Immigrants struggle with new work permit rules: The Rundown
Good afternoon! It’s Thursday, and May 23 has officially been decreed Italian Beef Day in Illinois. Here’s what else you need to know today.
Asylum applicants can normally apply for a temporary work permit and receive one after about six months while their case makes its way through the courts. Jean Yameogo, who lives in Cicero with his family, has applied for work authorization multiple times, but his applications have been denied.
Shelly Schulze, a spokesperson for Refugee One, a not-for-profit agency helping him with his case, said it’s unclear why his applications were denied but that the problem seems to have started with a missed appointment with immigration officials. Yameogo didn’t get the notice because his family had moved.
Not having an updated address appears to have become a monthslong barrier in a backlogged system that can be tough to navigate without legal help, WBEZ’s Alma Campos reports.
Advocates for immigrants say Trump administration policies targeting work authorization push immigrants out of the legal workforce. These include pauses on work-permit applications from 39 countries deemed “high risk,” the end of automatic work-permit extensions, slower processing times for permit applications and a proposed rule that would make it harder for asylum-seekers to get work permits.
This is part of a broader effort, advocates say, to narrow legal pathways for immigrants and pressure them to voluntarily self-deport. The effects, some economists say, could go beyond immigrant workers and their families, rippling through businesses, employers and local governments when workers lose income or are pushed into off-the-books jobs. [WBEZ]
During today’s hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Erica Reddick flatly rejected the arguments of a broad coalition that sought a special prosecutor to target the federal agents who carried out the immigration enforcement effort, which rocked the Chicago area for months.
As my colleagues Jon Seidel and Cindy Hernandez report, the coalition of elected officials, clergy, journalists and attorneys argued an outside lawyer is needed because Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke had turned a “blind eye” to “egregious acts of violence” by the federal agents. They added that O’Neill Burke’s close working relationship with the feds amounted to a conflict of interest.
Reddick’s ruling serves as a major victory for the county’s top prosecutor, who fought the petition to appoint a special prosecutor and argued that such a move could actually hinder efforts to prosecute crimes tied to Operation Midway Blitz.
Calls for the investigation and prosecution of federal agents intensified earlier this year after the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by immigration authorities in Minneapolis. [Chicago Sun-Times]
In federal court, one of Chicago’s most highly publicized prosecutions to result from the deportation campaign was called off for now after a hearing today. [Chicago Sun-Times]
3. Thousands of Zillow listings in Chicago have vanished
There were nearly 5,000 Chicago homes listed on Zillow on Tuesday, but as of yesterday afternoon, that number plummeted to about 1,700. Meanwhile, Redfin and Realtor.com show about 5,000 to 8,000 listings in Chicago.
That’s because the real estate company Zillow Group lost access yesterday to thousands of property listings for its two websites in the latest escalation of a legal battle with Lisle-based Midwest Real Estate Data, my colleague Abby Miller reports for the Chicago Sun-Times.
The fight is over MRED’s private listing network, where homes for sale are shared among real estate professionals. MRED followed through on a threat to cut Zillow’s access to its listing data feed.
In April 2025, Zillow implemented new standards around what homes could appear on its websites, stipulating homes marketed to buyers behind a paywall or login portal were not eligible. Private listings, or so-called pocket listings, are often done for celebrities or prominent figures who may not want everyone knowing their pricey mansion is on the market. MRED announced in April that it was expanding its longtime private listing network nationwide. [Chicago Sun-Times]
4. The Trump administration gave Illinois nearly $300 million to replace toxic lead pipes
As my colleague Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco writes, the major investment is part of a $2.9 billion national funding package from the Environmental Protection Agency. Illinois received about 10% of the federal dollars — the largest allocation among all 50 states.
Nationwide, the EPA estimates there are approximately 4 million lead service lines still in use. Illinois leads the nation, with about 1.5 million lead pipes. More than 400,000 of the state’s lead service lines are in Chicago thanks to the city’s building codes, which required lead connections up until 1986.
There is no safe level of lead exposure, according to the EPA. Lead is a potent neurotoxin that can cause irreversible cognitive, cardiovascular and reproductive problems. Plumbing containing lead is dangerous because it can leach into drinking water and has no smell or taste. [WBEZ/Grist]
Taste of Chicago will expand to five days and take place July 8-12 in Grant Park with dozens of restaurants and headliners, the city’s cultural department announced today.
In total, the event will feature 84 food vendors from across Chicago. Of those, 38% are new to the festival, according to the city. New food vendors include Café Tola, Kinnaree Thai Kitchen, LC Pho Restaurant, Soul Veg City and Taylor’s Tacos.
Other performers include Mexican singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas and Jamaican singer Original Koffee, along with local talent such as Kaicrewsade and Friko.
In recent years, the event moved to September to accommodate NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race, which will not happen this year. [WBEZ]
Here’s what else is happening
- U.S. Senate Republicans are expected to abandon a $1 billion security proposal for the White House and President Donald Trump’s ballroom. [AP]
- The Democratic National Committee released a report saying Kamala Harris “wrote off rural America” during the 2024 presidential campaign and failed to attack Donald Trump with sufficient “negative firepower.” [AP]
- Here’s a guide to converting your lawn into a wildlife-friendly garden. [NPR]
- Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson answered WBEZ listener questions this morning, including about affordability. Listen on Spotify and Apple.
Oh, and one more thing …
Summer concert season is here. (Did you know there are multiple music festivals happening this weekend?) There are more events than anyone can keep track of on their own, not to mention the artists you may not have heard of yet but would love.
My colleagues compiled their annual interactive guide with 100 concerts to watch out for. This year, there’s even an option to save your favorites.
The guide has filters to search by genre, local musicians and picks from WBEZ’s sister station, Vocalo.
(I didn’t realize Paul Oakenfold, a DJ I grew up listening to, has a Chicago show coming up this summer. Thanks, 100 Days of Concerts guide!) [WBEZ/Vocalo/Chicago Sun-Times]
Tell me something good …
What plans are you looking forward to this summer?
Ron writes:
“We like to enjoy and celebrate the beginning of the summer season by inviting our neighbors over to enjoy homemade margaritas with us on the patio.”
Feel free to email me, and your response may be included in the newsletter this week.
Discussion in the ATmosphere