February 2, 2026 Evening Edition

WHITE HOUSE
— Americans Overwhelmingly Support Deporting Criminal Illegals, Local Cooperation with ICE
https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2026/02/americans-overwhelmingly-support-deporting-criminal-illegals-local-cooperation-with-ice/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Hundreds of North Side high school students walk out of class, hold anti-ICE rally at River Park. DD: How successful have Democrat leaders been getting the students in your public school district to hate conservative Republicans?
https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-school-walkout-held-anti-ice-protest-river-park-streamwood-high-students-walk/18529755/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Hundreds of North Side high school students walked out of class on Monday to protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The unified walk came as many of the students said they and their families have lived in fear of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The students say they surprised themselves with just how many of their classmates showed up. Students representing at least four North Side high schools converged on River Park in what they describe as a “bold act of resistance against ICE.” “Neighborhoods that are built on diversity are now filled with anxiety and uncertainty,” said Northside College Prep student Luis Delgado. “Families torn apart. Children are painfully separated from their parents, and hard-working people who contribute greatly to our economy are forced to live in fear.” Just after noon, students from Amundsen, Mather, and Roosevelt high schools, as well as Northside College Prep, marched right out the doors of their schools for a planned walkout and rally. Similar scenes unfolded in the suburbs, where Streamwood High School students also walked out. “As children in America, we learn many, many things, and among them, one of the very first things we learn is the Pledge of Allegiance, which states that liberty and justice is for us all,” said Mather High School student Amari Bell. Nearly one dozen students took the mic, sharing their perspectives on the impact federal agents have had on their classmates, neighbors, and families. “Many immigrants come here to escape the violence in their homelands, and the U.S. is deporting them and putting their lives at risk,” said Mather High School student Angelique Guzman. The students also referenced the deaths of two American citizens at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis, with many calling for the abolition of ICE. “If you are a minority, you are a target. If you stand up to them, you are a target. They don’t abide by the Constitution, and they don’t abide by the law,” Guzman said. “This is our chance to elect people that are for the people, that fight for the people, not those who fight for who donate the most money.” And while the walkout and rally were student-led, they had the support of several elected officials, including Ald. Andre Vasquez. “I want to thank you all for having the courage a lot of adults don’t have. You all are out here. You organize this whole thing. This is all done by the students to make sure their voices are heard and to call out people who don’t have the courage enough to say that ICE should be abolished and gone, period,” Vasquez said. Many of the students rallied against ICE for more than two hours. “When you see something wrong, something unjust, we have the moral obligation to do something about it,” said Mather High School student Benart Babatinca. And though it is done now, those who are 18 told ABC7 that their next move is to make their voices heard at the polls, referencing the upcoming March 17 primary election.)
— Music’s biggest stars use the Grammys stage to protest Trump’s immigration crackdown. DD: Ever-increasingly, entertainment exists to promote the Democrat Party platform.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/grammys-2025-celebrity-ice-out-buttons-bad-bunny-immigration-speech/18523651/
— Texas stunner: Democrat Taylor Rehmet flips Republican state Senate district Trump won by 17 points.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/texas-democrat-taylor-rehmet-flips-republican-state-senate-district-donald-trump-won-17-points/18521939/

NBC5
— Illinois lawmakers introduce bill to expand voter registration for high schoolers. The bill was named to honor Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. DD: How successful have Democrat leaders been getting the high schoolers in your public school district to hate conservative Republicans?
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/illinois-lawmakers-introduce-bill-to-expand-voter-registration-for-high-schoolers/3885164/

CBS2
— All immigration officers in Minneapolis will start wearing body cameras, Noem says
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/immigration-officers-minneapolis-body-cameras/

