>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight.

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

Local leaders and immigration advocates are responding to yesterday's mass arrest in the South Loop.

Illinois State police are sharing data with federal immigration.

Authorities have agreement may complicate the state's so-called sanctuary laws.

And Venezuelan elections took place last month and some residents are pushing back against the result how it impacts villas Whalen.

Venezuelans living here.

>> And now to some of today's top stories.

Governor JB Pritzker is reacting a day after mass arrests by federal immigration agents in Chicago's South loop.

The action by ICE sparked outcry as advocates gathered to protest the operation.

>> Bystanders were protesting, not interfering but simply protesting and expressing their First Amendment rights and freedoms.

And yet those ice officers reporting people out of the way in in a fashion that I don't think any of us think is is right.

And I have to say they they overstep constantly.

One time after another.

>> The federal level.

>> At least 10 people were detained by federal immigration agents after being told to check in to a monitoring program administered by ICE.

That's according to elected officials and organizers and all the person who was at the scene reported being struck with a baton and thrown to the ground by agents.

Well, hear directly from that alderman later in the program.

Illinois officials are warning about unhealthy air quality as wildfire.

Smoke from Canada is rolling into the state.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency says pollution levels could create health concerns for those with respiratory were pulmonary disorders.

The National Weather Service is encouraging residents to consider making outdoor activities shorter and less intense.

Those pollution levels are expected to last in the area until Friday.

The Canadian fires have forced more than 27,000 people to evacuate.

Passengers flying in and out of Midway Airport may notice some runway construction, but the city says it won't impact your travel plans.

>> So many heavily used pieces of pavement around us.

Regular maintenance maintenance is an optional is essential.

The current airfield pavement needs rehabilitation to maintain safety and reliability to avoid any expect unexpected closures or emergency repairs, which would significantly impact Air Service.

>> The Department of Aviation today broke ground on a 47 million dollar runway rehabilitation project for one of the airport's primary runways.

Construction will in Crewe include repaving the main runway and its intersecting taxiways.

Plus, installing new runway guard lights and a new roadway to support aircraft rescue and firefighting.

In the event of an incident, aviation says the city is still seeking more than 37 million dollars in federal funding through the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the FAA airport improvement Grant program.

>> Chicago White Sox may be getting a new owner.

First, this of fans who've been Claire Marie clamoring for Joy Reinsdorf to sell the team.

That deal won't happen until 2029 at the earliest or maybe 2034 or but the Sox did announce today what they call a, quote, long-term investment agreement.

The plan paves the way for Reinsdorf to sell majority control to billionaire Justin Ishbia.

Exactly when or even if that will happen is still a bit unclear.

Ishbia and his brother owned the NBA's Phoenix Suns.

Reinsdorf has been White Sox chairman since buying the team with Eddie Einhorn in 1981. team is currently 2043 on the season.

They fell to the Detroit Tigers this afternoon, 3 to Coming up in the program.

Illinois State Police has been sharing its gang member data with ICE despite an Illinois law prohibiting data sharing between the agencies.

But up next.

Mass arrests by federal immigration agents in the South loop yesterday caused a chaotic scene.

We hear from the folks who were there.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part why the Alexandra and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> Immigrant advocates, immigrant advocates and local officials are calling out federal immigration agents today following a face-off yesterday in the South Loop ICE agents reportedly detained at least 10 people yesterday after they were told to check into a monitoring program administered by the agency.

Tensions escalated as ICE agents were seen pushing back some of the immigrant advocates who gathered to protest the actions with an alderperson saying he was thrown to the ground.

The incident has sent shockwaves shockwaves through immigrant communities.

As advocates say the people arrested were following the rule of law.

Joining us now are Cynthia Fernandez, a lawyer representing a woman who was detained yesterday and if any to 30th Ward Alderman, thanks to both for joining us.

Big So other kids out and several other.

All the people you there to resist the arrest.

Tell us what happened once you got So when we arrived on scene, we saw a number of community members who are.

>> Family members or residents are neighbors of the people who have been detained were trying to find out what was going on.

>> When we arrived, we also saw Chicago police officers on the scene, which is a little concerning because we knew that this was an ice operation.

But there was federal agents.

Hsi was on scene and we were wondering why Chicago police officers were there when we have sanctuary laws.

When we have the trust act to wanted to ascertain if there was any sort of collaboration happening.

So myself Alderwoman resign.

Rodriguez Aldrin, Byron Lopez start to ask officers on scene including the commander of the first district.

What they were doing there.

They came tell us that there was a distress call that someone made a call to the office of Emergency Management saying that there was police in distress.

