Category

Immigration Policy

Pabon, a Venezuelan farmer, who came to the U.S. four years ago stands outside on a city street.R. Taylor Robinson for Medill/Borderless Magazine
‘Seems Like a Betrayal’: They Fled Violence, Followed U.S. Asylum Rules — and Still Faced Deportation Immigration PolicyInvestigationLatest

‘Seems Like a Betrayal’: They Fled Violence, Followed U.S. Asylum Rules — and Still Faced Deportation

President Donald Trump’s administration is using a little-known legal motion to remove asylum-seekers without a hearing to unfamiliar, third countries like Ecuador and Uganda.
August 20, 2026
An illustration shows an immigration attorney holding paperwork seated next to a child.Illustration by Jesse Renee Kennedy for Medill/Borderless Magazine
Chicago Nonprofits Serving Unaccompanied Minors Face Federal Funding Cuts After Months of Accelerated Court Hearings Immigration PolicyLatest

Chicago Nonprofits Serving Unaccompanied Minors Face Federal Funding Cuts After Months of Accelerated Court Hearings

This summer, Chicago-based legal representatives for unaccompanied minors confront slashed budgets after the federal government let a contract lapse — a move that comes after months of fast-tracked immigration hearings.
August 18, 2026
Max Herman/Borderless Magazine
ICE Arrests Are Leaving Some Immigrant Families’ Cars Behind. These Volunteers Are Stepping In To Help Immigration PolicyLatestOrganizing

ICE Arrests Are Leaving Some Immigrant Families’ Cars Behind. These Volunteers Are Stepping In To Help

A network of rapid responders and tow truck drivers is stepping in to safeguard abandoned vehicles after the owners were detained on their commutes, easing the financial strain families face when their loved ones are detained.
July 30, 2026
Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for America
Immigrant Adult Learners Face Uncertainty as Proposed Budget Cuts Threaten English Language Programs EducationImmigration PolicyLatest

Immigrant Adult Learners Face Uncertainty as Proposed Budget Cuts Threaten English Language Programs

Some adult education providers say the Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts for next year could limit GED and job-training programs that help thousands of immigrants secure work and support their families.
July 28, 2026
Illustration by Jen Chavez for Borderless Magazine
‘One Battle After Another’: Immigration Attorneys Scramble as Trump’s Policies Reshape Courts Enforcement and CourtsImmigration PolicyLatest

‘One Battle After Another’: Immigration Attorneys Scramble as Trump’s Policies Reshape Courts

With new immigration directives arriving almost daily, Chicago attorneys say they're spending more time tracking policy than preparing cases — and the lawyers fighting back say they're running on empty.
July 14, 2026
A day laborer arrives on a bike at a gas station early one morning in the Avondale neighborhood.Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/ Catchlight Local/ Report for America
Once Packed with Day Laborers, a Chicago Hiring Corner Empties Out Under Immigration Crackdown Immigration PolicyInvestigationLabor and EconomicsLatest

Once Packed with Day Laborers, a Chicago Hiring Corner Empties Out Under Immigration Crackdown

At a Shell gas station that has drawn day laborers for decades, immigration raids have scared off both workers and the contractors who hire them, prompting a network of volunteers to offer support and a sense of safety.
and July 2, 2026
A sample green card is shown atop a map of North America with arrows pointing away from the United States.Photo illustration by Max Herman/Borderless Magazine. Source images: Associated Press, OpenStreetMap, and Canva.
The Trump Administration Released A New Green Card Policy — Here’s What To Know Immigration PolicyResources

The Trump Administration Released A New Green Card Policy — Here’s What To Know

A new USCIS memo may require thousands of immigrants to leave the U.S. before petitioning to apply for a Green Card. Borderless Magazine put together a guide about what you should know about the latest changes.
June 4, 2026
Aisha Sheikh, a member of the “I Speak Power” (ISP) leadership program, lines up to board the bus to Springfield right before sunrise during Asian American Action Day on May 6, 2026.Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for America
Facing Federal Funding Cuts, An Asian Coalition is Fighting to Protect Immigrant Services in Illinois Immigration PolicyLatestOrganizing

Facing Federal Funding Cuts, An Asian Coalition is Fighting to Protect Immigrant Services in Illinois

For the annual Asian American Action Day this year, community members advocated for healthcare safety net programs, progressive revenue taxes and funding for immigrant legal services.
May 8, 2026
The entrance to Humboldt Park Health on a sunny day.Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for America
Illinois Hospitals Set Protocols for ICE. Whether Federal Agents Will Follow Them Is Not Clear. Environment and HealthImmigration PolicyLatest

Illinois Hospitals Set Protocols for ICE. Whether Federal Agents Will Follow Them Is Not Clear.

