City Cast Chicago
How Chicago is handling ICE
June 17, 2025 · — Emmi Mack
Hey Chicago! Shoutout to my lifelong neighbor (and local artist extraordinaire) Mitch O'Connell for building, frankly, the most epic piñata I’ve ever seen. And happy birthday to his son, Aiden, who definitely impressed all his buds. The robot bashing was a show for all of Drake Avenue.
Now, onto the serious news 👇
What Chicago's Talking About
Trump Orders Expanded Deportations In Chicago
The day after “No Kings” protests across the country, President Donald Trump ordered a ramp-up in deportations in Democrat-led cities, including Chicago. In a post, he called for U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to deliver “the single largest Mass Deportation Program.” Meanwhile, it remains unclear how many local immigrants the agency has deported so far. [Block Club]
ICE Subpoenas Chicago for Immigrant Records
ICE subpoenaed Chicago for three years' worth of CityKey records. On Friday, the city clerk suspended the online application for the ID program often used by immigrants. On today’s podcast, we discuss the Trump administration’s continued pressure on Chicago. [City Cast Chicago 🎧]
Driver Pay Hike Ordinance Dropped as Uber Reaches Labor Deal
Just before City Council was scheduled to vote on a ride-share driver pay raise package, Uber reached a deal with local unions, temporarily settling the matter. Uber has agreed to not fight the organizing efforts by roughly 100,000 ride-share drivers statewide. Lyft is currently in similar talks. [Tribune 🔒]
Finding Pope Leo's Roots
Pope Leo XIV is a Chicago guy, but his genealogy has been traced well beyond Illinois. Ancestors include Spanish nobility and slave owners. Distant cousins include Justin Trudeau, Madonna, Hillary Clinton, and Angelina Jolie. The pope’s Sicilian grandfather also had a headline-making affair. [Sun-Times]
- Related: The pope’s message to Sox Park. [City Cast Chicago 🤳]
What To Do
Tuesday, June 17
- 🍽️ Patio Jam | Maria’s Packaged Goods & Community Bar | Bridgeport
- ⚾️ Brewers vs. Cubs | Wrigley Field | Wrigleyville
- 🎥 “The Wild Robot” | Gage Park Branch | Gage Park
- 📖 American Voice: An Evening with Willa Cather | The Newberry Library | Near North Side
- 🍿 “When a Woman Ascends the Stairs” | Music Box Theatre | Lakeview
- 🎬 “Encanto” | Chicago History Museum | Lincoln Park
- 📽️ “Inside Out 2” | Washtenaw Park | Marshall Square
- 🎤 Halsey | Huntington Bank Pavillion | Northerly Island
- 🧶 Juneteenth Freedom Market | The Salt Shed | Goose Island
Wednesday, June 18
- 🎤 Louder than a Mom | Martyrs' | North Center
- 📖 Sidekicks reading | The Whistler | Logan Square
- 🍿 “Black Panther” | Eckhart Park | West Town
- 💨 Mauricio López F.: Wind Reenactment: Reencarnación del viento | Comfort Station | Logan Square
- 🦔 “Sonic 3″ | Kedvale Park | Humboldt Park
- 📚 Summer Poetry Gathering | Haymarket House | Buena Park
- 🏳️🌈 Pride at the Park | Sox Park | Bridgeport
- 🚴🏻 Bike Sox | Queen’s Landing | Grant Park
- 🍹 Punch Making Class Experience | Punch House | Pilsen
- 🎆 Chicago Riverwalk Bar Crawl & Fireworks Show | Riverwalk
- 👠 The Emancipation Ball 2025 | Rockwell on the River | Avondale
Did you know City Cast Chicago Neighbors get exclusive invites to members-only events? Our next one is an LGBTQ stories tour on June 25 led by Neighbor Mike McMains. Space is limited, but the first five people who become members today will get guaranteed spots. You can join here.
🤖 Already a Neighbor? Keep an eye on that inbox for the invite link.
Free · Daily