We didn't see anybody in distress.

No police officers were in distress.

The people who are in distress where the children there who are trying to find out what happened to their parents.

You also said that you are assaulted by an ice agent.

What happened?

So at one point after the Chicago Police Department left the area, ice was trying to bring in vans into the building's parking lot.

That is when myself Alderwoman honored by drug as and Cook County Commissioner Jessica Vasquez engage in nonviolent civil disobedience practicing our First Amendment rights to stand there and to solidarity and compassion and love for our residents and constituents who are being detained short drive away, correct.

And shortly after ICE agents then got out of vehicles about over 3 dozen of them.

They cleared out the street that cleared up the sidewalk armed asked fully mask and then aggressively made their way into the driveway that which we were standing in ICE officer, HSI agent grabbed me and threw me to the ground fell into a puddle got wet.

And then as they continue to make their way into the building, there are multiple altercations in which they were using their batons to push community members face, you put punch me kind of like in area.

And then when they started to bring out the detained individuals, which is one of the most horrifying scenes I've ever experienced my life.

I'm completely distraught.

Still to see community residents, mothers, people in in handcuffs being taken into vans, crying with their family members and their and their neighbors on the sidelines crying as well.

It it was it was a very disturbing Cynthia Fernandez, what did you experience yesterday at the scene?

So it was just as he mentioned, that was very scary.

Everybody was masked was a lot guns.

One had like a sniper rifle.

>> I was there at 10:00AM with my client.

She had received a text message and said she needed to come in.

She's been here for 10 years, had an active.

>> Valid work permits.

So she had no reason to fear.

But I did tell her that we were scared.

She would be detained.

And as our attorney I went there and I assume that was going to be able to talk to the ice to turn ice officer and speak about the case.

Any questions they had.

However, I was not allowed in the iOS employee told me that the ice officer was in the building.

>> But he would not be speaking to me and he would not receive any documents from me.

I was there until about 2.45 when they told me that she was going to be detained and that they were not going to speak to me.

I was there until 6 and I was unable to speak with my client or any ice officer as to why she was detained.

>> What's the next step for her?

What what?

What recourse you have now?

>> Legally, we can file a state that is her right as being here for 10 years to U.S. citizen children and a legal permanent resident child.

However, I was not allowed to file it yesterday.

And when I went to the building today, they told me to come back tomorrow at 08:00AM even though it was 02:45PM and the offices open until 4.30 I asked if I could speak with someone and there was another reason as to why this couldn't be submitted.

They said to come back at 08:00AM.

So I did speak with the ICE office said today that has or detain and said that he would be deported as soon as possible.

I informed her at him that I'm trying to file a stay.

He said, however, it seems that it's very likely she will be deported as soon as possible.

So then you have been able to speak with her either.

I was able to speak with her on speakerphone while the ice officer was with Ok?

So that probably not allowed to say I'm not able to speak with her as an attorney, Andrea Lyon privilege.

I have not been able to and they were not able to tell me where she would be sent as of today.

She still is not in the system.

So I know she's detained because I was there.

But if we look it up in the system, she doesn't come out being does not exist.

Okay.

>> the City Council Latino Caucus said in a statement, quote, We stand united in calling for a full investigation into the conduct of ICE agents involved in this operation.

And for the immediate release of all individuals detained under these unlawful circumstances, the immigrant and Refugee Rights Committee will convene a hearing to examine the extent of ISIS misconduct and to determine whether the Chicago Police Department played any role in today's actions.

And I do want to mention the statement that's been reported from the CPD that says, quote, All actions taken by CPD during this incident was in accordance with CPD policy and the City of Chicago Municipal Code.

No arrests were made by CPD in the crowd dispersed without incident.

is out of what happens next.

How are local leaders responding to grateful that they issued a statement?

I had the opportunity to speak with superintendents knowing last night.

>> But as I told the superintendent, the people that he needs to answer to and the Chicago Police Department answer to is the people of Chicago.

There are laws in place local at the state level and we need to have a full investigation and hearing as to the policies and protocols that were being practice.

I want to know who made that call who was in distress?

Why?

And when police officers were there, why were they in the building while active operation taking place?

So I'm not saying that there is, you know, any fall activity, but we need to have answers because the perception from the community and the community residents that were there from the advocates was that there was collaboration.

We need to instill confidence and trust between the Chicago Police Department between our communities and between are undocumented and immigrant population so I look forward to the full collaboration, cooperation of the Chicago Police Department as we at ask these questions and what happened.

what >> Hearings, investigation, are place.

I would love to see body cam footage.

I'd love to hear the audio from that Williams.

