January 12, 2026 Evening Edition

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

ABC7
— Chicago, state sue Trump admin. seeking to limit immigration agents’ authority in Illinois
https://abc7chicago.com/post/us-immigration-customs-enforcement-news-chicago-illinois-sue-trump-admin-seeking-limit-agents-authority-state/18392657/
— Minnesota, Minneapolis, Saint Paul file lawsuit to stop ICE’s ‘federal invasion’
https://abc7chicago.com/post/minnesota-twin-cities-sue-federal-government-stop-immigration-crackdown/18392572/
— Sen. Mark Kelly files lawsuit against Pete Hegseth after censure
https://abc7chicago.com/post/sen-mark-kelly-files-lawsuit-pete-hegseth/18392248/

NBC5
— Illinois, Chicago file lawsuit against Trump administration over ‘unlawful’ immigration enforcement tactics
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/illinois-chicago-file-lawsuit-against-trump-administration-over-unlawful-immigration-enforcement-tactics/3875020/

CBS2
— Chicago, Illinois sue Department of Homeland Security, Trump administration for dangerous tactics, unlawful use of force by ICE and Border Patrol agents
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/illinois-chicago-lawsuit-trump-homeland-security-immigration-raids/

WGN9
— Bailey talks Bears, immigration crackdown and family tragedy amid new gubernatorial bid
https://wgntv.com/news/politics/darren-bailey-talks-bears-immigration-crackdown-and-family-tragedy-amid-new-gubernatorial-bid/

WTTW
— Needling Trump as 2028 Looms: Inside JB Pritzker’s All-of-the-Above Media Strategy
https://news.wttw.com/2026/01/12/needling-trump-2028-looms-inside-jb-pritzker-s-all-above-media-strategy

WGN RADIO
— Dabrowski, candidate for Illinois Governor
https://wgnradio.com/lisa-dent/ted-dabrowski-candidate-for-illinois-governor/

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— Illinois extends Affordable Care Act open enrollment, as fate of subsidies remains uncertain
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/illinois-affordable-care-act-open-enrollment/
— Illinois and Chicago sue DHS over ‘militarized’ immigration-enforcement tactics
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/state-city-sue-dhs-over-militarized-immigration-enforcement-tactics-in-chicago-area/
— Minnesota and the Twin Cities sue the federal government to stop the immigration crackdown
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/minnesota-twin-cities-dhs-lawsuit/
— Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly sues the Pentagon over attempts to punish him, declaring it unconstitutional
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/mark-kelly-sues-pentagon/
— Unions make life pricey in Illinois’ political machine
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/opinion-illinois-unions-increase-cost-of-living/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— Trump administration hit with federal lawsuit over ‘occupation of Illinois and Chicago.’ The new lawsuit makes claims about the feds’ capture of biometric data, warrantless arrests, immigration enforcement at “sensitive locations” like courthouses and schools, the swapping of license plates and trespassing on private property.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/2026/01/12/illinois-chicago-sue-trump-administration-over-organized-bombardment-under-noem-bovino
— Chicago to weigh paying $875K to settle claims tied to police handling of George Floyd protests. The proposed settlement is tied to a lawsuit that contends Chicago cops “responded to these protests with brutal, violent, and unconstitutional tactics that were clearly intended to injure and silence protesters.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2026/01/12/george-floyd-protests-chicago-police-department-response-lawsuit-proposed-settlement
— What questions do you have for Illinois political candidates this primary election season? Our journalists will pose some of your questions to the people running for office in 2026.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2026/01/12/what-questions-do-you-have-for-illinois-political-candidates-this-primary-election-season

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— DD: Democrat leaders ever-increasingly push minorities to be pot pushers. Pot is poison.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/elevate/illinois-lending-social-equity-cannabis-tops-62-million
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/elevate/cannabis-industry-deserves-time-and-patience-mature-opinion
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/elevate/illinois-cannabis-law-needs-evolve-industry-opinion

ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR
— Democrat leaders ever-increasingly promote more dependency on government.
https://www.rrstar.com/story/news/2026/01/12/how-illinois-may-be-impacted-by-1b-in-frozen-child-care-funds/88105068007/

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2026/01/12/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-447/
— Pritzker spent far more time on national news, podcasts in 2025 than ever before
https://capitolfax.com/2026/01/12/todays-chart-pritzker-spent-far-more-time-on-national-news-podcasts-in-2025-than-ever-before/
— Will changes actually be made to SAFE-T Act?
https://capitolfax.com/2026/01/12/will-changes-actually-be-made-to-safe-t-act/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT SOURCES

NEW YORK POST
— Trump to antisemites: You’re not welcome in MAGA
https://nypost.com/2026/01/12/us-news/trump-to-antisemites-youre-not-welcome-in-maga/

AMERICAN GREATNESS
— Myth, Narratives, and the Death of Renee Good
https://amgreatness.com/2026/01/12/myth-narratives-and-the-death-of-renee-good/

AMERICAN THINKER
— Federal Law is Supreme on Immigration. The states are trying to legislate immigration law again.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/01/federal_law_is_supreme_on_immigration.html
— Dictators are Bad – Unless Trump Stops Them. The double standards are through the roof.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2026/01/dictators_are_bad_unless_trump_stops_them.html

BREITBART
— Trump Cancels Biden Rules Forcing Banks to Give Loans to Illegals
https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2026/01/12/trump-cancels-biden-rules-forcing-banks-to-give-loans-to-illegals/

FOX NEWS
— Trump declares himself Venezuela’s ‘acting president’ in online post after Maduro ouster. Trump previously has indicated that the US would run Venezuela for years.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-declares-himself-venezuelas-acting-president-online-post-after-maduro-ouster

NEWSMAX
— Civil rights protections resulted in white people being “very badly treated,” Trump said in a recent interview.
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/donald-trump-civil-rights-whites/2026/01/12/id/1241767/

TOWNHALL
— The Reasoning Behind Minnesota’s Anti-ICE Lawsuit Against the Federal Government
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2026/01/12/minnesota-is-suing-the-trump-administration-over-ice-operationsand-the-reasoning-is-a-total-circus-n2669355

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT SOURCES

CBS NEWS
— Trump slaps 25% tariffs on any countries that do business with Iran
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-tariffs-countries-iran/

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.