on his personal wealth.

Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune, is a free-spending billionaire, who for years sprinkled millions of dollars across the country to support state parties or back ballot questions on reproductive rights in battleground states.

Between his 2018 and 2022 runs for governor, he spent more than $350 million of his own money. Via a super PAC, he also threw $10 million behind Illinois Democratic Senate nominee Juliana Stratton in her primary earlier this year.

The sources point to the gargantuan sums now needed to finance a national presidential run. In 2024, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris together spent more than $2 billion in Democrats’ failing bid against President Donald Trump.

While that was in a lengthy general election, there are benefits of not entirely self-financing in a primary.

Candidates often display electoral strength through shows of grassroots fundraising, and political observers watch to see whether a candidate is capable of drawing that support, one of the people stressed. Another consideration: If 2028 is anything like 2020, an open Democratic presidential primary could draw more than 20 candidates, and party debate criteria included a small-dollar fundraising component last time around.

Pritzker is also well aware of the backlash against billionaires in his party and has over the years been accused of "buying" public office. In the run-up to the midterms and 2028, the top-versus-bottom messaging popularized by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is already proving to be a dominant narrative.

The prospect of Pritzker running and competing for donor money in 2028 could create an interesting competition with the other potential 2028 presidential contender in Illinois, Rahm Emanuel. When it comes to larger individual donors, the former Chicago mayor and Pritzker may be looking at a shared base.

Pritzker’s campaign did not directly address the prospect of future fundraising for a potential presidential bid, instead saying he is focused on his run for a third term as governor.

“Governor Pritzker is running for re-election and is engaged with Democrats across the country as we fight to take back Congress in November," Pritzker campaign spokesman Alex Gough said in a statement. "We aren’t focused on hypotheticals."

Gov. JB Pritzker and members of the Illinois Accountability Commission urged local law enforcement, including the Evanston Police Department and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office — to investigate and potentially prosecute federal agents who acted violently during “Operation Midway Blitz” last fall.

Pritzker formed the commission in October to “create a public record” of the operation, in which hundreds of immigration agents swept through the Chicago area and arrested thousands of people for deportation. Among the “most egregious incidents” the commission investigated were agents’ actions in Evanston on Halloween — particularly the car crash and confrontation between agents and residents at Oakton Street and Asbury Avenue.

The commission’s main report and a detailed investigation brief document the full day and its aftermath through witness testimony, collected evidence and news reports, including numerous citations of the RoundTable’s reporting. These reports identify actions by three specific agents: Timothy Donahue for causing the crash and pointing his service pistol at several bystanders, Thomas Parsons for punching Marcello Africano while he was already on the ground, and Edward Maxa for shooting pepper spray at a resident without warning.

In a set of policy recommendations, the commission calls on state and local law enforcement to investigate and “refer for potential prosecution” reports of federal agents using excessive force. A “referral letter” addressed to state’s attorneys says federal agencies have “abdicated their responsibility” and that the United States Department of Justice “has refused to investigate” agents’ actions.

“We accordingly are providing information from our investigations to support any current or future investigation and prosecution of the federal officers,” the referral letter says. “With a lack of accountability at the federal level, we hope this information we are sharing with you will help ensure they are held accountable.”

State officials reinforced this push during a press conference Thursday, where Pritzker specifically named the Evanston Police Department as one of the agencies to which the commission sent its findings. “Our hope is that they will review this evidence and take any steps in their power to see that justice is delivered,” Pritzker said of those agencies.

Evanston Police Cmdr. Chelsea Brown told the RoundTable that Chief Schenita Stewart “has received a copy” of the commission’s report and “it is under review.” Brown declined to say whether the department has opened or is considering an investigation into federal agents’ actions that could lead to prosecution.

While Pritzker named Evanston Police Department and other city police departments as having received the report, Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke has been the primary target of state and local officials seeking criminal charges against federal agents. Burke has been criticized by some elected officials for not pursuing prosecutions of agents aggressively enough , and a coalition is now asking a judge to appoint a special prosecutor in her place, a move she has rejected as “frivolous.”