The Health Care Sanctity and Privacy Law is a step toward making immigrants feel safer accessing medical services in hospitals, advocates say, but concerns remain over whether federal agents will comply with these policies.
April 30, 2026
A group of audience members watch carefully as video footage shows footage of ICE officers interacting with protesters during a hearing.Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for America
Illinois Accountability Commission Holds Final Hearings on Misconduct During Operation Midway Blitz Enforcement and CourtsImmigration PolicyLatestTop Stories

Illinois Accountability Commission Holds Final Hearings on Misconduct During Operation Midway Blitz

Since October, the commission has interviewed over 60 witnesses and analyzed nearly 100 hours of body-camera footage from federal agents involved in Midway Blitz.
April 28, 2026
Cook County public defender Cruz Rodriguez sits at his desk in front of his computer. A gavel and degrees sit on the shelves behind him.Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for America
Cook County Public Defenders Built an Immigration Unit Five Years Ago. The Last Year Tested It. Enforcement and CourtsImmigration PolicyLatest

Cook County Public Defenders Built an Immigration Unit Five Years Ago. The Last Year Tested It.

The Cook County public defender's office had already laid the groundwork to represent individuals in immigration cases, but an increase in detention under the Trump administration last year forced them to adjust.
April 24, 2026
Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for America
‘We Have Each Other’s Backs’: An Environmental Organizer Sets His Sights on ICE As Told ToImmigration PolicyLatestOrganizingTop StoriesVisuals

‘We Have Each Other’s Backs’: An Environmental Organizer Sets His Sights on ICE

David Barboza has spent years fighting pollution on the Southeast Side of Chicago. But when Donald Trump was re-elected in 2025, he saw a new threat to his community: immigrant deportations.
March 5, 2026
Photo illustration by Max Herman/Borderless Magazine. Source images: Zoonar/Morozova Tatiana/Alamy and State of Illinois
Illinois Families, Child Care Providers on Edge Following Trump Funding Freeze FeaturedImmigration PolicyLatest

Illinois Families, Child Care Providers on Edge Following Trump Funding Freeze

While the funds have not been permanently cut, advocates say the impact is threatening Illinois families, creating uncertainty for the future of some immigrant-run child care facilities.
February 26, 2026
Jaime Jr., faces away from the camera as he stands beside the condominium parking lot in Mount Prospect, Ill., where his father, Jaime, was taken by federal agents on Oct. 12, 2025.Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for America
Mexican Father Who Signed for Voluntary Departure Didn’t Know He Had a Chance to Stay Enforcement and CourtsImmigration PolicyInvestigation

Mexican Father Who Signed for Voluntary Departure Didn’t Know He Had a Chance to Stay

Voluntary departures have skyrocketed under Trump, leading some attorneys to question whether immigrants are being coerced into agreeing to the alternative to deportation.
February 23, 2026
A consulate worker helps a client a pop up in the Chicago suburbs as part of the Mexican Consulate's “Consulado Sobre Ruedas initiative.”Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for America
As Detentions Increase, Support from Chicago’s Consulates Varies for Immigrants Facing Deportation Immigration PolicyLatestTop Stories

As Detentions Increase, Support from Chicago’s Consulates Varies for Immigrants Facing Deportation

Some consulates invest fewer resources into supporting nationals in the U.S., leaving some immigrants feeling unsupported as they face an increasingly harsh immigration system.
February 17, 2026
Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago
Mayor Puts ‘ICE On Notice,’ Calling On Chicago Police To Investigate Crimes By Federal Agents Enforcement and CourtsImmigration PolicyLatest

Mayor Puts ‘ICE On Notice,’ Calling On Chicago Police To Investigate Crimes By Federal Agents

The ‘ICE On Notice’ executive order provides a framework for police and the Mayor’s Office to document and investigate alleged wrongdoing by immigration officers so they can be held criminally accountable, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office said.
February 2, 2026
Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for America
New SNAP Eligibility Changes Could Leave Thousands of Immigrants, Refugees Without Food Assistance Immigration PolicyLatest

New SNAP Eligibility Changes Could Leave Thousands of Immigrants, Refugees Without Food Assistance

Officials are working to connect individuals with food assistance as over 340,000 Illinois residents — including 14,000 legally present immigrants with humanitarian protections — could lose SNAP benefits amid new eligibility changes.
February 2, 2026
Photo illustration by Max Herman/Borderless Magazine
ICE Can Access Your Social Media. Here’s What To Know FeaturedImmigration PolicyLatestStaff PickTop Stories

