chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Foreign students falling into ‘black hole’ of US visa delays and denials; university presidents in I

Foreign students falling into ‘black hole’ of US visa delays and denials; university presidents in Illinois call on Congress to help

Along with heads of other public and private universities , Killeen signed a letter to the state ’ s congressional @ @ @ @ @ changes in immigration policy and procedures that undermine the ability of our institutions — and @ @ @ @ @ to continue benefiting from the important skills and contributions of international students and scholars.
” @ @ @ @ @ , Northwestern and Western , Eastern and Southern Illinois universities also signed .

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus has one of the largest foreign student populations in the U.S., but more of those students are having trouble securing visas. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
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A University of Illinois graduate student from China applied in May for a visa renewal, a process that typically concludes within weeks.
But the application went into “administrative processing,” and was still in limbo when fall classes started, forcing the student to withdraw from the fall semester. By the spring semester, there was still no resolution, prompting the student to withdraw again.
Such delays by the U.S. State Department in processing visas for international students in American universities have been a growing problem nationwide, said Paul Weinberger, the university system’s director of federal relations.
“This student has been waiting nine months to be done with administrative processing,” he said. “At that point, it really becomes a black hole. It becomes impossible to get information. ... The student just really has to wait and hope.”
Citing long waits, denials and visa cancellations that take away from teaching time and academic progress, presidents and chancellors from nearly 30 colleges and universities in Illinois are pushing for lawmakers to do more to help international students and scholars who face new obstacles tied to immigration policy.
“International students and visitors enrich the academic experience for all students, while contributing to Illinois’ economy and competitiveness,” University of Illinois President Tim Killeen said in a statement Monday. “As part of our mission of driving innovation and economic growth in Illinois, we are committed to bringing the best and the brightest from around the world to our state.”
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has the fifth-largest population of international students in the country, according to the 2019 Open Doors Report on International Education Exchange. More than 15,000 are enrolled in the university system, including the Chicago campus, according to university data.
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Along with heads of other public and private universities, Killeen signed a letter to the state’s congressional delegation conveying “concern about changes in immigration policy and procedures that undermine the ability of our institutions — and the state of Illinois — to continue benefiting from the important skills and contributions of international students and scholars.” Leaders of DePaul, Loyola, Northwestern and Western, Eastern and Southern Illinois universities also signed.
The letter urges lawmakers specifically to consider expanding so-called dual intent to student visas, which would leave open the prospect of the students later seeking permanent U.S. residency. That way, the letter said, international students don’t risk denial for failure to prove they intend to return to their home countries.
“In the longer term, we look forward to working with you to enact comprehensive immigration reform that addresses these and other priorities,” the letter adds.
Last year, more than 53,000 international students went to colleges and universities in Illinois, according to the Open Doors report – contributing $1.9 billion to the state’s economy, according to an analysis by NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
Recently, university officials across Illinois have noticed a “significant increase in obstacles” facing these students, according to the letter. The “systemic” delays, paired with uncertainty about the U.S. immigration system, are hurting efforts to recruit and retain “international talent” nationwide, the leaders wrote.
Both entry visas and temporary work visas have been increasingly delayed or denied, according to the letter, and some international students have had visas revoked or canceled with no notice and scant explanation.
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“While we appreciate the need for vetting of international visitors, this situation creates tremendous uncertainty and difficulty for universities,” the letter states.
Fraser Turner, director of global initiatives at Loyola University Chicago, said in a statement Monday: “Loyola University Chicago does not waver in its support of these student and scholar groups and are alarmed by policy and procedural changes in the U.S. immigration system that make it more challenging for international populations to teach or study in our classrooms.”
Institutions in Illinois have also been affected by the quadrupling in denial rates for the H-1B work visas in recent years. The denial rate for H-1B visas, which fluctuated between 5% and 8% from 2010 to 2015, climbed to 24% in 2018 and 32% in the first quarter of 2019, according to data published by the National Foundation for American Policy.
The foundation found that denials increased because of a higher standard of proof for approving an H-1B petition following the April 2017 “Buy American and Hire American” executive order issued by President Donald Trump.
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Weinberger recalled several other recent examples of students affected, including one graduate student who went home to China for winter break. While about to board a flight back to the U.S., the student was told the entry visa had been canceled, with no reason provided. The student is reapplying, but travel is now hindered by the new coronavirus and the student has withdrawn from the spring semester, Weinberger said.
An exchange student from Europe also expected to arrive in the spring, but the visa application went into administrative processing for too long.
“These stories are really difficult and our hearts go out to the students and the families who are going through this,” Weinberger said. “They are left in limbo.”
hleone@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Chicago officials say horse who died outside Englewood home showed no signs of mistreatment, and rep

Chicago officials say horse who died outside Englewood home showed no signs of mistreatment, and report of a dog eating the animal is ‘unfounded’

In 2019 , animal control issued six citations — four for one horse and two for the dog — for @ @ @ @ @ or proof of up-to-date vaccines , as well as failure to set up a screen @ @ @ @ @ with fly bites during the summer .
“ The issues had since been corrected , @ @ @ @ @