He call.

>> We need to gather all the data so that we have have a good understanding of what transpired and if there need to be any reforms to any of the policies and protocols that were enacted that day.

And also, you have to think about those a lot of public resources that HSI, you know, incurred to the people.

Chicago are going to send them an invoice.

Are they going to pay for the police officers that were dispatched or from the vehicles and the gasoline that was used?

I don't know.

But we're going to find out, Cynthia, you know, it looks like things with your clients, deportation move really quickly after being taken into custody.

>> some advocates are saying that this was a form of entrapment.

>> She received the message from the iOS app Agency where she right?

It said please come in.

We want to speak with the issue responded as to when she said next day and they said why didn't respond?

She said what address?

Because we still didn't know where to go.

And they said, well, the officer has to speak with you.

is at 101, was favorite.

Tell us what to that the enforcement removal officer.

So the question is why was she sent to the ice at office?

I believe that was a run around in order to make sure that the attorney couldn't come in with him.

Right.

And so I think that's one of the ways that they were trying to make sure that we weren't able to come in and speak with them and explain the situation.

Like I said, she's been here for 10 years.

She has done everything they asked and many of the people that were there without attorneys had no idea they were going to be detained that So a lot of them actually spoke to my client and had her call me and give me their information because no one was there to pick up their children.

And so text messages that said I've been detained.

Please let this person know.

They have to go get my children.

So a lot of unanswered questions.

More to come.

>> I'm sure health that will have to leave it.

For now, though, Cynthia Fernandez and Alderman Anthony, because I thank you both for joining us.

Thank Thank you so much.

>> Up next, why Illinois State Police may be violating state law.

>> Illinois State Police maintain a database of suspected gang members and they make that information available to U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement despite state law prohibiting data sharing agreement between state law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.

Btw News reporter Blair Paddock joins us now with more Blair.

What is in these data sharing agreements?

Yeah.

So we got agreements between Illinois State Police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Department of Homeland Security and then DHS says enforcement and removal operations who actually detains and removes people for data within the state statewide computer system, which is known as leads or the law Enforcement agency's data system.

And that contains a member file we've seen the Trump administration used oftentimes flimsy evidence to deport people on alleged ties in.

So there's a concern that.

There could be information shared.

What's the Illinois state law that prohibits these data sharing agreements.

So the trust act was passed in 2017 and it's generally prohibit generally prohibits state law enforcement and local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration authorities.

And there's a line explicitly prohibiting local law enforcement agencies from entering data sharing agreements with federal immigration authorities.

We asked the Illinois attorney general who enforces the trust act.

As to whether or not this breaks the trust act they did not respond when we provided these Governor JB Pritzker is testifying about this law next week.

How did he react to this?

Yeah, we heard from a spokesperson for the governor who sent us a statement saying all all our agreements with law enforcement agencies are standard criminal justice information sharing agreement.

Leeds is not designed to collect immigration status information.

Any agency, including ICE using leads for purposes in violation of state or federal law would be violating the terms of our standard leads agreement.

The Pritzker administration operation of Leeds is fully in compliance with state and federal law.

Okay.

So that's that's the governor.

What was the concern then from civil Liberty and immigration advocacy groups?

Yeah.

We heard from the ACLU who brought up Chicago's Fulton Gang database, for example, it's now decommissioned, but at the time when it was operating, it contained people who were 0, 217 years old, alleging that they're a gang members and there wasn't a system for people to remove themselves with gang databases.

It can you speculative information.

2 alleged gang ties such as tattoos or emblems on T-shirts.

And so they're concerned that speculative information could get people on this database and then ice could use that information to deport people.

And like I said at the beginning, Trump administration has been used flimsy evidence to deport people on King ties.

Okay.

Where Paddack.

Thank you so much.

Appreciate it.

Good reporting.

Thanks.

And you can read letters full story on our website.

It is all at W T Tw Dot com Slash news.

>> Latin American countries are in the midst of a crucial election year, including in Venezuela.

The country's ruling party claimed another win last month amid opposition boycotts, opposition leaders called for voters to abstain from casting ballots in protest of last July's contested presidential election results.

Advocates say last month's results where many voters stayed home could further roil the country's political landscape.

Here with more on this topic and to explore the impact on U.S. relations and Venezuelans in Chicago are on a Bill Garcia, co-founder and chair of the board of directors of the Illinois Venezuelan Alliance and via Zoom, Alberto Cole, professor of law and U.S. foreign relations at a poll university.

Thank you both for joining I'm gonna Garcia.

Venezuela has had 2 crucial elections.