FOX32
— Naperville college students charged after loaded gun, weed found in campus dorm
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/naperville-college-students-charged-after-loaded-gun-weed-found-in-campus-dorm-prosecutors
— U of I investigates College Republicans group’s social post about Alex Pretti’s death
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/u-i-investigates-college-republicans-groups-social-post-about-alex-prettis-death
— Healthcare costs could decide the midterms. DD: Because I am a retired federal employee, the federal government pays 72% of my and my wife’s healthcare insurance premiums. The 28% that we pay just increased from $600/month to $700/month.
https://www.fox32chicago.com/video/fmc-obz1b345j5q3jg4q

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Hundreds of students walk out from class across Chicago’s North Side to protest against ICE. DD: How successful have Democrat leaders been getting the students in your public school district to hate conservative Republicans?
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/02/student-walkout-chicago/
— U. of I. Republicans club faces backlash for post supporting ICE: ‘Only traitors help invaders’
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/02/uiuc-republicans-ice-social-media/
— NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league needs to re-evaluate its approach to minority hiring after an offseason coaching cycle that saw only one of 10 head coaching jobs go to a minority and none to Black candidates.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/02/nfl-roger-goodell-minority-hiring/
— Hundreds pack an Ohio church to back extending protected status for Haitians in the US
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/02/ohio-church-hatians-us/
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push more pot. Pot is poison.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/01/opinion-venezuela-war-on-drugs-donald-trump-curbing-demand/
— Millions raised fuel fierce fights for 5 open Illinois congressional seats ahead of March primary
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/02/illinois-congressional-fundraising-2025/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— DD: Democrats run education in America. For Democrats, education exists to crank out good little Democrats. Student surveys and student protests show that. Ever-increasingly, if you send your child to a public school, your child will end up being a good little Democrat. Of course, some public schools are not as bad as others. My parents sent me to Missouri Synod Lutheran grade schools. Even with all my limitations, that put me on track to earn a bachelor’s degree, three master’s degrees, six professional certifications, and a professional license. What percent of the students in your school district despise/hate conservative Republicans? Who heads Turning Point USA in Illinois, in your county, in your township, in your municipality, and in your School District?
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2026/02/02/hundreds-of-cps-students-walk-out-of-school-to-protest-trumps-deportation-campaign
https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2026/01/31/illinois-federal-program-funds-private-school-scholarships-what-you-said

DAILY HERALD
— Ordinance prohibiting ICE from staging on Downers Grove property up for vote Tuesday
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260202/local-politics/ordinance-prohibiting-ice-from-staging-on-downers-grove-property-up-for-vote-tuesday/
— League of Women Voters of Glen Ellyn hosts candidate forum for Illinois’ 6th District primary. The League is unable to hold a forum for the contested primary race for the Republican candidates for U.S. House of Representatives District 6; invitations and inquiries sent to candidates Niki Conforti and Skylar Duensing were not returned. DD: If I was still the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairman and an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member, the organizations would still be hosting candidate forums. FEBRUARY 16, 2012 FLASHBACK: 42nd House candidates (Dave Carlin, Chris Hage, Jeanne Ives and Laura Pollastrini) argue about who’s ‘in’ and who’s ‘out.’ SEE:
https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120216/news/702169966/  MARCH 15, 2012 FLASHBACK: 42nd House candidates (Dave Carlin, Chris Hage, Jeanne Ives and Laura Pollastrini) trade jabs on ‘experience.’ SEE: https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120315/news/703159698/ At a Wheaton League of Women Voters (WLWV) candidate forum for that race, I unsuccessfully came to Hage’s defense when the WLWV stopped Hage from participating saying that he not responded to WLWV’s invitation, something that Hage denied. I approached the dais twice. The first time asking the forum leader to let Hage participate because he was there, and then a second time after she said no because it would be unfair to Carlin, Ives, and Pollastrini. I asked her to let him participate if Carlin, Ives, and Pollastrini agreed to let him participate, but the forum leader said no. At the time, Hage lived in a home in front of the polling place for my precinct and Ives lived a home behind it.
https://www.dailyherald.com/20260202/submitted-content/league-of-women-voters-of-glen-ellyn-hosts-candidate-forum-for-illinois-6th-district-primary/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Opinion: Illinois public university enrollment fuels our economic success. DD: What percent of students are White males?
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opinion/public-university-numbers-fuel-states-economic-success-op-ed
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Illinois’ public universities have reached a 10-year high in enrollment, with notable gains among freshmen and African American and Latino students.)
— DD: Pot is poison. Anticipate/expect that to push more pot, Democrat leaders will lower taxes on pot. In 2019, I led the successful effort to ban the sale of pot in Wheaton. My critics/opponents will never forgive me.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/cannabis/illinois-cannabis-sales-total-dips-amid-price-squeeze