The yard behind a home in the 1,000 block of West 61st Street in Englewood is shown Feb. 17, 2020, where a horse was found dead outside. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago animal control officials said Monday that a horse found dead outside a home in Englewood showed no signs of mistreatment, and that reports about a dog eating the animal were unfounded.
The horse’s owner, Leo Beltran, was stunned by previous reports of neglect. He said his horse, named Casper, was always cared for and died of natural causes.
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When 28-year-old Casper fell ill, Beltran decided to move the horse from a ranch in Mendota, Illinois, to a lot next to his home in order to keep a closer eye on the animal.
“I love my animals,” Beltran said. “These are my horses.”
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Chicago Animal Care and Control came to Beltran’s house after the horse died and saw no signs of mistreatment or malnourishment.
“The owner reported that the deceased horse had been to the veterinarian recently and provided records for that visit,” said Jenny Schlueter, assistant to the director of the department. “A remaining horse was moved to a farm this morning.
“It is legal to keep a horse in the city of Chicago as long as the animals are licensed and receive proper care,” she added.
The statement is at odds with one from Chicago police earlier in the day that said at least two calls came in Saturday afternoon reporting the animals did not appear to be in good condition outside the home in the 1000 block of West 61st Street.
“Call stated that the horses were not looking good, possibly deceased,” the statement read. “Another call came through at 5:09 p.m. stating that a dog was lying next to a dead horse. ... A pit bull had gotten into the yard and was eating the horse.”
But animal control said that report was not true, and that a dog found on the premises was “in good health and is friendly.”
City officials were called to a home in Englewood over the weekend where they found two horses, one of them dead. (Ald. Raymond Lopez's Facebook)
The other horse “is in relatively good condition except for an old leg wound that does not affect its mobility,” the agency added in its statement.
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Animal control added that a small barn on the property “was clean and equipped with hay and water, and the animals have access to the barn at all times.”
The owner was cited for failure to provide updated vaccine records for the surviving horse. “The owner said he has those records at his other home and will be emailing them to the department,” the agency said.
In 2019, animal control issued six citations — four for one horse and two for the dog — for failure to have a license or proof of up-to-date vaccines, as well as failure to set up a screen frame to help address issues with fly bites during the summer. “The issues had since been corrected,” the agency said.
Sabrina Acoff, who used to live in the neighborhood, was shocked to learn one of the horses died. “They looked fine last week, there were two of them,” she said. “They were just there last week!”
Acoff’s family lived one block from the house for many years, and she said they never had issues with the animals. She said her daughter and her friends often went to the house to look at the horses.
Acoff said she’s also seen llamas, donkeys and chickens there. On Monday morning, no animals remained except for a dog sitting on the porch.
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Before animal control released its statement, Ald. Stephanie Coleman, 16th, and Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th, said the incident illustrates the need for legislation they are backing restricting animal ownership in the city.
An ordinance introduced last fall would ban roosters from residential areas in Chicago and allow a household to keep no more than six hens and two livestock animals, defined as four-legged farm creatures such as pigs, sheep and goats.
A $25 annual livestock permit from the city’s Health Department would be required of each household keeping farm animals, and only single-family homes and two-flats would be eligible. Applicants would have to inform all neighbors within 500 feet of their plans, and a permit would be rejected if a majority objects.


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--3 takeaways from White Sox camp, including Danny Mendick’s plan to showcase his versatility

“ The best way for me to go is to be able to play all of them — second , @ @ @ @ @ get out in the outfield — and make myself more of an asset to the @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I want to help the Chicago White Sox win a baseball game , @ @ @ @ @ do it .
”

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The White Sox held their first full-squad workout of spring training Monday. Here are three takeaways.
1. Danny Mendick is ready to display his versatility.
Infielder Danny Mendick was grateful for the opportunities he got after the Sox called him up in September.
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“You look at it and say, ‘I got here, now what do I have to do to stay here,’ ” Mendick said. “That’s the hardest part of the game.”
Mendick, 26, is in the mix at second base with Leury Garcia and prospect Nick Madrigal. He’s focused on showcasing his versatility this spring.
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“The best way for me to go is to be able to play all of them — second, short, third, hopefully get out in the outfield — and make myself more of an asset to the team,” Mendick said. “I want to help the Chicago White Sox win a baseball game, no matter how I can do it.”
Mendick hit .308 (12-for-39) with two home runs and four RBIs in 16 games after joining the Sox from Triple-A Charlotte.
A Sept. 5 game in Cleveland provided a big boost. A bunt single in the sixth was his first major-league hit, and he singled up the middle later in the game.
“I got the bunt down and then I got the hit and I kind of relaxed,” Mendick said. “And then I got the base hit up the middle. That’s kind of when I was like, ‘All right, I can do this.’
“You gain that confidence. The best part about it is that I got to do it last year, so I got that taste. And now I want it back so bad that I’m going to do everything that I can to get it.”
2. Rick Renteria senses a ‘quiet confidence’ growing.
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Manager Rick Renteria didn’t go into detail when asked about his message to the team before the first full-squad workout, but he did note that “everybody in camp has been sensing a little bit of a different vibe.”
“I don’t know if I can describe it, just a quiet confidence that’s growing within the group,” Renteria said. “You guys have seen a lot of these young guys over the last few years continue to develop, whether it’s been at the major-league level or developing in the minor leagues. And there are great signs that the organization is on solid footing.
“Again, it’s transitioning from paper to field ... in real terms of performance. But all things being equal, we are in a much better place today than we were when this (rebuild) all first started.”
3. The lineup has the potential for some pop.
The Sox were 13th in the American League with 182 home runs last season. They should be able to increase that number with the additions of Edwin Encarnacion, Nomar Mazara and Luis Robert to the lineup.
Encarnacion hit 34 homers in 109 games last season for the Mariners and Yankees. Mazara hit 19 in 116 games with the Rangers. And Robert hit 32 in 122 games at three minor-league levels.
“Our lineup has now been stretched out a little bit more,” Renteria said. “It’s a little deeper, which is huge for us.
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“We’ll continue to try to ... develop that lineup, composition, but (we) certainly have so many options at hand and we’ll do the best we can to make it work.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--After an up-and-down rookie season, Eloy Jimenez has advice for fellow White Sox phenom Luis Robert:

After an up-and-down rookie season, Eloy Jimenez has advice for fellow White Sox phenom Luis Robert: ‘I’m not going to lie ... he’s going to be too anxious’

“ I ’ m not going to lie — yes , you feel pressure because you want to show the @ @ @ @ @ and you try to do too much , ” Jimenez said .
“ For the @ @ @ @ @ m going to say , he ’ s going to be too anxious .
I @ @ @ @ @ to help him to not do that .
But the first month , maybe , @ @ @ @ @ try to do too much .

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Eloy Jimenez was asked about the possibility of a 50-homer season at some point in his career.
After a pause, the White Sox left fielder responded, “Why not?”
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“Yeah, it’s a big number, but my goal is every year to have better numbers than the past year,” Jimenez said Monday. “So I think one day I can hit 50-plus. But let’s see.”
Jimenez led American League rookies last year with 31 home runs and 79 RBIs, and he’ll look to build off a particularly strong final month. In 24 September games, he had a .340/.383/.710 slash line with eight doubles, nine homers, 25 RBIs and 19 runs to earn AL Rookie of the Month honors.
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“At the beginning (of the season), I tried to do too much,” Jimenez said. “And the injuries didn’t help me a lot.”
Jimenez suffered a high right ankle sprain April 26 and returned May 20. He was on the injured list again July 17-27 with a bruised ulnar nerve in his right arm.
“At the end (of the season), I felt like everything was slowed down and was easy because I just tried to play the game and enjoy the game,” Jimenez said. ”At the beginning, I had too much pressure because I tried to do too much.”
He added with a laugh: “This year is going to be better because now that we’ve got (center fielder) Luis Robert, the attention is not going to be on me."
The Sox held their first full-squad workout of spring training Monday, and Jimenez’s afternoon included standing in the box against Dallas Keuchel and Ross Detwiler.
“This offseason was good because now I know what I need to work on,” Jimenez said. “My first year in the majors showed me what I need to work on more and what I need to keep practicing.”
That work includes improving his defense.
“It would mean a lot because I don’t want to come out in the ninth inning (for a defensive switch),” Jimenez said. “I want to be able to play nine innings. So that’s why this year I’m putting more effort into the defense, so I can play the whole game.”
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Sox manager Rick Renteria said defense has been a topic of discussion.
“We really need him to step it up and continue to improve in left field,” Renteria said. “He started having some growth out there last year. I asked him, ‘Do you want me to take you out in the seventh, eighth or ninth?’ He goes, ‘No.’ I asked him that (Monday). He wants to stay in there.
“And so my challenge is — to all of our guys, not just Eloy — that we concentrate and do the best we can to understand our role defensively. That we make sure we understand the parameters that each position carries (and) how we are supposed to communicate.”
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 78 White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease warms up in right field before a game against the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark on Feb. 23, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
It’s all part of the growth process for the 23-year-old Jimenez.
Last spring, he and the Sox agreed on a six-year, $43 million deal. Jimenez admits there was pressure to excel. The Sox took a similar path this offseason with Robert, agreeing to terms on a six-year, $50 million deal. Jimenez is ready to offer advice.
“I’m not going to lie — yes, you feel pressure because you want to show the people what you can do and you try to do too much,” Jimenez said. “For the first month, I’m going to say, he’s going to be too anxious. I’m going to try to help him to not do that. But the first month, maybe, he’s going to try to do too much.
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“It’s normal because you have a contract before you’ve played in the majors, and you want to show the people what you can do. But he’ll get used to it and he’s going to be good.”
Jimenez anticipates good things for a lineup that added Robert, Yasmani Grandal, Nomar Mazara and Edwin Encarnacion.
“After I found out (Encarnacion) was going to sign with us, I said, ‘Welcome home,’ ” Jimenez said of his fellow Dominican Republic native. “And he said, ‘Yeah, now I’m on a really good team and we can change the game.’ So now I think we have a really good lineup, and we’re going to change the game too.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-17--Zach LaVine had his moments — but the Bulls were left largely on the sidelines as NBA All-Star Weeke

Zach LaVine had his moments — but the Bulls were left largely on the sidelines as NBA All-Star Weekend took over Chicago

“ Just to keep the foot on the gas pedal ; you never know what ’ s going to happen @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ m always somebody who looks at the glass half-full .
We ’ @ @ @ @ @ playoffs yet .
As a team , we have to come back focused .
We @ @ @ @ @ vacation mode yet .
Sometimes you come out of the break , teams go up @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll be one of the teams that go up .
”