Of course, last year, the presidential and most recently, the gubernatorial voters responded to this most recent election.

>> But the situation in Venezuela doesn't change into himself.

how voters have responded.

Unfortunately, you know, the July 2024 election was an election.

That was them.

We all think when we saw, you know, be how people went to the street and will help people.

You know, yes, they they went to the polls and and the enthusiasm of the people really showed about died in action.

And then finally, you know, we just knowing taking the was name was tunnel.

My total, the selective faith in the system to get is no way that people back again to digest, too, to what you know, what you see.

We suggest you go to vote.

So believe that Tim, you this is going to happen for many years.

You know, people really in Venezuela and see that.

He everything's of change.

You know, people would know really going expose inception of the something that not been happening the CDC.

>> Professor Paul, what impact will these elections have on mass migration and immigration?

>> Well, that's a very complicated issue because you have to look at exactly the Trump administration's policies.

And then as well on migration, which right now the Trump administration has been very clear that it will not accept any more immigrants from it as well.

fact, the Trump administration very busy.

The reporting Venezuela on migrants back to men as well.

So I've been as well as as pointed out, has been a major disaster, a catastrophe.

And for decades now.

And what these recent elections did was that they they come for the says you know, that the opposition called for a boycott, precise because last year they won the presidential elections and very cleanly.

This was confirmed by numerous international observers have by very, very clear evidence.

And yet my ignore those resources and has stayed in power.

So this time around the the opposition's that well, why should we participate in these elections which are just for show.

And so they boycotted in some districts.

By the way, the boycott rate was about 80%.

All eligible voters did not vote for these parliamentary elections.

many as 80 anywhere between 60 and 80%.

Voters that did not responded.

Election on North course is claiming a great victory, but it's it's a hollow victory how are community members here being impacted by the circumstances in Venezuela.

>> But, you know, the sequence as some innocent it when we see that to tee, you know, the administration, the Trump administration right now, you know that taming intense open, even 8 in the TPS, it then put it but think that it's that was one of the things that they at taming a says he pollution minutes with a change.

You know, the has the situation has improved.

So if you know the mean, that's a classic point south of something that we say would have known I mean, because they had a little everything's that really is.

It tells us situation is something that would prove we have to have fun is in Venezuela.

We still have, you know, people that we shipping goods food and maybe scenes and, you know, making equipment on those things because the situation not improved.

So community is some emotional This this role because we don't know really what is going to happen next.

There always a next.

So is is always going just to thinking about okay, I'm going to and going to leave.

But actually right.

Well, and we don't have it exactly right.

So it is Venezuelan seeking asylum in Chicago or in the U.S. for that matter.

If they are forced to return to Venezuela.

>> What Mike, our lives be like.

What could happen for that live.

But what is going to we've seen already that to, you know, win Minnesota as they go pack, the ones that have the port.

It.

They have been taken to prison.

They had been general put away from their families and their communities.

So is is not be easy situation for anybody who wants to go back.

is is not I wish that's somebody really clued say, oh, yes, going back to Venezuela is the safest, you they no to go back, but it's not.

That's not the case.

A professor Cole want to talk about Mexico because they just had their first judicial election this past >> Now that, you know, judges have been elected.

What might change in the political landscape there and in the country.

>> I think it's not good meals.

And I think that we all should worry about what's happening in Mexico.

seeing in Mexico is the gradual growth of what I call soft authoritarianism is not authoritarianism thrown out, right?

Cool or tanks on the streets, but it's not for tearing his of which the ruling party the morning.

A party has a lock on the Congress they created this new system in which judges are elected.

What does this mean?

It means that to be candidate for a judge.

You have to be on the list and that list has to cleared by the Senate who controls the Senate, the ruling party, which has a majority.

so that means that in these recent elections for judges, the government's sunshine and candidates, one appointment and you're looking out appointments for 90 years in the case of the judicial judges, 6 years for those judges on the electoral tribunal said very important body, Mexico, which is being totally on mind by the SoCal reforms.

So the election judges means the election of judges that have been point that have been clear that have been approved by the party control Senate.

So I think we're going to see this kind of authoritarianism.

It also means that these charges are going to much more pliable to the drug cartels in Mexico, which will affect the United States point directly, of course that.

Well, professor Cole, Alberto cold air at DePaul University in on Gael Garcia the for we'll have to leave it.

Thanks to both for joining us.

Thank you.

>> And that is our show for this Thursday night.

Join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 and at 7 for the weekend review.

>> Now for all of us here at Chicago Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> Strachan was made possible by Robert a cliff and Clifford law offices, a Chicago personal injury and wrongful death that supports