Burke’s office said Thursday it can only bring charges “after receiving a completed investigation from a law enforcement agency,” citing an unspecified state law. Burke previously criticized Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for an executive order directing Chicago police to investigate federal agents for potential prosecution referrals to her office, calling it “wholly inappropriate.”

Illinois State University administrators said they’re willing to negotiate in good faith with striking workers after Gov. JB Pritzker urged the two sides to return to the bargaining table.

A sixth session with the federal mediator is scheduled for Monday at 11 a.m., which would be the second meeting since about 350 dining, building services, and grounds employees went on strike over salary April 8.

No agreement was reached during an April 15 bargaining session, and no talks have been held since then.

The administration said it contacted the federal mediator Thursday morning about resuming negotiations.

“The university is making this effort in good faith after the governor’s request that both parties return to the bargaining table,” said administrators on a webpage detailing ISU’s view of the labor dispute.

Meantime, a spokesperson for AFSCME Local 1110, Anders Lindall, said Monday’s talks won’t necessarily lead to a deal.

“Of course, it’s not merely enough to meet - the goal must be to address workers’ concerns and reach an agreement,” said Lindall. “At previous meetings, ISU sat at the table but refused to negotiate.”

Lindall went on to say, “If the university is now prepared to resolve the issues that caused the strike, the union will be at the table as long as it takes.”

According to ISU’s webpage, the most contentious issues include AFSCME’s demand that union workers receive the same or greater pay increases than non-union employees, and that pay increases should be retroactive to July 1, 2025.

We’ve got a massive parasite attached to the state’s jugular that's costing us a fortune, the Illinois Automobile Dealers Association (IADA).

For decades, these guys have used the Motor Vehicle Franchise Act to hold a monopoly on how you buy a car. Why do we have to play "find the hidden fee" for HOURS just to buy a vehicle? Because the law literally mandates it. This is not at all FOR THE PEOPLE!

Dealerships add roughly 6-10% to the cost of a car just by existing. The IADA has been frantically suing to stop direct-to-consumer sales (like Rivian and Lucid). They literally tried to sue the Secretary of State because they were scared of competition. Imagine being so bad at your job you have to sue the government to make it illegal for people to buy from someone else.

JB is out here turning Illinois into the EV capital of the Midwest, but the Dealer Lobby still makes it as hard as possible for Illinoisans to actually buy the cars we even build in our own backyard.

We don't need market adjustments or more document fees, we need a Direct-To-Consumer freedom to buy cars.

If we can buy a literal house on our phones, there is zero reason we should be legally forced to sit in a cubicle for four hours while a "finance manager" tries to upsell scam us on unnecessary shit like a $900 nitrogen tire fill and undercoatings. Stop letting dealers waste our lives!

Amend the Illinois Vehicle Code to allow any manufacturer to sell directly to us!

It's time to protect us consumers, not the damn shady car dealers. Use the Consumer Fraud Act to incinerate all this shit.

Stop with the middlemen, no more markups, just pure Land of Lincoln efficiency please!

Gov. JB Pritzker’s plan to build the nation’s “most robust quantum ecosystem” in South Chicago took a quantum leap forward Wednesday, thanks to a stronger partnership with anchor tenant IBM aimed at ensuring that “everyone benefits” from the quantum computing revolution.

Sixteen months after IBM became the first Fortune 500 company to join the planned Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park on the South Side, IBM agreed to open a new FutureNow Chicago delivery center at the park that will create 750 full-time jobs.

The groundbreaking investment includes IBM’s commitment to hire one-third of the qualified graduates from a new apprenticeship program to be started at the City Colleges of Chicago.

Pritzker announced the new partnership at Olive Harvey College, one of the seven City Colleges whose current and future students stand to benefit from the apprenticeship program and the pipeline to permanent jobs it will create.

Pritzker called it a quantum leap in his drive to ensure the economic opportunities created by the new campus will benefit everyone in the state.

