Good morning, Chicago. ✶
🔎 Below: Fearing Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro's ouster has further destabilized their homeland, Venezuelans here are calling for the U.S. to reinstate "Temporary Protected Status" to shield them from deportation.
🗞️ Plus: The Trump administration freezes $1 billion in social service funding for Illinois, Chicago Public Schools' watchdog finds fraud and more news you need to know
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⏱️: A 9-minute read
TODAY’S WEATHER 🌥️
Mostly cloudy with some fog and a high near 45.
TODAY’S TOP STORY 🔎
Chicago’s Venezuelans: Reinstate protected status after Maduro’s capture creates uncertainty
By Nader Issa and Adriana Cardona-Maguigad
Hard decision: Jose Perez, a Venezuelan attorney who arrived in Chicago in 2019, has been contemplating going back for months. Rather than risk deportation after the Trump administration revoked his temporary protected status, along with thousands of other Venezuelans, Perez bought a plane ticket for Jan. 7. Then the U.S. captured Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro. Worried about further destabilization, Perez has decided to stay — for now.
Key context: The U.S. military intervention has led to renewed calls for the Trump administration to accept Venezuelan migrants seeking asylum and to reinstate "Temporary Protected Status" for them. The TPS designation allows eligible noncitizens to work legally in the U.S. and shields them from deportation as their immigration or asylum cases play out. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to cancel TPS for 350,000 immigrants from Venezuela and thousands more from other countries.
Mixed response: While some in Chicago’s Venezuelan immigrant community are happy Maduro has been deposed, many are worried the action will further destabilize their home country. Rather than making their potential return safer, many of them, like Perez, fear conditions will worsen, deepening their need for protections to remain in the U.S.
More:
- Timeline of Venezuelans in Chicago
- U.S. occupation not good for Venezuela, America or Chicago, says UChicago expert
POLITICS ✶
Trump administration freezes $10B in social service funding for Illinois, four other blue states
By Tina Sfondeles
Funds stopped: The Trump administration plans to halt $10 billion in federal funding for child care assistance, low income and social service funds in Illinois and four other Democrat-led states, alleging unspecified "massive amounts of fraud."
Who's affected: Minnesota, New York, California, Illinois and Colorado will be cut off from $7 billion in funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, which provides cash assistance for households with children; nearly $2.4 billion for the Child Care and Development Fund, which helps support working parents with child care; and about $870 million for social services grants that help children at risk, according to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services official.
Bottom line: The halt equates to about $1 billion in cuts to Illinois, including all funds for programs and services provided through the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Social Services Block Grant and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Gov. JB Pritzker’s office said.
EDUCATION 📚
Former CPS principal and network chief defrauded district of nearly $89K, watchdog finds
By Emmanuel Camarillo
New grifts: An annual report released Wednesday by Chicago Public Schools' office of the inspector general finds new cases in which staffers bilked the district. It also details a separate case in which CPS agreed to repay the federal government $1 million after submitting false data on the participation of Native American students in a grant-funded program.
Whitney Young investigated: The OIG additionally found that two Whitney Young Magnet High School basketball players reportedly attended the selective-enrollment school while living in the suburbs.
Board probes leaks: In other education news, the Chicago Board of Education has launched two investigations into how internal information got into the hands of the media.
MORE NEWS YOU NEED 🗞️
- Police investigate attack: A discussion about religion in a bar early New Year’s Day ended with two men beating up and shoving a Jewish man through a window of a Lake View bagel shop in what Chicago police are investigating as a possible hate crime.
- Rideshare cost bump: The city has hiked its rideshare tax and expanded its congestion surcharge zone from downtown to cover most of the North Side and Hyde Park — an added $1.50 per ride, in addition to the city’s flat $1.13 tax on rideshares.
- Mayor opposes curfew push: Mayor Brandon Johnson said Chicago’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve celebration hosted by Chance the Rapper, which went off without a hitch, proves there's no need for a revised curfew crackdown to combat so-called teen takeovers.
- Campaign suspended: Cook County Board candidate Catherine "Cat" Sharp says she will suspend her campaign to fight federal conspiracy charges she faces as one of the "Broadview Six" charged in Midway Blitz protests.