ICE Can Access Your Social Media. Here’s What To Know

Federal agencies are working to expand social media surveillance as part of Trump’s immigration efforts. Borderless Magazine spoke with experts to explain what information the government is monitoring and how to protect your identity on social media.
January 8, 2026
Max Herman/Borderless Magazine
Chicago Homeless Shelter Residents Say They Wait Months At the City’s Intake Center Before Being Placed At a Shelter Environment and HealthFeaturedImmigration PolicyInvestigation

Chicago Homeless Shelter Residents Say They Wait Months At the City’s Intake Center Before Being Placed At a Shelter

A year after the city’s largest migrant shelter turned into a temporary intake zone for unhoused individuals, the Shelter Placement and Resource Center sometimes takes months before placing them in homeless centers, some residents say.
and December 18, 2025
Gov. Pritzker Signs Laws To Better Protect Immigrants, Sue Federal Agents After Midway Blitz Immigration Policy

Gov. Pritzker Signs Laws To Better Protect Immigrants, Sue Federal Agents After Midway Blitz

The new laws won’t stop federal immigration enforcement, but they will give the state “new protective tools” and symbolize resistance “against those terrorizing our communities and our state,” Gov. JB Pritzker said.
and December 10, 2025
Mustafa Hussain for ProPublica
“I Lost Everything”: Venezuelans Were Rounded Up in a Dramatic Midnight Raid but Never Charged With a Crime Immigration PolicyInvestigationTop Stories

“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 arrested in a Chicago raid are telling their stories.
and December 4, 2025
Community Organizer at The Resurrection Project and longtime faith leader Father Brendan Curran speaks into a megaphone as he rallies protesters outside the Broadview ICE facility in Broadview, IL on Sept. 12, 2025.Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for America
In Chicago, Faith Leaders Reflect on Legacy Supporting Immigrants’ Rights: ‘We Have to Stand Up for Every Person’ FeaturedImmigration Policy

In Chicago, Faith Leaders Reflect on Legacy Supporting Immigrants’ Rights: ‘We Have to Stand Up for Every Person’

From sanctuary efforts in the ‘80s to Trump’s latest deportation efforts, Chicago’s faith leaders lean into commitment to immigrants.
December 2, 2025
Jorge Mújica Murias, an organizer with Arise Chicago, stands in the front of a small meeting room as he walks small business owners through role play-scenarios to prepare them in case they encounter ICE officers on Oct. 21, 2025.Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for America
What Can Chicago’s Small Businesses Do if ICE Is at Their Door? Immigration PolicyLabor and EconomicsResources

What Can Chicago’s Small Businesses Do if ICE Is at Their Door?

The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has small business owners and their employees navigating uncertainty amid safety concerns and staffing shortages. Borderless Magazine compiled a guide on what to do if ICE appears at your workplace.
November 18, 2025
Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for America and courtesy
‘It’s Shameful and Embarrassing’: Chicago Daycare Worker Arrest Leaves Families on Edge FeaturedImmigration Policy

‘It’s Shameful and Embarrassing’: Chicago Daycare Worker Arrest Leaves Families on Edge

After ICE agents followed and detained a daycare worker on Chicago’s North Side, parents are questioning whether schools and childcare centers are safe from immigration enforcement.
November 13, 2025
Arthur Maiorella for Block Club Chicago
Border Patrol Boss Greg Bovino Must Report To Court Daily About ICE Tactics, Federal Judge Says Immigration Policy

Border Patrol Boss Greg Bovino Must Report To Court Daily About ICE Tactics, Federal Judge Says

“Kids dressed in Halloween costumes walking to a parade do not pose an immediate threat to the safety of a law enforcement officer,” U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis told Bovino during a court hearing Tuesday morning. “They just don’t.”
October 29, 2025
A group of several people stand in a circle praying near the Broadview ICE facility.Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for America
Religious Activists Protested Broadview for Years. Now, ICE’s Crackdown Is Drowning Out Their Prayers Immigration PolicyTop StoriesVisuals

Religious Activists Protested Broadview for Years. Now, ICE’s Crackdown Is Drowning Out Their Prayers

What began as quiet Friday morning prayers decades ago has evolved into a larger and louder movement as activists join a long-standing prayer group in demanding the release of detainees.
and October 28, 2025
Patrick Filbin/Block Club Chicago
ICE Arrest Of Teen Cancer Patient’s Dad ‘Unconscionable,’ Officials Say While Demanding His Release Immigration Policy

ICE Arrest Of Teen Cancer Patient’s Dad ‘Unconscionable,’ Officials Say While Demanding His Release

