Good morning, Chicago.
A churro shop in Pilsen closed its doors yesterday. So did a Mexican grocer in Chicago Heights. The owner of several Mexican restaurants in Elgin, himself the son of immigrants, shut his business for the day, too.
As immigrant communities across Chicagoland entered a third week of fear and uncertainty in the shadow of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, some business owners and workers from Elgin to Chicago Heights took action yesterday: They closed their businesses and stayed home from work. The goal, they said, was to send a message about the contributions immigrants make to their communities and local economies.
The closings were part of a national Day Without Immigrants, a protest movement, spread on social media, that encouraged immigrants and members of their communities to stay home from work and school and refrain from shopping in protest of Trump’s promise of the largest deportation operation in United States’ history, which has gripped Chicago-area immigrant communities in fear for the last two weeks. The protests caused business closings across the country in cities from San Francisco to New York.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day.
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Trump agrees to pause tariffs on Mexico, Canada after they pledge to boost border enforcement
President Donald Trump on Monday agreed to a 30-day pause on his tariff threats against Mexico and Canada as America’s two largest trading partners took steps to appease his concerns about border security and drug trafficking.
The pauses provide a cool-down period after a tumultuous few days that put North America on the cusp of a trade war that could have crushed economic growth, caused prices to soar and ended two of the United States’ most critical partnerships.
- Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, to pause retaliatory measures as US puts tariffs on hold
- China counters with tariffs on US products. It will also investigate Google.
Marco Rubio says El Salvador has offered to accept deportees from US of any nationality
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says El Salvador’s president has offered to accept deportees from the U.S. of any nationality as well as violent American criminals now imprisoned in the United States.
President Nayib Bukele “has agreed to the most unprecedented, extraordinary, extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world,” Rubio said.
Hoping to ‘Trump proof’ students’ rights, Illinois lawmakers aim to end police ticketing at school
Citing an urgency to protect students’ civil rights in a second Trump administration, Illinois lawmakers filed a new bill yesterday that would explicitly prevent school police from ticketing and fining students for misbehavior.
The legislation for the first time also would require districts to track police activity at schools and disclose it to the state — data collection made more pressing as federal authorities have signaled they will deemphasize their role in civil rights enforcement.
A 2022 Tribune-ProPublica investigation, “The Price Kids Pay,” found that even though Illinois law bans school officials from fining students directly, districts skirt the law by calling on police to issue citations for violating local ordinances. It also found that Black students were twice as likely to be ticketed at school than their white peers.
Dolton Trustee Jason House looks toward fellow board members while presiding over the Dolton Village Board meeting Feb. 3, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Dolton employees without life insurance after premiums go unpaid; Mayor Tiffany Henyard skips meeting
Dolton trustees learned Monday village employees have been without life insurance since the summer, but promised to restore coverage.
A representative for the village’s employee insurance consultant said that message’s about the termination of life insurance had been relayed to village administration, including Mayor Tiffany Henyard. Henyard didn’t show up for the regularly scheduled Village Board meeting, where she had included appointments for police chief and village attorney on the agenda.
Winnetka mansion listed for $35M finds a buyer in what could be a record sale for the Chicago area
A seven-bedroom Winnetka mansion that’s listed for $35 million and sits on 2.3 acres along Lake Michigan has found a buyer. If the 13,894-square-foot mansion sells for anything close to its asking price, it will become the highest-priced home resale in Chicago-area history.
Baxter announces CEO’s immediate retirement, days after $3.7 billion sale of kidney care business
Deerfield-based Baxter International announced Monday that its CEO and board chair José Almeida is retiring, effective immediately – an announcement that came just days after the company sold its kidney care business for $3.7 billion.
Flu activity increasing in Illinois, driving state back up to high levels of respiratory illness
After a short reprieve earlier this month, respiratory illness levels have again moved from moderate to high in Illinois, with the flu driving much of the increase, according to the state health department.
There was a “notable” increase in emergency department visits and hospital admissions for the flu during the week that ended Jan. 25, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. In Chicago, flu activity increased from high to very high during the same week, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health.
A by-the-numbers look at Zach LaVine’s Chicago Bulls tenure — including where he stands on the franchise scoring list
In eight seasons with the Chicago Bulls, Zach LaVine never reached the heights he hoped to summit in the postseason. But the two-time All-Star shooting guard leaves with his name stamped all over the franchise record books — and with close to a decade of memories.
Here’s a look back, by the numbers, at LaVine’s time in Chicago.
Tracking the Chicago Sky’s moves in free agency: Michaela Onyenwere re-signs on a 1-year-contract
The Chicago Sky are building for the future in free agency as they prepare for another pivotal WNBA draft in April.
After missing the playoffs with a 13-27 record last season, the Sky are starting fresh in 2025 with first-year coach Tyler Marsh. The Sky aren’t bringing back former leading scorer Chennedy Carter, opening up room in their backcourt for veteran depth.
Column: ‘A Complete Unknown’ focuses on Bob Dylan, but let’s not forget Michael Bloomfield
Most critics and a portion of the public have turned “A Complete Unknown” into a lauded box office hit. In his review, Tribune film critic Michael Phillips called it “a Hollywood love letter to Bob Dylan” but wished it “had as much nerve as it did craftsmanship.”
It’s a fine movie, but Rick Kogan wishes that it had given more time to Chicago, which Dylan visited before conquering New York and fueling controversy by “going electric” at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. Before that, he performed at a club called The Bear, which was on Ontario Street near State Street, and spent a remarkably engaging WFMT-FM 98.7 radio hour with Studs Terkel.
Shakira performs during the 67th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
Sueños Music Festival 2025: Shakira, Peso Pluma and Don Omar
Sueños Music Festival has its 2025 lineup in Grant Park: Shakira will join previously announced headliner Peso Pluma on Saturday, with Don Omar and Grupo Frontera as the boldface names on Sunday.
Sueños is returning to Chicago over Memorial Day Weekend on May 24-25 for its fourth consecutive year as a two-day festival of Latin music, reggaeton and culture.
Review: In ‘Frida … A Self Portrait’ at Writers Theatre, an actress strives to become the painter
Notwithstanding the suggestion of the title, Vanessa Severo’s self-penned solo show at Writers Theatre about the iconic 20th century Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is not so much a self-portrait of the painter as a personal picture of a theater artist’s journey towards the icon in question, writes Tribune theater critic Chris Jones.