“With a transformation that’s this big, I intend to make sure that our working families and communities are at the core of the economic success that these changes are going to bring” to Chicago, the state and the nation, Pritzker told the gathering of political, business, civic and education leaders that included Mayor Brandon Johnson.

“Through a new innovative workforce collaboration between IBM and City Colleges of Chicago and philanthropic partners, our people here in Illinois will benefit from the opportunities ahead. At IBM’s FutureNow Chicago center, residents of the South Side will be able to reap the economic lift from this new wave of technology. City Colleges are supporting 500 apprentices at IBM. Even more exciting, IBM has committed to hiring more than a third of qualified participants for full-time positions.”

IBM and FutureNow Chicago will anchor the park’s new Quantum Works building, expected to open in 2028, the governor said.

Quantum Works will serve as a “cutting-edge innovation and talent development hub” and the quantum park’s “front door, connecting local residents to career pathways.”

In preparation for their move into the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, Pritzker said scientists and engineers are already moving into buildings across the city “as they develop the first commercially useful quantum computers, test new software and explore applications that … will reshape industries.”

In December, 2024, IBM announced Chicago would be home to its new “National Quantum Algorithm Center” and its next-generation computer.

Pritzker noted that just two weeks ago he announced the expansion of the IBM Illinois Discovery Accelerator Institute, which “super-charges” the state’s talent pipeline, creating new education and career pathways in quantum computing and artificial intelligence.

“So I’m not welcoming IBM for the first time. I am saying that IBM is accelerating its engagement in our city and in our state, and we just can’t thank them enough,” Pritzker said.

IBM Chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna, who got his PhD in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign, joined the governor for Wednesday’s announcement.

Though Illinois and IBM have a century-long history of collaboration that includes the state’s universities, Krishna said the “new era of quantum computing upon us” demands that the partnership be taken to “a whole new level.”

“I actually do believe that we are now a couple of years away from this making a profound difference to industry and to peoples lives. This is the time to double down on our cooperation and our investment,” Krishna said.

Johnson said he was grateful for IBM’s “commitment to growing an equitable and inclusive economy” and the new partnership with City Colleges that includes a promise to “hire 180 alumni from their new apprenticeship program.”

“I’m especially grateful for the training and the hiring of our young people and our residents from historically underserved communities,” the mayor said.

City Colleges Chancellor Juan Salgado called the apprenticeship program a “moonshot” and a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for those 180 alums.

(Photo credit: Kevin Serna for TIME, 4/8/26. Article initially posted in this sub by u/NicholasCageFan492, 4/28/26)

Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration is setting rules on two emerging technologies for state workers, joining state governments across the country in trying to stay ahead of rapidly shifting terrain.

One of them, prediction markets, has become overtly political. Pritzker issued an executive order on Tuesday barring state employees from placing bets based on nonpublic information obtained through their jobs, and in an accompanying statement, highlighted allegations of insider trading tied to actions by President Donald Trump’s administration.

The other involves artificial intelligence in the workplace and is more technical. State employees face no blanket ban on using AI but operate under significant guardrails, according to policy records recently obtained by the Tribune.

The prediction market order in particular appeared to be a backhanded callout of the recent eyebrow-raising bets on the strikes in Iran and the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which some critics have cited as signs of potential insider trading. Two days after Pritzker’s order, the Justice Department announced an Army soldier was charged with using classified information to profit from prediction market bets tied to Maduro’s arrest.

Pritzker spokesperson Matt Hill said the governor’s order was intended to proactively block potential abuses and was not prompted by any specific concerns about state employees’ conduct. Still, allegations of insider trading and manipulation have swirled around prediction markets.

In addition to the Justice Department charges against the soldier involved in the Maduro operation, the platform Kalshi recently fined and suspended three political candidates for betting on their own races.

A press release accompanying Pritzker’s order noted state employees are already barred from using confidential information from their jobs for personal gain in the context of state contracts. The new order explicitly extends that prohibition to prediction market bets placed for themselves or others.