- Remembering Steve Chiappetti: An acclaimed Chicago chef with infectious energy, Mr. Chiappetti's family said he approached life like a trip to Disney World, one of his favorite places: Run in and do as much as you can before it’s time to leave. He died Jan. 2 at age 58.
HEALTH 🩺
Medicaid is unchanged for now amid spike in misinformation, confusion: Cook County officials
By Elvia Malagón
Seek care: Cook County officials on Tuesday urged Medicaid enrollees to continue renewing their coverage this year and use their benefits to seek preventive care. "If you qualified for Medicaid yesterday, you still have it today," said Aaron Galeener, chief administrative officer for CountyCare.
Key context: The tax and spending plan dubbed the "Big Beautiful Bill" by President Trump made significant changes to Medicaid, including work requirements and requiring recipients to confirm their eligibility twice a year.
Bottom line: Cook County officials stressed those changes won’t start until January 2027, and states are still waiting for more information from federal officials about the work requirements. In the meantime, Medicaid enrollees, even if they aren’t part of CountyCare, can attend one of the county’s redetermination events this month.
More:
- First child death from flu in Illinois reported
- Appeals court sides with Illinois, 21 other states against White House on cuts in medical research funding
FROM THE PRESS BOX 🏈🏒
- The man for the job?: Bears coach Ben Johnson can flip the narrative after previous Bears coaches' losses in big games against the Packers, writes Mark Potash.
- Connor Bedard to return: The Blackhawks star is nearing the end of recovery from his shoulder injury, which is great news for the team.
- Sky’s the limit: How to tell if the Sky are succeeding in 2026? If they’ve added a playmaker, are playing better defense and have defined a clearer identity, writes Alissa Hirsh.
CHICAGO MINI CROSSWORD 🌭
Today's clue: 9A: First female mayor of Chicago (or any major American city!)
BRIGHT ONE 🔆
Pilsen bakery churns out Three Kings Day bread to a community counting its blessings
By Araceli Gómez-Aldana
At Panaderia Nuevo Leon in Pilsen on Tuesday, a steady line of customers waited to buy a roscón, the sweet bread also known as rosca de reyes or kings’ cake that Latino families eat to celebrate Three Kings Day.
The smell greeted customers even before they set foot inside. Staff buzzed around, trying to fill as many orders as quickly as possible. The small bakery couldn’t hold many customers at a time.
The Feast of the Epiphany, also called Día de Reyes or Three Kings Day, falls on Jan. 6 each year, as families celebrate the story of the Three Wise Men visiting the newborn Jesus.
It’s also one of the busiest days of the year for many Mexican bakeries in Chicago. But this year, the spike in sales was welcomed after recent increased immigration operations in the city led to a decrease in foot traffic.
"I’ll be here all day until closing time at 8 p.m. It’s a long day, but the adrenaline keeps me going," Dora Arellano told the Sun-Times.
Panaderia Nuevo Leon is a staple in the Pilsen community. Abel Sauceda Hernandez, the bakery’s owner, took over the business in 1973. The native of Monterrey, Mexico, has sold traditional Mexican bread ever since. At 90 years old, he now runs the bakery with one of his two daughters and his two sons-in-law.
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
Yesterday, we asked you: What should new Bears fans know about this team — and about being a fan?
Here’s some of what you said, edited for space and clarity:
"Real football is played outdoors." — Christine Walker
"Historically, the Bears' 'brand' has been about physical football ... led by a strong defense and a very basic offense. To have a team led by the offense is both a dream come true and troubling at the same time." — Rich Kosmerl
"Keep your expectations in check and prepare to be disappointed many, many times. ... I have seen some wonderful Bears moments. However, most of the time being a Bears fan has resulted in letdowns, heartbreak and nearly unbelievable incompetence." — Mark Quinn
"When something good happens, you scream so loud it scares the dog. When the Bears do something stupid, you also scream so loud it scares the dog."— Julie McGovern
"Trim your fingernails before the game." — Mike Wille
Thanks for reading the Sun-Times Morning Edition! Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.
Written and curated by: Matt Moore
Editor: Eydie Cubarrubia
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