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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 PolicyTop Stories

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
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
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
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
Matthew Kaplan for Block Club Chicago
Feds Used Tear Gas, Pepper Spray Dozens Of Times In Chicago — Even After Judge Said To Stop Enforcement and CourtsInvestigationTop Stories

Feds Used Tear Gas, Pepper Spray Dozens Of Times In Chicago — Even After Judge Said To Stop

An investigation by reporters from six newsrooms found that agents used chemical irritants nearly 50 times during Operation Midway Blitz.
November 19, 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