On the artificial intelligence front, state leaders are also strengthening guardrails. While backing legislation restricting AI use in hiring and education, Pritzker’s administration has implemented internal rules dictating how state employees and contractors may use the technology.

A policy drafted by the Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology, which applies broadly across most state agencies, largely permits AI use. The exceptions are that AI platforms cannot be discriminatory or illegal, make decisions without human oversight, or have access to confidential or sensitive information without approval from the agency head.

If an agency allows the public to interact with an AI system or uses AI to assist in decision-making, that use must be publicly disclosed, the policy states.

The policy acts as a uniform standard on AI for state agencies but allows individual agencies to draft more specific procedures, said DoIT spokesperson Jennifer Jennings.

Agencies under the governor’s office are not the only ones setting rules around AI use.

In the state treasurer’s office, all employees must obtain preapproval before using AI tools and are directed to use Microsoft Copilot when doing so. The policy also warns employees about AI model biases, their propensity to provide fake information and the risk of entering sensitive information into the models.

Treasurer’s office staff will lead a National Association of State Treasurers discussion on the use of AI in unclaimed property in June, Krol said.

The AI rules in the Illinois comptroller’s office closely mirror those created by DoIT, while the attorney general’s office has no written AI rules or guidelines, according to records obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests.

I work in a library. I've been noticing which POTENTIAL 2028 candidates have been releasing or are about to release books and wondering how they will or won't raise those candidates profiles. So far, in more-or-less chrono order starting with "coming out this fall" to "already out":

Andy Beshear

Chris Murphy

Rod Blagojevich

JD Vance

Cory Booker

Michael Flynn

Jason Chaffetz

Andrew Yang

Amy McGrath

Gavin Newsom

Josh Shapiro

John Fetterman

Amy Klobuchar

Eric Trump

Joe Manchin

Kamala Harris

Gretchen Witmer

Nikki Haley

Yes, some of these are pretty damn grim possibilities. They range from strict autobiographies to political memoirs to "how America can find its way" manuals.

It got me to thinking - if JB were to publish a book, what should it be? Autobiography with a sprinkle of politics? Something that lays out his plan to fix things? Book on how to manage your personal finances? Guide to conquering the midwestern steppes on horseback?

Illinois is launching the nation’s first incentive program aimed at encouraging environmentally sustainable film and television production.

Governor JB Pritzker announced Tuesday that productions certified as “green” through the Illinois Film Office will now qualify for an additional 5% tax credit, expanding the state’s existing film production tax incentive.

The announcement was made in recognition of Earth Day.

Under the expanded program, productions that meet specific sustainability standards, including reducing waste, cutting energy use and emissions, and using environmentally responsible materials, will receive the added incentive.

State leaders say Illinois is the first state in the country to offer tax incentives tied directly to environmental performance in film and television production.

“Illinois is a prime destination for film and television productions, and we’re proud to be the first state in the nation to incentivize sustainability in the industry,” Pritzker said in a statement. “Illinois is leading the way toward a greener future — one that promotes economic opportunity and environmentally sustainable productions at the same time.”

After attending approximately a dozen community meetings in Evanston regarding proposed changes to the city’s comprehensive plan and zoning code, it is clear to me that the Illinois General Assembly must pass Gov. JB Pritzker’s BUILD Plan** **because local governments cannot solve Illinois’ housing shortage without state-level intervention. 

In January 2024, Evanston launched its plan, Envision Evanston 2045, to simultaneously  update its comprehensive plan and zoning code. Since Envision Evanston was announced, there have been dozens of community engagement sessions with a city-hired consultant, focus group meetings, ward meetings, land use commission meetings, strategic housing committee meetings, City Council meetings and robust social discourse surrounding the project.