Bulls guard Zach LaVine participates in the 3-Point Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend at the United Center on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
It’s one of the few moments of downtime for Bulls guard Zach LaVine on Friday, so he’s eating lunch between media obligations.
He has been bouncing between appearances since Thursday night and sneaked in a quick nap on the ride to this one, a live podcast with kids from After School Matters. He has only a brief moment to catch his breath in the back of the JBL store at Water Tower Place.
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Just because LaVine was not selected to play in Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game at the United Center doesn’t mean his weekend is any less jam-packed.
And as the face of the Bulls, it’s as if he’s playing host for the weekend. Pizza recommendations? Try these places. How cold is the weather? Answered.
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As one of the participants in All-Star Saturday Night, LaVine is first up for media day in the morning, followed by events with NBA Cares and Adidas.
LaVine is the only Bulls player who will participate in one of the premier events of All-Star Weekend — another sign of how the team’s rebuild continues to be stuck in neutral.
* * * *
Initially, LaVine planned to use the weekend as a chance to re-establish himself on the national stage as a more complete player, not just the one who burst onto the scene with back-to-back Slam Dunk victories in 2015 and ’16.
He had hopes of playing in the All-Star Game and injecting some optimism around this meandering Bulls rebuilding project. Instead, he competed only in the 3-Point Contest after declining an invitation to the dunk contest.
LaVine didn’t make it past the first round Saturday night, and he remarked how disappointed he felt that he could not put on a show for the city. It had become clear to him and basketball fans on Friday morning just how desperately a frustrated Bulls fan base has been craving a return to relevancy.
Fans voiced their displeasure, rather loudly, during an interview with LaVine on ESPN’s “First Take.” A seemingly innocent question was met with vitriol from the live crowd at Navy Pier at the mere mention of John Paxson, the Bulls vice president of basketball operations.
“Paxson’s built a couple winners in Chicago,” host Max Kellerman asked LaVine. “Do you have confidence that your GM can get you the help you need?”
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Almost immediately the crowd erupted in jeers. LaVine tried to answer diplomatically as the fans erupted into their unifying cheer of frustration: “Fire GarPax,” an allusion to Paxson and general manager Gar Forman.
“FIRE GARPAX” chants have broken out on national television. pic.twitter.com/PqkIP41ogZ — Josh J. (@JoshJBullsHoops) February 14, 2020
LaVine was asked again about the frustrated fans during media day Saturday morning.
“I don’t speak for the fans,” he said. “Obviously, I think the fans in Chicago have been frustrated. ... It gets rowdy. I know Chicago fans get rowdy too.”
It appears increasingly likely that some sort of shakeup is coming to the Bulls front office after yet another disappointing season.
The Bulls used All-Star Weekend as an opportunity to lay groundwork for an additional hire to the front office, according to a report by the Chicago Sun-Times, which described the role as a general manager with a “louder voice.” The hire reportedly would shift Paxson and Forman into different roles and would leave the future of coach Jim Boylen up in the air.
Fans have been vocal because the team entered the break on a six-game losing streak and, at 19-36, a season-low 17 games under .500. This is the third season since Paxson decided to hit reset by trading Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves, and signs of progress still are lacking.
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The Bulls began the season dreaming of a return to the playoffs. Not much has gone according to plan, however, for a roster that was underachieving and regressing even before injuries depleted it. Those injuries prevented the front office from making more moves because it felt it did have not a chance to properly assess the roster.
Before the break, it sounded as if LaVine was almost pleading with his teammates to finish out the final 27 games strong, pointing out on a few occasions the team is not yet on vacation.
“Just to keep the foot on the gas pedal; you never know what’s going to happen,” LaVine said. “I’m always somebody who looks at the glass half-full. We’re not out of the playoffs yet. As a team, we have to come back focused. We can’t be on vacation mode yet. Sometimes you come out of the break, teams go up or down. Hopefully we’ll be one of the teams that go up.”
So as All-Star Weekend took over the United Center, it left the current Bulls roster on the sidelines.
All of the tributes and odes to Chicago basketball were rooted almost entirely in nostalgia, to an era of Michael Jordan or Derrick Rose.
A few Bulls players stuck around for All-Star Weekend, with Coby White, Daniel Gafford and Denzel Valentine hosting appearances around the city. Wendell Carter Jr., unable to play because of a high ankle sprain, received a warm response at the Rising Stars game Friday.
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Meanwhile, these Bulls are becoming known nationally for different reasons, such as their coach’s confounding late-game timeouts.
Boylen calls timeout with LaVine already eliminated and three balls left on rack. — John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) February 16, 2020
Bulls legend Scottie Pippen said he doesn’t know half the players on the team. During an interview at the Celebrity Game on Friday night, Common and Chance the Rapper acknowledged rooting for their hometown Bulls, but when asked what they thought about the state of the current Bulls, they went silent.
"What do you think of the Chicago Bulls right now, Chance? The state of the Bulls?"
Chance: ............... pic.twitter.com/PWQ8DohlP3 — Dime (@DimeUPROXX) February 15, 2020
“I definitely want to shout out Zach LaVine though,” Chance said after a long pause. “He’s going crazy.”
For as much vitriol as fans have directed toward management, their reception continues to be warm toward LaVine, who has accepted the responsibility of being the team’s franchise player.
* * * *
In the back of the JBL store, fans play a virtual reality 3-Point Contest on the eve of the competition.
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LaVine is greeted with a loud cheer as he emerges from the dressing room while some plead with him to enter the dunk contest. On Saturday night at the United Center, fans roar for him during the 3-Point Contest.
LaVine embraces the mantle he is trying to carry as the Bulls’ franchise player, even if he might be a bit overmatched in the role at the moment. He still is developing defensively and as a playmaker, although he has made leaps as a scorer.
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“I appreciate the fans who have stayed loyal,” he said. “I feel like I’m somebody they can trust and somebody who puts the work in. I don’t care if we’re down 100 or up 100. You’re going to get the same reaction from me, the same determination to try to win.”
The most exciting moment LaVine provided during All-Star Weekend, however, was one he never intended to.
He practiced for the 3-Point Contest with a clear intention to win it, shipping in shooting racks, chucking up about 300 shots each night and devising a strategy for how to compete in the event.
But after LaVine finished shooting practice one night, with a few friends in town for All-Star Weekend, he started showing off what he still can do dunking the ball.
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👀 Why isn’t Zach LaVine in the dunk contest?!?
He almost did a 360 from the FREE THROW LINE!!!
(Via @JoshJBullsHoops) pic.twitter.com/xefuz1f232 — Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 14, 2020
LaVine spurned an invitation to the dunk contest because he wanted to distance himself from his reputation as merely a dunker, and he said he did not realize his friend was recording as he took off from the free-throw line for a 360-degree dunk. He missed, but the video made the rounds on social media anyway.
“It wasn’t even supposed to go viral, man,” said LaVine, who acknowledged he has made the dunk before. “I got mad at my friend. He was with me recording. I was just messing around, trying to see what I still had and what I could do.”
It was another moment gone wrong during a Bulls season in which very little has gone right.


