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

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

SAFE-T Act Reform Urgently Needed

Written by David E. Smith

Christine Shanahan McGovern, a Republican candidate for Illinois Senate District 18, recently attended a press conference calling for major reforms in the Illinois SAFE-T Act. This legislation, enacted in 2021, represents the most significant overhaul of the criminal justice system.

One of the major controversial components was the elimination of cash bail. In the years since it has gone into effect, critics of this soft-on-crime legislation point out that the elimination of cash bail also limits a judges’ ability to detain individuals deemed dangerous, potentially releasing repeat or violent offenders back into communities and increasing the risk of re-offending.… Continue Reading

Sheridan Gorman’s Death – Tragic and Preventable

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

On March 19, 2026, Loyola University Chicago freshman, Sheridan Gorman, was fatally shot by gunman, Jose Medina.

While walking with her friends near Tobey Prinz Beach in Chicago, all hoping to see the Northern Lights, a masked gunman, dressed in all black, started opening fire in a seemingly random attack, according to police.

What the media doesn’t want you to know is that this horrific crime was completely preventable.

Jose Medina, a Venezuelan national, was in the United States illegally.… Continue Reading

Repeal the SAFE-T Act: Lock Up Career Criminals

Written by David E. Smith

Illinois’ Soft-on-Crime Policies Are Hurting Innocent People

More and more people are being violently victimized because of the so-called “SAFE-T Act,” rushed through the General Assembly on January 13, 2021, and signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker on February 22, 2021. This massive overhaul of our criminal-justice system passed entirely along party lines — every Democrat voted for it; not a single Republican supported it.

The horrific attack on 26-year-old Bethany Magee is not an isolated tragedy.… Continue Reading

Bethany Magee’s Critical Condition Was Preventable

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

On November 17th at around 9 pm on Chicago’s L Train, Bethany Magee, a 26 year old woman, was doused in gasoline and set on fire by Lawrence Reed.

The infuriating part of this horrific crime is not only the crime itself, but the looming fact that this atrocity was completely preventable.

Why? Because Lawrence Reed is another “career criminal” with 72 prior arrests. A very long rap sheet.

To understand the nature of just how preventable this incident was, Reed’s criminal context is important.… Continue Reading

Chicago’s Unholy Alliance

Written by David E. Smith

Chicago is a city with a complicated legacy — a place that has inspired political machines, entrepreneurial innovation, faith-filled reform, and yes, devastating corruption. While many think of shady deals made in smoke-filled back rooms, the deeper and more troubling truth is that Chicago has a long history of collaboration between political figures and violent street gangs.

This is not conspiracy theory. It’s documented history.

Gangs as Political Machinery

Beginning in the 1960s, Chicago politicians recognized something that should have been obvious: gangs had numbers.… Continue Reading

The High Cost of Judicial “Compassion”

Written by Daniel Horowitz

When victims’ advocates push for mandatory minimum sentences, the leniency lobby instantly howls about “judicial discretion.” In theory, that’s right: In a just society, judges should have the freedom to weigh every case, tailoring sentences to fit the crimes.

But America doesn’t live in that society. We live in an era when violent crime floods major cities and leftist judges treat predators like misunderstood poets. In this environment, mandatory minimums aren’t cruel — they’re the only remaining safeguard for victims and the public.… Continue Reading

A Not-So-Special Report with Governor Pritzker

Written by David E. Smith

Excuses, Deflection, and Denial

Illinois billionaire Governor JB Pritzker appeared on Fox News’ Special Report with Bret Baier on Thursday, where he blasted the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement in Chicago while downplaying the city’s spiraling crime problem. The two-term Democratic governor also dodged questions about his presidential ambitions, took shots at Trump’s tariff policies, and doubled down on his paranoid claim that U.S. troops could be used to “steal” the next election.… Continue Reading

When Love Grows Cold: The Rise of Political Violence

Written by David E. Smith

The growing political violence in the U.S. is a serious concern that threatens both the stability of our republic and the safety of its citizens. What we’re witnessing today is not merely partisan animosity, but open hostility — a clear sign of our culture’s moral and spiritual decline, which undermines the very foundation of a civilized society.

Just look at the violent mobs that recently targeted ICE offices and federal agents — torching vehicles, smashing windows, and assaulting officers who enforce our nation’s immigration laws.… Continue Reading