WATCH: State police prepares ICE protest zones; energy policy debate continues
October 3, 2025/
(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop shares the latest updates from Illinois State Police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over public safety and immigration enforcement.
Bishop also reviews moments from an Illinois Senate hearing about new energy policies legislators could take up later this month for fall veto session. Legislators and stakeholders discussed energy demand and cost amid a focus on renewables as energy prices continue to be higher than this time last year.
Subscribe to Illinois in Focus Daily with The Center Square on YouTube. You can also subscribe to the Illinois in Focus podcast to get the entire show uninterrupted.
Latest News Stories
Officials: Stockton stands together after fatal shooting
By Madeline ShannonThe Center Square In the days after the deadly Nov. 29 shooting in Stockton, the Northern California community is trying to pull together, local representatives told The Center...
Illinois quick hits: Armed sex offender sentenced; most are family farms
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Armed sex offender sentenced A Southern Illinois man has been sentenced to 35 years in prison after he admitted to distributing...
HHS: Pritzker ‘eroded public trust’ in public health
By Jim TalamontiThe Center Square A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesman says Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker eroded public trust and is trying to reinvent public health. The...
WATCH: House passes bills to block CCP’s influence on schools
By Esther WickhamThe Center Square House representatives passed three bills this week aimed at protecting K-12 classrooms from the influence of the Chinese Communist Party. The bills - PROTECT Our...
U.S. Supreme Court to decide birthright citizenship case
By Dan McCalebThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to decide a case challenging President Donald Trump's plan to end birthright citizenship. On the first day of...
New fiscal year begins with lowest border apprehensions in recorded history
By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Illegal border crossings continued an historic downward trajectory in October and November, representing the lowest numbers ever reported at the beginning of a fiscal year...
IL legislator credits Trump for U.S. Steel announcement
By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – An Illinois state legislator from the Metro East says it’s a Christmas miracle that U.S. Steel is...
Debate over AI heats up as GOP scraps moratorium in annual Defense bill
By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Lawmakers are becoming increasingly concerned about the rapid expansion of AI technology and its impacts on cybersecurity, the power grid, and online safety. While the...
Evers vetoes 9 bills, including block on illlegal BadgerCare enrollment
By Jon StyfThe Center Square Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers vetoed nine bills Friday, including a much-debated bill that would prevent tax money from going toward the health care of undocumented...
Bull Moose Project criticizes Sen. Lummis over stalled crypto legislation
By Tom JoyceThe Center Square A conservative advocacy group is pressuring U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., over her handling of a major digital asset bill, arguing that she slowed progress...
Polis calls on U.S. Treasury to extend free tax filing service
By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Colorado Gov. Jared Polis sent a letter this week to the U.S. Treasury Department calling on it to undo its suspension of the IRS Direct...
Tensions Flare as Board Members Clash Over Budget Process and Protocol
Will County Board Meeting | December 4, 2025 Article Summary: A special meeting intended to fix a budget error turned contentious as board members traded accusations regarding transparency, meeting conduct,...
Will County Board Approves $2.7 Million Reserve Draw to Finalize 0% Tax Levy
Will County Board Meeting | December 4, 2025 Article Summary: The Will County Board unanimously voted to transfer approximately $2.78 million from cash reserves to balance the fiscal year 2026...