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--Jon Lester says Commissioner Rob Manfred ‘should take his name off’ the World Series trophy after hi

Jon Lester says Commissioner Rob Manfred ‘should take his name off’ the World Series trophy after his comments about the Astros sign-stealing debacle

“ I ’ d love to have the seven runs I gave up ( last May ) back , let @ @ @ @ @ field .
But you can ’ t get them back .
You can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ back .
What do you do ?
How do you handle this the right way @ @ @ @ @ but at the same time do it the right way .
”

MESA, Ariz. — One of the first stops for visitors to Jon Lester’s home in Georgia is a room displaying replicas of the three World Series trophies Lester has helped win during a 14-year career.
So it’s no surprise Lester was taken aback by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred’s reference to baseball’s ultimate team award as a “piece of metal.”
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“That’s somebody who has never played our game,” Lester said Tuesday when asked about Manfred, who played tennis at Le Moyne College in New York. “You play for a reason. You play for that piece of metal. I’m very proud of the three I have. If that’s the way he feels, he needs to take his name off the trophy.
[ ‘They’ve stolen from a lot of people’: What MLB players and executives are saying about the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal ]
“I’m proud of (the trophies). A lot of years. A lot of hard work. Just to bring it down like that, I’m sure it hurt a lot of guys when they saw that, especially guys who haven’t won it that have been striving for years to try to get to it.
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“I’m sure Adam Dunn heard that. He’s played one playoff game his whole career. He’d be probably pretty upset. It’s a very special thing that (Manfred) brought down.”
Manfred’s comments Sunday, which some believe devalued the Commissioner’s Trophy, came in defense of his perceived soft punishment against the Astros for their electronic sign-stealing tactics during their 2017 World Series championship season. MLB granted some players immunity from penalties for participating in its investigation.
“Guys were more or less disappointed that players didn’t get punished,” Lester said. “Regardless of what the manager, coach or whoever else did or (was) a part of it, there’s some punishment that needed to be handed down. And for whatever reason, (Manfred) chose not to do it.
“He’s the bossman. He makes those decisions. In those situations that played against that team in important games, you saw their emotions and gut reaction come out about it. It’s just a hard thing right now.
“That’s putting our game in a not-so-good place, but I’m hoping the other 29 teams go around that and (will) be better for the fans going forward.”
[ Yu Darvish says it’s ‘weird’ the Astros haven’t been stripped of their 2017 World Series title ]
At a news conference in Scottsdale three hours after Lester criticized Manfred for referring to the trophy as a “piece of metal,” the commissioner issued an apology.
“I referred to the World Series trophy in a disrespectful way," Manfred said. "I want to apologize for it.”
Manfred said the decision to grant immunity to players who cooperated in the investigation was negotiated with the Major League Baseball Players Association.
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Lester hopes the attention on the scandal will subside as exhibition games begin this weekend. But he didn’t seem to believe the other 29 teams would follow Manfred’s edict that they don’t retaliate by intentionally throwing at Astros batters.
“That’s each individual club’s personal decision,” Lester said. “I’m sure it’s going to happen. I’m sure something is going to happen. I don’t think this is going to be brushed under the rug and guys are going to turn the other cheek and keep playing.”
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The 2017 Dodgers, which included current Cubs pitchers Yu Darvish and Brandon Morrow, might have been deprived of a World Series title because of the Astros’ tactics.
“I’d imagine if they ever played again, that would be an interesting series,” Lester said of a Dodgers-Astros matchup, which isn’t scheduled for 2020. “I’m sure the New York (Yankees) series would be interesting. I’m not in those clubhouses. I don’t know how those guys are going to handle it.
“I’d love to have the seven runs I gave up (last May) back, let alone just a fair playing field. But you can’t get them back. You can’t get the World Series trophy back. What do you do? How do you handle this the right way? Express your feelings, but at the same time do it the right way.”
Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 11 It's another morning for Cubs baseball at Sloan Park on Feb. 17, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Lester was asked how he would handle the situation if he were victimized by the cheating.
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“You’re asking kind of the impossible question,” Lester said. “I think if I was (playing for an American League West) team, I’d handle it differently than if I was (playing for the Yankees) or somebody out of the division.”
Lester envisioned that AL West foes will be “pretty harried” the first couple of times they face the Astros, and he emphasized the importance of winning each game and how one game can determine whether a team advances to the playoffs.
“Do you chance that by drilling the first three guys you face and get thrown out?” Lester said. “Then you screw your bullpen for the next week. It’s a hard question to answer, but I wouldn’t be surprised if something happened in the division.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--How Patti Blagojevich helped earn her husband’s release