SHAW LOCAL
— 2026 Election Questionnaire: Jim Marter, U.S. House of Representatives, 14th District
https://www.shawlocal.com/kendall-county-now/2026/02/03/2026-election-questionnaire-jim-marter-us-house-of-representatives-14th-district/

DAILY NORTHWESTERN
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly use Good and Pretti to promote more hatred against Republicans.
https://dailynorthwestern.com/2026/02/02/city/evanston-cyclists-ride-in-honor-of-minneapolis-man-killed-by-cbp/

JOURNAL COURIER
— DD: The Democrat Party platform promotes homelessness.
https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/illinois-homeless-life-expectancy-21324956.php

NAPERVILLE PATCH
— Loaded Gun, 136 Grams Of Cannabis Seized From Dorm At North Central College: Prosecutors. Two students were charged in connection with Saturday’s incident at North Central College in Naperville.
https://patch.com/illinois/naperville/loaded-gun-136-grams-cannabis-seized-dorm-north-central-college-prosecutors

WINDY CITY TIMES
—  Equality Illinois leader at 2026 gala: Organization “built to face” political challenges
https://windycitytimes.com/2026/02/02/equality-illinois-leader-at-2026-gala-organization-built-to-face-political-challenges/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Equality Illinois’s new CEO, Channyn Lynne Parker, gave the keynote at the rights-advocacy’s 2026 annual gala the evening of Jan. 31, where she asserted that the event, which according to estimates hosted about 1,500 attendees, was “not just a gala—it is a sanctuary.” Parker praised both Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, both of whom were in attendance that evening at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave. Both politicians, she said, made clear that “dignity is not conditional” in the state. She added, “And yes—abolish ICE,” to loud applause. “Hands off our families. Hands off our cities.  Hands off our state. Hands off our community.” Parker, a longtime LGBTQ+-rights advocate who’d been active in several Chicago organizations, was tapped as Equality Illinois’s interim CEO in June, then named to the position permanently in August. She is the organization’s first transgender Black leader. She emphasized throughout her speech the need to work as a collective in order to safeguard the rights of LGBTQ+ Illinoisans and other individuals living at the margins, even as right-wing elements continue to flex their political power: “This work is strictly by coalition [and] personal acts.” Parker added, “I promise my work continues. … Conspiracy is being used as a strategy. Chaos is being sold as inevitable.” She promised that her organization is up for the challenge, however. “That is the reality that Equality Illinois is built to face,” Parker said, warning that giving in to outrage will surely lead to disillusionment in the the long run. “Our job is not to chase every headline, or over-react ourselves into exhaustion. Our job is to make sure nothing essential collapses.” Parker’s speech followed a stern warning from Pritzker, who said the nation’s foundation principles are under attack from the federal government. “We’ve seen it before in the early ‘30s, and now we’re seeing it in our American cities,” he said, suggesting that Chicago was a “test case” for ICE. “We’re seeing it all over again in Minneapolis.” Pritzker nevertheless called the Equality Illinois gala one of his favorite events each year, adding, “I have so much respect for the work that you do.” He further paid tribute to the work of activist Rick Garcia, who passed away in January. “Rick has left an indelible mark on this state,” Pritzker said. The evening also featured a moment of silence in Garcia’s memory. Johnson congratulated Parker on her appointment, noting, “Her courage [and] her lived experience are what this moment demands.” He later emphasized the importance of Chicago being a safe harbor for Midwesterners and others marginalized by political oppression elsewhere. “Together we will defeat the Trump agenda,” the mayor promised. Johnson recently appointed Antonio King, a longtime city employee and LGBTQ+ health advocate, as the City’s Director of LGBTQ+ Affairs (King was in attendance as well). Johnson called the appointment proof that in Chicago, rights are “not an afterthought.”)

