Cassie Creswell

ICE Air’s Sloppy, Dangerous Deportation Flights - The American Prospect Poor planning, mechanical issues, serious safety lapses, and the shutdown are taking a toll on Avelo, America’s most famous deportation airline, internal documents show.

Avelo is an ICE Air charter, transporting shackled detainees on deportation flights. You'll not be shocked to learn that the flights are a fiasco: loss of cabin pressure, slow evacuations, dangerous cargo onboard, no safety checks, long tarmack delays.
Great piece by Gillian Brockell:

it is almost as if accommodating and conceding to far right ideas legitimizes them and signals to voters that the far right is a legitimate choice for governance

“Another class action lawsuit filed on October 30 regarding conditions at an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, describes similar incidents.”

“The lawsuit alleges that since Fernando Gomez Ruiz, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, arrived at the facility in mid-October, “he has been denied regular doses of insulin, leading to elevated blood sugar levels and a large, oozing ulcer on the bottom of his foot.”

“Yuri Alexander Roque Campos arrived at the California City Detention Facility in September. Since then, the lawsuit alleges, he “has been denied his heart medications for days at a time.”

EXCLUSIVE: How the Trump administration sparked a health crisis for ICE detainees An abrupt decision on October 3 left thousands of ICE detainees without access to vital medical care — a crisis that is ongoing.

“According to a federal class action lawsuit filed on behalf of detainees in California, numerous ICE detainees have not been receiving medically necessary care since October 3.” open.substack.com/pub/populari...

Donald Trump Snaps at Female Reporter Who Asks About Epstein Files: 'Quiet Piggy' Donald Trump Says 'Quiet Piggy' to Female Reporter Asking About Epstein Files

People's news judgement once again outshines that of the New York Times and the Washington Post, who don't have Piggygate on their front pages:

And when the inevitable One Future Illinois comes for it I would remind people that our city was just assaulted by its own govt so we are drawing down militarized police presence, we are investing in healing and restoration, we are acknowledging the role strong community played in public safety.

Follow the public health and safety coalition guidance about the CPD/CDPH budget, freeze or cut all tactical or militarized operations within CPD, restore library cuts, push through the EWS (out of the CPD $), expand CARES, and continue to highlight TIFs to CPS.

(These are my moves as MBJ)

Bronzeville’s historic arts center’s glow-up boosted by new $2 million grant The Driehaus Foundation gift goes toward restoring and doubling the size of the nation's oldest Black American art center.

"The building opened in 1940 through funding from the federal Works Progress Administration, and it was formally dedicated the next year by first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. It’s the nation’s oldest Black American art center." www.wbez.org/architecture...

Bronzeville’s historic arts center’s glow-up boosted by new $2 million grant The Driehaus Foundation gift goes toward restoring and doubling the size of the nation's oldest Black American art center.

Some good news: www.wbez.org/architecture...

"The New York Times reported on Sept. 5, 1923, that the KKK plan was officially dead. Milton Elroad, editor of The Fiery Cross, a Klan publication, said the deal was off because VU’s charter and deeds prevented the sale to the KKK."

Valparaiso University marks 100 years of Lutheran control One hundred years ago, the Lutheran University Association purchased a struggling Valparaiso University and made it what it is today.

Headline of article did not prepare me for this 😱: “'They put out a big announcement that they were going to buy Valparaiso University and started negotiating with Brown and some of the board people,' Piehl said. VU would have become Ku Klux Klan University." www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/16/v...

OMG this kicker in the Harvard Crimson article!!

College journalism kicks ass, again

How will librarians be able to plan programming, do outreach, and get to know regulars while bouncing around from branch to branch? Your guess is as good as mine. Call your alder and leave a message this weekend. We need all of our staff restored. Find your alder at bit.ly/callmyward

I see people claiming the head tax is going to public libraries, but as far as we’ve been told- it isnt. The good news is, our lackluster book budget may be restored. The bad news? We’re still facing 89 positions cut. After 52 positions were cut last year. That’s 11% of our workforce!