“ I watched his wife , on television , saying that the young girls ’ father has been in jail @ @ @ @ @ and they ’ ve never seen him outside of an orange uniform .
You know @ @ @ @ @ '' Trump told reporters in August on Air Force One .
`` His wife , @ @ @ @ @ .
And I ’ m thinking about commuting his sentence very strongly .
I think @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s enough : seven years .
I ’ m very impressed with his @ @ @ @ @ very impressed with his wife .
I mean , she has lived for this .
@ @ @ @ @ s one hell of a woman .
She has lived .
She goes on and @ @ @ @ @ And it ’ s really very sad .
”

As the wife of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's wife, Patti Blagojevich has been in and out of the spotlight. Here's a look back at the high - and lowlights of her exploits. Here, former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and his wife Patti leave the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago following his guilty verdict on 17 of 20 counts on June 27, 2011. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
For most of her time as Illinois first lady, Patti Blagojevich preferred a behind-the-scenes role, advising her husband on myriad topics while building a real estate career that leaned heavily on the couple’s clout.
But since her husband’s arrest nearly a dozen years ago, Blagojevich has commanded the spotlight as she has done almost anything — from eating bugs on reality television to courting President Donald Trump — to help win her husband’s freedom. She has made scores of public pleas on his behalf over the past decade on television and social media, usually painting her family as the victims of overzealous prosecutors and political enemies.
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And in many of her carefully crafted pleas, only President Trump had the brains and the bravado to remedy the perceived injustice.
“They are trying to undo elections and play politics instead of doing what they are supposed to do,” she said on Fox News in 2018. “It takes a strong leader like President Trump to right these wrongs.”
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Her constant flattery proved successful Tuesday, as Trump commuted Rod Blagojevich’s 14-year prison sentence and cleared the way for him to leave prison four years early. In a clear nod that Patti Blagojevich’s messages were received, the president complimented her resolve several months ago.
“I watched his wife, on television, saying that the young girls’ father has been in jail for now seven years, and they’ve never seen him outside of an orange uniform. You know, the whole thing," Trump told reporters in August on Air Force One. "His wife, I think, is fantastic. And I’m thinking about commuting his sentence very strongly. I think he was — I think it’s enough: seven years. I’m very impressed with his family. I’m very impressed with his wife. I mean, she has lived for this. She has — she’s one hell of a woman. She has lived. She goes on and she makes her case. And it’s really very sad.”
[ Trump frees Rod Blagojevich from prison years early, commuting the ex-Illinois governor’s 14-year sentence ]
The president again mentioned the family’s struggles Tuesday as he announced the commutation. He spoke about the Blagojevich daughters growing older and missing important time with their father.
“I watched his wife on television. ... They rarely get to see their father outside of an orange uniform,” Trump said. “I saw that and I did commute his sentence so he’ll be able to go back home with his family."
Patti Blagojevich crosses her fingers after being asked if she has "hope" regarding her husband's commutation while leaving her home on May 31, 2018, on Chicago's Northwest Side. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Patti Blagojevich — a daughter of the Chicago Democratic machine — learned quickly that the best way to reach the Republican president was to lavish praise on him while appearing on Fox News. The offspring and wife of deft politicians, she stroked the president’s ego during each appearance, expressing her gratitude to him and recalling how “kind” he was to her family when the former governor appeared on “The Celebrity Apprentice.”
“I don’t think there’s a better way to get a message to (Trump),” Rod Blagojevich’s former defense attorney Aaron Goldstein told the Tribune last year. “She’s doing what she needs to do to get a message in front of him and she is doing a great job of it."
[ Rod Blagojevich saga timeline: From his arrest to President Trump's commutation ]
Patti Blagojevich did not speak to the media camped outside her Ravenswood Manor home Tuesday but tweeted that there would be a news conference at the home Wednesday morning, after her husband was released Tuesday night from a prison in Colorado.
In pleading her position, Patti Blagojevich consistently described her family’s plight in terms that would appeal to Trump, specifically criticizing former FBI Director James Comey and special counsel Robert Mueller for their roles in both the Russian election interference probe and her husband’s conviction. She also tweeted opinion pieces, including one written by her husband from prison, opposing Trump’s impeachment and accusing the U.S. Justice Department of overzealous, politically driven prosecutions.
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“I see that these same people that did this to my family, (who) secretly taped us, twisted the facts, perverted the law (and put) my husband in jail — these people are trying to do it on a larger scale (to Trump),” she said in 2018 on “The Story With Martha MacCallum” on Fox News.
Trump repeated the allegation Tuesday, suggesting the Mueller investigation was led by the “same group” that secured the ex-governor’s conviction.
Mueller was head of the FBI during the Blagojevich probe, though then-U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey made the decision to tap the governor’s phones. Comey was U.S. deputy attorney general when the investigation into Blagojevich’s administration began, but he moved to the private sector in 2005 and played no role in Blagojevich’s indictment.
“It’s inaccurate,” Robert Grant, who headed the FBI’s Chicago office during the investigation, said of Trump’s allegation. “Patti has been very effective in repeating that conspiracy on television. She knows it gets under his skin.”
History, however, has mattered little during this unorthodox clemency process, which began in 2018 after Trump told reporters he was considering commuting Blagojevich’s sentence and suggested the disgraced governor shouldn’t have gone to jail for “being stupid.” It was a highly unusual statement for a sitting president to make, in large part because Blagojevich’s legal team had not yet requested a pardon and the U.S. Department of Justice had not made a recommendation.
