September 25, 2025/
Illinois in Focus: Candidate urges civil debate around ICE; state spends 43% more; mandatory voting
(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop shares comments from Republican gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski, state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, and Vice President J.D. Vance about public safety around immigration enforcement.
Bishop also delves into recent analysis by The Center Square’s investigative team about the increased state spending of tax dollars under the Pritzker administration and reaction from legislators on both sides of the aisle.
Finally, Bishop shares debate from an Illinois House Ethics and Elections Committee about the ideas around mandatory voting and consolidating local elections.
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.
Mon Jun 15
77° 56°
Showers And Thunderstorms
Latest News Stories
Supreme Court rejects bid to overturn H-1B visa rule
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear a case challenging a rule that allows spouses of H-1B workers to work in the United...
Johnson tells Democrats to ‘bring it’ over pay for U.S. troops
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square President Donald Trump's weekend move to pay U.S. troops during a partial government shutdown raised legal questions, but it also relieved pressure on Republicans as...
WATCH: Pritzker vows to continue battling Trump over ‘abuses’ around public safety
By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The war of words continues between President Donald Trump and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker over public safety...
Lawmakers, advocates discuss battery storage, consumer costs in energy bill
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – An Illinois state lawmaker is pushing battery storage legislation, but not all of her Democratic colleagues are...
Houston-based company makes LNG history in Alaska
By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Texas-based companies continue to lead the U.S. in oil and natural gas production – including in Alaska. A Houston-based company has helped make history by...
Massachusetts university visa program under threat of H-1B fee
By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Certain H-1B visa programs across the country could be under threat as the Trump administration cracks down on the program with a new $100,000 fee....
Illinois quick hits: State Farm sued; ag education grants announced; ‘Operation Summer Heat’ results
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square State Farm sued The state of Illinois is suing Illinois-based State Farm insurance, alleging the company refused to comply with a...
U.S. military strikes another suspected drug boat near Venezuela
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square A U.S. military strike on a suspected drug boat off the coast of Venezuela on Tuesday killed six suspected traffickers, the latest in recent weeks...
WATCH: Frustration mounts with Dept. of Corrections ‘unseriousness,’ ‘timeliness problem’
By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois Department of Corrections has begun scanning prison inmates’ mail, but lawmakers are not happy with...
Illinois audit commission members worried about ‘ghost’ health care networks
By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Concerns about ghost medical insurance networks and zombie state boards and commissions were raised during a review...
Exclusive: District to repay $3 million to property owners
By Elyse ApelThe Center Square The National Taxpayers Union Foundation recently secured a major legal victory in Colorado that will result in $3 million in taxpayer reimbursements for certain property...
WATCH: CCTV footage captures attempted murder of Pennsylvania governor
By Christen SmithThe Center Square The Dauphin County District Attorney's Office released more than five minutes of CCTV footage that captured Cody Balmer setting fire to Gov. Josh Shapiro's official...
Most Americans say U.S. heading in the wrong direction, poll finds
By Brett RowlandThe Center Square A new poll shows about 55% of registered voters think the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction, including 74% of Latino voters, a key...
