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Illinois in Focus

America's Talking Networkwww.americastalking.com
The podcast bringing you the most important stories out of Illinois from TheCenterSquare.com. Join us as we dive into the top headlines and provide insightful commentary and analysis.
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Episodes

Weekend Edition | 'Sicko' released under Illinois’ SAFE-T Act arrested by ICE in Chicago

(The Center Square) – After U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested a criminal suspect who had been released in Lake County, elected officials are calling for changes to Illinois’ SAFE-T Act. According to an ICE statement, Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, 52, was arrested in Chicago on Saturday. In April, the Mexican national was charged with four felonies, including concealing a death, abusing a corpse and obstructing justice in connection with the death of 37-year-old Megan Bos o...

Jul 26, 202524 minEp. 571

Illinois in Focus Daily | July 25th, 2025 - Pritzker Reacts to Energy Prices, Snap Benefits and Salt Deduction Increase

Greg Bishop shares recent comments from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker about the expectation energy prices are going to continue to go up for Illinois rate payers, the impacts of the Trump administration's controls over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and also the governor speaking well of the increase in the State and Local Tax deduction from the "big, beautiful bill."

Jul 25, 202537 minEp. 572

Illinois in Focus Daily | July 21st, 2025 - Mexican National Accused of Concealing Illinois Women’s Body Detained by ICE

Greg Bishop reviews statements around news of federal immigration officials detaining a Mexican national who was arrested by Illinois law enforcement earlier this year for the concealment of a women's body but was later released from jail under the state's Pretrial Fairness Act that ended cash bail. Republicans say it's a stark example of the reforms that are needed in both the SAFE-T Act and the state's migrant sanctuary policies.

Jul 21, 202529 minEp. 567

Weekend Edition | Analyst: Chicago, St. Louis Inflation Problems Reflect Illinois Struggles

(The Center Square) – Illinois is one of the U.S. states hardest hit by inflation, an analyst says . The personal finance company WalletHub compared 23 major metropolitan areas across key metrics, including the Consumer Price Index, to measure inflation and how it impacts people in different cities. According to the report, two of the five major metropolitan areas with the biggest inflation problems have a large footprint in Illinois.

Jul 19, 202524 minEp. 565

Illinois in Focus Daily | July 18th, 2025 - IL Requests Delay in Final Gun Ban Appeal Brief as Separate Illegal Alien With Gun Case Reversed

Greg Bishop reviews recent court filings in two separate firearms related cases. In the case challenging Illinois' gun and magazine ban, the state is asking to delay the deadline to final a final brief before the Sept. 22 oral arguments in the appeals court. In a separate case challenging the prohibition of illegal aliens having firearms, an appeals court overturned the lower court's ruling the law unconstitutional and remanded the case back to the district court.

Jul 18, 202530 minEp. 566

Weekend Edition | Homan Says ‘Good Luck’ as Johnson Vows Chicago Won’t Work With Ice

(The Center Square) – A Trump administration official says "good luck" to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who vows local police won’t cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Trump administration border czar Tom Homan told reporters they plan to increase immigration enforcement efforts. “And for those that say 3,000 a day is too much, I want to remind them, do the math, we’d have to arrest 7,000 every single day for the remainder of this administration just to catch the ones [former Presid...

Jul 12, 202524 minEp. 559

Illinois in Focus Daily | July 10th, 2025 - Millions in Federal Tax Funds Could Be Rescinded From Illinois Public Media

Greg Bishop discusses a federal bill to rescind more than $9 billion in federal spending that includes $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Bishop shares comments from Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin saying that will devastate Illinois’ public media operations. Analysis of financial records shows millions going to public media associated with Illinois public universities.

Jul 10, 202520 minEp. 558

Illinois in Focus Daily | July 7th, 2025 - Chicago Mayor: Shootings Show ‘How Far We Still Have to Go’

(The Center Square) – Despite a mass shooting just north of downtown Chicago Wednesday night, Mayor Brandon Johnson says he wants people to enjoy the city this holiday weekend. The shooting outside Artis Restaurant and Lounge on Chicago Avenue left four people dead and 18 others wounded. Police said a vehicle pulled up near a crowd of people on the sidewalk, and gunfire erupted from the vehicle. The incident happened as a crowd was leaving a release party for a local music artist. Chicago Police...

Jul 07, 202535 minEp. 555

Weekend Edition | Impacts of 'Big, Beautiful Bill' on Illinois

(The Center Square) – As Congress weighs the “big, beautiful bill,” a proposed hike to the state and local tax deduction cap is drawing fire for favoring taxpayers in high-tax states, like Illinois. Taxpayers who itemize can deduct up to $10,000 in state and local taxes from their federal taxes—a cap set by the 2017 tax law. A provision in the legislation the U.S. Senate sent back over to the House Tuesday would raise that cap to $40,000 for most people, but phase it out for those earning over $...

Jul 03, 202524 minEp. 554

Illinois in Focus Daily | July 2nd, 2025 - Appeals Court Wants More Deliberation in Challenge of Il’s Mass Transit Concealed Carry Ban

Greg Bishop provides the latest in the case challenging Illinois' prohibition of carrying concealed carry on mass transit and shares a conversation with Illinois State Rifle Association Executive Director Richard Pearson about an appeals court setting Sept. 22 for oral arguments in the case challenging the state's gun and magazine ban.

Jul 02, 202548 minEp. 553

Weekend Edition | Pritzker Dismisses Census Data Showing Youth Flight From Illinois

(The Center Square) – After U.S. Census data shows the state losing the 18 and under population faster than any other state, Illinois political leaders have different solutions. Asked Thursday about the latest U.S. Census data released this week showing Illinois losing the 18 and under population at a faster rate than any other state, Pritzker dismissed it. “You’ve got to look at all the data and understand that when you’re trying to attract, remember that every state has people that leave and c...

Jun 28, 202524 minEp. 550

Weekend Edition | Ex-Illinois House Speaker Gets 7.5 Year Prison Term, $2.5 Million Fine for Corruption

(The Center Square) – A federal judge sentenced Michael Madigan Friday to seven-and-a-half years in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of $2.5 million for crimes committed during his tenure as the longest-serving speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. Judge John Robert Blakey handed down the 90-month sentence Friday at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago. He also imposed three years of supervised release after his prison time ends. Madigan will be required to rep...

Jun 21, 202524 minEp. 544
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