[ Sorting truth from myth in former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s conviction: 5 things to know ]
Regardless, Patti Blagojevich already had made several appearances on Fox News by that time to plead for her husband’s freedom.
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“She knew the right button to push,” said former federal prosecutor Jeffrey Cramer, who is now managing director for the Berkeley Research Group. “And in this case, the only button was Fox News. She did what a spouse would do in this case: You go on Fox, you blame Mueller and Comey and you hope no rational person looks into it.”
Patti Blagojevich was never charged with wrongdoing, but her own ambitions and brashness were alleged in a 76-page federal criminal complaint released the day of Rod Blagojevich’s arrest: She helped her husband hatch a plan to sell Barack Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat, the document said; she angled to trade his power for lucrative spots on corporate boards; and she unleashed an obscenity-filled tirade suggesting that Tribune Co. ownership should “just fire” Chicago Tribune editorial writers if the company wanted the state to help it unload Wrigley Field to ease its crushing debt.
“Hold up that (expletive) Cubs (expletive),” she is quoted as saying in the background as her husband talked on the phone, authorities alleged. "(Expletive) them.”
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his wife, Patti, leave the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago after he was convicted June 27, 2011, on 17 of 20 counts in his second corruption trial. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
While her husband waged losing battles against impeachment and the criminal charges, Patti Blagojevich mounted a campaign of her own. She agreed to appear on “I’m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here,” a reality show on which she ate a tarantula in the Costa Rican jungle, formed an alliance with NBA star John Salley and shed tears about her family’s plight.
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She continued her public sympathy campaign throughout her husband’s trial and incarceration, often using social media to stoke support and sympathy. She often tagged the president in flattering tweets.
Patti Blagojevich, wife of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, eats a dead tarantula during her turn at the food challenge on NBC's "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!" taped in Costa Rica on May 30, 2009. (NBC)
“Today is another sad day on this painful journey as it marks 7 years that Rod has been away from home,” she tweeted in March 2019. “President Trump was correct when he tweeted 7 years ago today: ‘It’s outrageous that Blagojevich goes to jail for 14 years when killers and sex offenders are out walking the streets. Is this justice...I don’t think so.’ We remain hopeful that better days are ahead, and we are grateful for the President’s support and kind words, going back to 2012.”
She also tweeted an op-ed piece written by her husband, published on Newsmax, that argued modern-day House Democrats also would have tried to impeach Abraham Lincoln for a number of reasons, including because of the Emancipation Proclamation, which ended slavery. The column became an oft-repeated talking point during the impeachment hearings.
“Rod is a bit of a Lincoln Scholar,” she wrote in tweet that linked to the column. “He has at least 30 books on Lincoln alone in his study not counting the dozen more on other Civil War Era figures.”
[ Who is Rod Blagojevich? What to know about the former Illinois governor who Donald Trump is freeing from prison ]
Indeed, Patti Blagojevich is no stranger to rough-and-tumble politics. She grew up the oldest daughter of longtime 33rd Ward boss Richard Mell, bearing witness to the ways of the Chicago machine since grade school. She famously feuded with her father after Mell — then the 33rd Ward alderman — accused the governor of pay-to-play politics in 2005.
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The Blagojeviches never moved to Springfield during his tenure, opting instead to raise their two young daughters in their Ravenswood Manor home. While championing such causes as literacy, children’s health care and public breastfeeding, the first lady, who has a degree in economics from the University of Illinois, continued to work as a real estate agent until a federal investigation heated up.
A Tribune investigation revealed she earned more than $700,000 in commissions on deals after her husband began raising money in 2000 for his first gubernatorial campaign.
Patti Blagojevich is joined by her daughters Annie, center, and Amy, right, on Aug. 9, 2016, at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago as she addresses the media after former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's resentencing. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Of those commissions, the Tribune found that more than three-quarters came from clients with connections.
As her commissions faded, she briefly took a job as an investment banker.
Since her husband’s incarceration, she helped her father start a lobbying firm and has worked as a financial adviser. Her most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission show she juggles several part-time positions in insurance sales, investment advising and rental property management.
For practical purposes, Patti Blagojevich has been a single mother for the past seven years, raising daughters Amy, now 23, and Annie, now 16, with help from her family.
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Amy Blagojevich graduated from Northwestern University in 2018 and earned her master’s degree in marketing from the University of Edinburgh in December. Her family had hoped Trump would free Blagojevich in time to attend both ceremonies.
“I can tell you that life without my husband has been very difficult," Patti Blagojevich wrote in an op-ed published in the Washington Examiner in July 2018. “It’s hard on me, and it’s even harder on our two girls. And every day we wake up thinking this was all a bad dream.”
After Trump teased the idea of a pardon again last August, Patti Blagojevich once again expressed hope on social media that her husband wouldn’t miss anymore milestones.
“Our President’s comments on Air Force One...make us very hopeful that our almost 11 year nightmare might soon be over,” she tweeted. “We are very grateful.”
Chicago Tribune’s Javonte Anderson contributed.
sstclair@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--Cubs are increasing the minimum salaries of their minor-leaguers by at least 50% this year