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/02/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-460/
— Illinois Accountability Commission hears expert testimony on ICE, CBP misconduct
https://capitolfax.com/2026/02/02/roundup-illinois-accountability-commission-hears-expert-testimony-on-ice-cbp-misconduct/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

OVS NEWS
— Illinois pitching for funds to shore up abortion tourism denounced as ‘macabre’
https://www.osvnews.com/illinois-pitching-for-funds-to-shore-up-abortion-tourism-denounced-as-macabre/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— Infighting, money woes drag down NRA’s comeback as a heavyweight in American politics
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/feb/2/infighting-money-woes-drag-nras-comeback-heavyweight-american/

WASHINGTON EXAMINER
— Illinois Republicans raise election integrity concerns with state
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/house/4442675/illinois-republicans-raise-election-integrity-concerns-letter/

NEW YORK POST
— Minnesota ignores history’s warnings and slouches toward another Fort Sumter
https://nypost.com/2026/02/02/opinion/minnesota-ignores-historys-warnings-as-it-slouches-toward-fort-sumter/
— Why these workers are so hard to fire. DD: What did you do to keep your job? My Democrat GAO superiors forced me to retire when I was 49 years old in 1997. If I had not done the following, they would have succeeded in getting rid of me sooner than they did. I earned a master’s degree in finance in 1997. I earned professional certifications in forensic accounting in 1997, financial services auditing in 1996, government financial management in 1994, fraud examination in 1990, internal auditing in 1981, and accounting in 1979. I became a licensed CPA in 1981. I earned a master’s degree in accounting in 1980. I earned an MBA in 1976.
https://nypost.com/2019/06/10/endanger-the-public-keep-you-job-why-these-workers-are-so-hard-to-fire/

AMERICAN THINKER
— Here’s the truth — and it’s not Pretti. The real point here is not that Pretti is dead, but what got him that way.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/02/here_s_the_truth_and_it_s_not_pretti.html

BREITBART
— ICE: 650 Illegal Aliens Arrested in West Virginia with Help from State and Local Police
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2026/02/02/ice-650-illegals-arrested-in-west-virginia-with-help-from-state-and-local-police/

FEDERALIST
— Poll: Likely 2026 Midterm Voters Support Deporting Illegal Aliens By 2:1 Margin
https://thefederalist.com/2026/02/02/poll-likely-2026-midterm-voters-support-deporting-illegal-aliens-by-21-margin/

FOX NEWS
— Turning Point USA launches rival halftime show with star-studded lineup as NFL faces Super Bowl backlash. Turning Point USA’s ‘All-American Halftime Show’ will stream opposite Bad Bunny’s official NFL performance on February 8. DD: Who heads Turning Point USA in Illinois, in your county, in your township, in your municipality, and in your School District?
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/turning-point-usa-launches-rival-halftime-show-star-studded-lineup-nfl-faces-super-bowl-backlash
— St. John’s University rejects Turning Point USA chapter application. DD: Would the schools in your county, township, municipality, and school district reject Turning Point USA chapter applications?
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6388655257112

HEARTLAND INSTITUTE
— Illinois Public School Students Face Screenings for Mental Health Problems. DD: Democrats run education in Illinois.  According to them, you have mental problems if you are not a Democrat.
https://heartland.org/publications/illinois-public-school-students-face-screenings-for-mental-health-problems/

REAL CLEAR POLITICS
— How About a Pin for People Murdered by Illegals?
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/2026/02/02/how_about_a_pin_for_people_murdered_by_illegals_690939.html