"In Chicago, we pushed back as hard as we could," said Brandon Lee, of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. "We're going to work to make sure that the local leaders in North Carolina and wherever else they take their road show of terror after this are as prepared as can be for what's coming."

The cities Trump is targeting with ICE crackdowns next The high-profile operations have galvanized local resistance efforts.

“The high-profile operations have led to surges in arrests. But they've also galvanized local resistance efforts, and created a playbook for activists in other cities when ICE comes to town.”

MONACO IL SUPPLI • MADElI® CHARLOTTE FOOD AND DRINK 'They're not chasing criminals.' Manolo's Bakery owner closes store to protect customers Updated 5 hours ago POLITICS & GOVERNMENT Church members flee as federal agents arrive at east Charlotte place of worship Updated 5 hours ago

LOCAL Super G executive in Pineville describes agents dragging out teen store employee Updated 5 hours ago LOCAL 'Just walked up to them.' Border Patrol questions people at a Charlotte Walmart Updated 6 hours ago LOCAL Federal Border Patrol sweep across Charlotte sparks fear, closed shops and protests

5 headlines tonight on Charlotte Observer’s homepage:

“Manolo's Bakery closes to protect customers”

“Church members flee as federal agents arrive”

“Super G executive describes agents dragging out teen employee”

“Border Patrol questions people at Walmart”

“Border Patrol sweep sparks fear”

“Home Depot security, some of whom were off-duty Chicago police officers working second jobs, hurled racist slurs and, in some cases, hit them with trespassing charges later dismissed in court, the complaint alleges.”

“He was also in the middle of a lawsuit against the city and Home Depot alleging abuse of Latino day laborers.”

'My love, I'm free': Day laborer released after 7 weeks in ICE detention Willian Gimenez Gonzalez was sitting in his cell at a Michigan detention center when a few men began calling his name.

“Gimenez Gonzalez, an outspoken advocate for migrant day laborers in Chicago, was released on Oct. 28 after 47 days in custody. ICE detained him despite his legal work permit, a pending asylum case and no criminal record.” www.hpherald.com/evening_dige...

TW: video showcasing a violent display of force by federal agents

From Charlotte, NC. Seen it shared on a few NC based IG pages. Based on this video, federal agents using the same tactics we’ve seen the last few months in Chicago.

When people say the law should be "applied neutrally" and "without politics" -- that doesn't means anything. There is no neutral application of the law. Every decision to stop someone, to question them, to arrest or not, to charge, to seek the death penalty etc is a political choice.

“I Lost Everything”: Venezuelans Were Rounded Up in a Dramatic Midnight Raid but Never Charged With a Crime Authorities said Tren de Aragua “terrorists” had taken over the building. A ProPublica investigation found little evidence to back up the government’s claims. For the first time, the Venezuelans arres...

"300 agents stormed the building, rappelled from a helicopter, knocked down doors and hurled flash-bang grenades. Agents ziptied and detained many US citizens for hours..."

Prosecutors have not filed a *single* criminal charge against anyone arrested that night:

www.propublica.org/article/chic...

Every decade, we hear "the kids can't read or write!"

Interventions that don't work are proposed. Those that do work are ignored: reducing class sizes, making kids & families feel safe at school and welcome, becoming a community resource.

When their expensive reform fails, they yell at us again.

It’s not just about recognizing class politics, it’s about refashioning class politics to be a critique of capitalism, exploitation, and privatization instead of reactionary, punitive, deficit-minded, equality in suffering bullshit.

nineteen people arrested during today’s protest outside the broadview ice detention center were charged with “obstruction/disorderly conduct/walking on highways,” per the latest update from ccso.

one person was charged with “mob action/obstruction/disorderly conduct.” one person’s charges tbd.

Neighbor from one of those towns named—Broadview is our community. I woukd never call someone from say Melrose Park an out of towner. That is crazy talk. But beyond that the stuff happening there affects the whole Chicagoland community and the mayor needs to acknowledge that

at one point, i watched a cook county sheriff’s officer (who appears to be in charge) point out a priest in the crowd.

he and a couple officers then went into the crowd , dragged him into the street, and arrested him.

situation is still tense as crowd jostles with police to get into the street.