Illinois is Taking Control Away From Parents: What You Need to Know

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, IFI’s David Smith sits down with Thomas Hampson to discuss the pending legislation that is aimed at usurping parental rights.

Thomas Hampson is an Air Force veteran where he served as an intelligence analyst in Western Europe. He served as Chief Investigator for the Illinois Legislation Investigative Commission and served on the Chicago Crime Commission as a Board member.

His investigative work led him to start his organization, Truth Alliance Foundation, which is dedicated to protecting children from sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking.… Continue Reading

A Preventable Death—and a Call to Fix Illinois Law

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

Passed in 2017, the Illinois TRUST Act set heavy boundaries on local law enforcement cooperation with federal law enforcement.

Functionally, the Illinois TRUST Act:

• Prohibits local law enforcement from enforcing federal immigration law,

• Prohibits detaining individuals for purely immigration status reasons,

• Prohibits local law enforcement from assisting in federal immigration operations, and

• Prohibits local law enforcement from transferring detainees into ICE custody without proper authorization.

Because of this, Illinois is broadly known as a “sanctuary state” for illegal immigrants.… Continue Reading

Empowering Women: The Mission of Pregnancy Centers

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this edition of Illinois Family Spotlight, IFI’s David Smith, Jenna Smith, and Alyssa Sonnenburg sit down with two special guests– both of whom are executive directors of pregnancy resource centers in Illinois.

In the first half, you will hear from Elmie Patton. She is the Executive Director of First Step Women’s Center located in Springfield, Illinois.

She will discuss the vital role that ultrasounds have in the pro-life world– specifically when it comes to helping women choose life for their babies.… Continue Reading

The “SAFE-T” Act is Anything But “Safe”

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

Passed in 2021, the SAFE-T Act, which stands for Safety, Accountability, Fairness, and Equity- Today Act, gave Illinois a major overhaul of the state’s criminal-justice protocol.

Most notably, the SAFE-T Act put an end to cash bail. Democrat proponents argued that requiring bail unfairly targeted the poor. They claimed that these individuals were detained in jail not because of how dangerous they were, but on whether or not they were able to pay bail.… Continue Reading

What Illinois’ Latest Mental Health Bill Means For Your Children’s Future

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg and David E. Smith

As the Illinois state legislature continues to push more and more government control over parental rights and education, parents are waking up to this dangerous agenda.

In this episode, IFI’s Dave Smith sits down with Shannon Adcock to discuss the real consequences of SB 3138, a bill designed to bypass parental oversight as it relates to mental health screenings and gender confusion. This legislation would expand LGBTQ+ influence over children’s mental health policy in Illinois—moving from advisory roles to shaping programs, data, and policy.… Continue Reading

The Fight For Your Kids’ Mind: HB 4966

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this important episode, David Smith sits down with David Curtin to discuss House Bill 4966– legislation aimed to expand DCFS services and limit counseling options for gender confused youths.

David Curtin is a veteran pro-life advocate, political consultant, and a lobbyist for the Illinois Family Institute among other organizations.

In the second half of this episode, Illinois Senator Chris Balkema (R-Pontiac) discusses the behind the scenes realities of the political battles in Springfield from the effort to defund abortion to the fight against physician-assisted suicide.… Continue Reading

From Slumber to Revival: The 50-Day Prayer Movement That Could Reshape Illinois

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this episode of Spotlight, Pastor Caesar LeFlore sits down with Bishop Arthur Geis to discuss a bold prayer movement, Project 2026.

Bishop Arthur Geis is a renowned Bible teacher, pastor, prayer advocate, and the visionary behind Project 2026.

Project 2026 is a bold initiative to mobilize one million intercessors to prayer for one million souls to come to know Jesus Christ as Savior from Passover to Pentecost (April 5- May 24).… Continue Reading

The Truth About Jihad With Anni Cyrus

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this special episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, IFI’s Jenna Smith sits down with Aynaz “Anni” Cyrus.

Aynaz “Anni” Cyrus is an Iranian-American investigative author and national security voice focused on the ideological and psychological strategies of Islamism and political Islam in the West.

Her latest work, The Architecture of Jihad, examines how movements, institutions, and state actors deploy religious doctrine, narrative warfare, and moral inversion to influence Western policy, culture, and security.… Continue Reading

A Nation Divided

Written by Thomas Hampson

We live in a divided nation. The unity we built 250 years ago is now fractured, and our disagreements have become so intense and sometimes so violent that they threaten the very fabric of our civil society.

One of the most volatile flashpoints today is the disagreement over how we enforce our national immigration laws.

Today, across the nation, hundreds of local “sanctuary” jurisdictions openly defy federal authority. We have seen this before.… Continue Reading

The Hidden Crisis of Surrogacy and Child Trafficking with Katy Faust

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this special edition of Illinois Family Spotlight, IFI’s Dave Smith and Alyssa Sonnenburg sit down with Katy Faust to discuss her newly launched child-advocacy campaign, “Greater Than.”

Katy Faust is founder of Them Before Us, a foundation with one goal in mind: to protect the right of a child to their mother and father.

In her new “Greater Than” campaign, organizations, including Illinois Family Institute, are joining the movement to overturn the devastating Obergefell decision, a landmark Supreme Court decision which guaranteed the “right” of two men or two women to enter into a legal “marriage.”… Continue Reading