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

MSN
— Black History Month. DD: My Black Democrat GAO subordinate who my Democrat GAO superiors replaced me with led the office’s Black History Month events.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/how-trump-is-trying-to-erase-black-history/vi-AA1VswNn

WASHINGTON POST
— DD: Ever-increasingly, entertainment exists to promote the Democrat Party platform.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/2026/02/02/grammys-ice-bad-bunny-billie-eilish/

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
— Black History Month. DD: My Black Democrat GAO subordinate who my Democrat GAO superiors replaced me with led the office’s Black History Month events.
https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/carter-woodson-black-history-month-politics-20260202.html

USA TODAY
— How IRS Wage Garnishment Works in Illinois. DD: While I worked for IRS as a Revenue Officer 1971-1980, I issued many wage garnishments.
https://www.usatoday.com/press-release/story/24884/how-irs-wage-garnishment-works-in-illinois-chicago-suburbs/

MIT SLOAN
— What Do Employees Want? DD: Democrats run the federal government. For Democrats, the federal government exists to hire, retain, and promote Democrats. While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, virtually all of my superiors, supervisors, coworkers, and subordinates were Democrats. They wanted their superiors to get rid of their Republican employees, and especially their Republican employees who were conservative, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or had ancestors who had been in America for a long time. When I was 31 in 1980, I was one of the last Republicans GAO hired. They succeeded in forcing me to retire when I was 49 in 1997.
https://sloanreview.mit.edu/sponsors-content/what-do-employees-want-change/

POLITICO
— Bill and Hillary Clinton will now testify before Congress. It’s a stunning change of heart for the former first couple as a contempt vote loomed.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/02/bill-and-hillary-clinton-will-now-testify-before-congress-00761325

NEW REPUBLIC
— DD: Democrat Leaders Say Trump Tirade Over Protests Goes Off Rails as Crushing Fox Poll Hits
https://newrepublic.com/article/205997/trump-tirade-protests-goes-off-rails-crushing-fox-poll-hits

FREE SPEECH CENTER
— DD: The mainstream news media exists to destroy Trump.
https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/post/another-line-of-attack-white-house-sets-up-a-hall-of-shame-for-news-outlets/

Author: David Diersen

The opinions that I express in GOPUSA ILLINOIS emails are based on experience that I have gained doing many things since 1948. I base my opinions on what I learned a) working for the federal government for almost 30 years -- Post Office 1966-1969, IRS 1971-1980, and GAO 1980-1997, serving on the Executive Committee of the Association of Government Accountants Chicago Chapter 1983-1996, and being a union member while I worked for the Post Office and IRS; b) earning an MBA from Loyola in 1976, a masters degree in accounting from DePaul in 1980, and a masters degree in financial markets and trading from IIT in 1997; c) passing the CPA examination on my first attempt in 1979 and passing the Certified Internal Auditor examination on my first attempt in 1981; c) serving as a Republican Precinct Committeeman since 1999, the GOPUSA Illinois Editor since 2000, the TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois Chairman 2005-2012, a member of the 2008 Illinois Republican Party (IRP) Platform and Resolutions Committee, a Wheaton Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee member 2003-2011, the Milton Township Republican Central Committee webmaster 2008-2010 and 2000-2004, an Illinois Center Right Coalition Steering Committee member 2003-2007, and an American Association of Political Consultants Midwest Chapter board member 2001-2004; d) attending the 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 IRP State Conventions as a delegate; e) being the subject of a nasty 4-page article in the February 1978 issue of Money Magazine; f) pursing litigation including Diersen v. GAO and Diersen v. Chicago Car Exchange; g) being married since 1978; h) living in Crete 1948-1972, in University Park 1972-1976, in Chicago 1976-1978, and in DuPage County, Milton Township, and Wheaton since 1978; and i) being baptized, raised, and confirmed as a Missouri Synod Lutheran.