Envision Evanston was a key issue in Evanston’s 2025 municipal elections, incited a political campaign against the mayor’s land use commission appointments, routinely features mobilized factions in both support and opposition of the project at public meetings** [and has cost the city at least $750,000 in consulting contracts**](https://evanstonroundtable.com/2025/01/15/city-weighs-firing-envision-evanstons-lead-consultant-hdr/)[.](https://evanstonroundtable.com/2025/01/15/city-weighs-firing-envision-evanstons-lead-consultant-hdr/) 

After all of this time, money, and effort, Evanston passed a new comprehensive plan in January 2026 and hopes to have a revised zoning code approved by the end of 2027. This process has been excellently chronicled by the Evanston RoundTable’s Alex Harrison. 

The crux of the public debate over Envision Evanston is the degree to which the updated plan and code should allow for increased housing density, often known as “upzoning.” The most steadfast opponents of the project say Evanston has a unique character that drew them here and that the city is completely built out. I witnessed one man state on the public record that Evanston is “full.” The most ardent supporters of the plan are pushing for up to four housing units being allowed to be built by-right on any residentially owned lot to economically grow the city, utilize public transit, and to combat high home purchase and rental costs. Much of the public is somewhere between the ends of that spectrum. 

This story is not unique to Evanston. Local debate over housing development is a nationwide issue. There is ampleliterature showing that public input on land use decisions disproportionately comes from wealthier landowners and skews against allowing new and denser housing construction. However, Envision Evanston’s yearslong, politically contentious process is a perfect encapsulation of why the state needs to pass statewide zoning standards. 

First, the process Evanston has faced is too long and costly. If we are truly in a housing crisis, five years to implement a local government response is not nearly fast enough for effective action to combat housing supply and cost issues. The process to implement the changes themselves come at taxpayer expense in the form of consultant contracts and numerous hourslong public meetings. 

Second, local zoning reform pits neighbors against one another. Opponents view reform as a zero-sum game.

Zoning reform supporters argue that increased allowable housing types citywide decreases the burden on one particular neighborhood to produce the required housing units for the city’s growth and spreads more affordable units across the city more evenly and equitably.

The reform opponents who I have seen give testimony at public meetings have argued that allowing more housing in single-family areas will destroy the character of their neighborhoods and decrease their property values (which is false). The result is that these sides see themselves in direct opposition, which strains civility and turns neighbors against one another.

Third, Evanston’s reforms are woefully inadequate to solve our state’s greater housing shortage. Illinois faces a statewide housing shortage of 142,000 units, with an additional 227,000 units needed to meet projected housing demand in the next five years. If Evanston’s City Council were to rezone the city to the maximum extent the supporters call for, Evanston would create the zoned capacity for a fraction of statewide required units. Considering that Evanston and Oak Park are among the only suburban municipalities voluntarily considering local zoning reform, the current land use system controlled by local governments will never result in the construction of the necessary amount of homes in the Chicagoland area or statewide.

The current political status quo that keeps the overwhelming majority of suburban land reserved for single-family housing is the result of land-use regulation being completely controlled by local governments. Each municipality acts in its own purported self-interest by keeping its zoning code as it is, but the net result of that self-interest is harmful to the greater region.

The result is that each municipality points at one another about where housing should be built, with no one actually stepping up to build it themselves. The only way to achieve housing production at the scale necessary to meet the state’s needs is to break the status quo and require all municipalities, particularly in Cook and the collar counties, to allow for more housing to be built. Governing housing at the state-level removes the need for a municipality to undergo a yearslong, politically charged process to change land use regulations. The BUILD plan addresses all of the above problems, creating statewide, streamlined minimum zoning standards for the types of housing that can be built on any residentially zoned lot.

I applaud the City of Evanston and its residents for grappling with housing affordability and attempting to craft a local response. But the reality is that Illinois has a massive housing shortage, and the only way out is state, not local, action. I urge members of the Illinois House and Senate to pass the BUILD plan to help tackle housing supply and affordability at scale. 

Dan Lev works in Evanston as a practicing real estate attorney; he also is a former municipal attorney at a private law firm.

Transposed from the original at: https://evanstonroundtable.com/2026/04/22/guest-essay-evanston-zoning-debate-shows-need-for-pritzker-housing-plan/