Rep. Delia Ramirez said she’s preparing legislation to “rein in ICE” as she and other officials push for an investigation into Ruben Torres Maldonado’s arrest by a “terror force” of federal agents.
October 23, 2025
Max Herman/Borderless Magazine. Screenshots from video courtesy of Illinois State Rep. Hoan
‘We Should Be Able To Live In Peace’: ICE Allegedly Pulls Gun On State Rep. Hoan Huynh Immigration Policy

‘We Should Be Able To Live In Peace’: ICE Allegedly Pulls Gun On State Rep. Hoan Huynh

In the latest incident in a string of aggressive immigration enforcement, Illinois State Rep. Hoan Huynh alleged that federal agents pointed a gun at him and a staffer in Chicago’s North Side while they were warning the community of ICE presence.
, and October 22, 2025
Daniel Powell/ZUMA Press Wire/Alamy and Camilla Forte/Borderless Magazine/Catchlight Local/Report for America
From Pepper Spray to Tear Gas: Here’s How to Spot the Difference When They’re Dispersed Immigration PolicyResources

From Pepper Spray to Tear Gas: Here’s How to Spot the Difference When They’re Dispersed

Amid frequent escalating protests and aggressive tactics by federal agents, Borderless compiled a guide to understand what substances agents are using — and how to stay protected in case of potential exposure.
October 17, 2025
A masked federal agent points a weapon at residents on the East Side of Chicago. One elderly man is seeing filming with his phone.Matthew Kaplan/Block Club Chicago
Immigration Committee Chair Warns ‘Fascism Is Here,’ Sends Plan To Investigate Feds To Council Immigration Policy

Immigration Committee Chair Warns ‘Fascism Is Here,’ Sends Plan To Investigate Feds To Council

Among the measures expected to be considered by the City Council on Thursday is a resolution to investigate “every instance of potential misconduct” by federal agents in Chicago amid the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement blitz.
October 16, 2025
Federal agents wearing gas masks and fatigues walk through tear gas pointing the direction they are commanding protestors to go.Dave Decker/ZUMA Press Wire/Alamy
Chicago Officials, Community Leaders Push Back Against ICE’s Aggressive Tactics: ‘This Is About Control’ Enforcement and CourtsImmigration Policy

Chicago Officials, Community Leaders Push Back Against ICE’s Aggressive Tactics: ‘This Is About Control’

One month since the launch of “Operation Midway Blitz,” Illinois officials and activists are taking action against ICE enforcement tactics and the deployment of the National Guard.
October 7, 2025
Two federal agents wearing camouflage and standing on a rooftop aim less lethal weapons at protesters.Vincent D. Johnson/Block Club Chicago
ICE Fires Chemical Weapon At TV Reporter In Broadview; ‘Unprovoked’ Attack Under Investigation Enforcement and CourtsImmigration Policy

ICE Fires Chemical Weapon At TV Reporter In Broadview; ‘Unprovoked’ Attack Under Investigation

The attack came one day after ICE arrested another working journalist. “Absolutely unprovoked,” the TV news reporter said. “My window was open and chemicals went all over my face. Been puking for two hours.”
September 29, 2025
Wendy Wei for Borderless Magazine
More Than Three Years After Russia’s Full-scale Ukraine Invasion, Aid Workers Question: ‘Is Rebuilding Enough? Immigration PolicyInvestigationVisuals

More Than Three Years After Russia’s Full-scale Ukraine Invasion, Aid Workers Question: ‘Is Rebuilding Enough?

Chicago's Ukrainian diaspora has funded millions to reconstruct bombed communities. But as some humanitarian workers pivot from humanitarian work to military action, volunteers face hard questions about effective resistance.
August 12, 2025
Sebastián Hidalgo for Block Club Chicago
Can Local Officials Stop ICE Agents From Hiding Behind Masks? They’re Trying Enforcement and CourtsImmigration Policy

Can Local Officials Stop ICE Agents From Hiding Behind Masks? They’re Trying

Seven Illinois representatives co-sponsored a bill that would ban immigration agents from wearing masks. In Chicago, police district council members want the city to enforce “identification standards” for law enforcement.
July 7, 2025
Nathan Howard/Sipa USA/Alamy Live News
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker Defends Sanctuary Policies in Congressional Hearing, Claims ‘Abuse of Power’ Immigration Policy

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker Defends Sanctuary Policies in Congressional Hearing, Claims ‘Abuse of Power’

Pritzker defended the safety and security of sanctuary policies at the House Oversight Committee, while calling Trump’s use of the National Guard to quell Los Angeles protests an “abuse of power.”
June 12, 2025