All Cubs minor-leaguers playing under the terms of their first-year contracts will receive a raise ranging from $ 112 to @ @ @ @ @ depending on their level and year of professional ball .
The average player will receive @ @ @ @ @ 200 a week , which equates to an average increase of about 50 % , @ @ @ @ @ levels ( below Double A ) receiving an average increase of about 75 % .

The Cubs are raising the minimum salaries for minor-league players throughout the organization by at least 50% this year, a source confirmed Tuesday.
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The move follows the trend of the Blue Jays, who last year raised the minimum salaries of their minor-leaguers by 50%. The raises also would alleviate some of the criticism Major League Baseball has received for not giving minor-leaguers livable wages.
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Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts took the initiative to authorize the salary increases, the source said. Those raises will kick in ahead of MLB’s plan to increase minor-league salaries for the 2021 season, according to a report Friday by the Associated Press.
All Cubs minor-leaguers playing under the terms of their first-year contracts will receive a raise ranging from $112 to $295 a week, depending on their level and year of professional ball. The average player will receive a raise of about $200 a week, which equates to an average increase of about 50%, with players at the lower-minor-league levels (below Double A) receiving an average increase of about 75%.
AP reported that weekly salaries for the 2021 season will jump from $290 to $400 for short-season and rookie leagues, $290 to $500 in Class A, $350 to $600 in Double A and $502 to $700 in Triple A.


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--Ja’Net DuBois, ‘Good Times’ actress, dies at 74

Rest well Ja ’ net ’ Dubois aka “ wilona everyone ’ s favorite Neighbor on Good Times .
You @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m glad when i was in the position i was able to bring @ @ @ @ @ .
You should have been Given way more Flowers while you were here , you @ @ @ @ @ African American Actresses , you will be missed “ love you much🙏🏾

Ja'Net DuBois, known for her turn as Willona Woods on "Good Times," was found dead in her Glendale, Calif. home on Tuesday. Her family told TMZ the actress died unexpectedly in her sleep. She was believed to be 74.
In addition to her role as the Evans family's neighbor in the '70s sitcom, she also appeared in a number of notable films and TV programs including "Roots," Keenan Ivory Wayans' "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka" and "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" as Momma Bosley.
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DuBois was also known for her legendary voice. She composed and sang “Movin’ On Up,” the theme song for “The Jeffersons.” She also voiced the character of Mrs. Avery in “The PJs” (for which, she won two Emmys) as well as Mrs. Patterson in “As Told by Ginger.”
From left, American actors BernNadette Stanis, Ben Powers, Jimmie Walker, Ralph Carter, Ja'net DuBois, and Janet Jackson, as they sit down for a meal in a scene from the television series 'Good Times,' Los Angeles, California, 1977. (CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)
DuBois started her acting career in the 1960s. She starred in the 1966 film "A Man Called Adam" alongside Sammy Davis Jr. From there, she went on to act in the TV film "J.T." and "Diary of a Mad Housewife." Her 1970-72 stint as Loretta Allen on the TV soap opera "Love of Life" made her the first African American woman who was a regular cast member on a daytime serial.
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Over the course of her career, she came to be known as a widely respected pioneer of the industry. She also made a few cameos on multiple ’90s and 2000s sitcoms such as “A Different World,” “Sister, Sister,” “Home Improvement” and “Everybody Loves Raymond.”
Flex Alexander, who worked with DuBois briefly on his series “One on One,” penned a heartfelt message to the late actress saying, “You should have been given way more flowers while you were here, you helped pave the way for African American Actresses, you will be missed.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--White Sox expect Edwin Encarnacion to make an impact at the plate and in the clubhouse. His message

White Sox expect Edwin Encarnacion to make an impact at the plate and in the clubhouse. His message to his new teammates: ‘Don’t put pressure on yourself.’

“ This team makes me remember what we had in Toronto ( in 2015 ) , ” Encarnacion said Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ us because of Boston , the Yankees .
But we know what we have in @ @ @ @ @ together and we have the talent .
This team has the talent to compete in @ @ @ @ @ ”

It's another morning for Cubs baseball at Sloan Park on Feb. 17, 2020. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Edwin Encarnacion has played in the postseason the last five years with three teams.
The veteran slugger sees similar traits forming with the White Sox.
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“This team makes me remember what we had in Toronto (in 2015),” Encarnacion said Tuesday. “Nobody counted on us because of Boston, the Yankees. But we know what we have in the clubhouse and we stay together and we have the talent. This team has the talent to compete in the division and win.”
That Blue Jays team won the American League East with a 93-69 record. He’s hoping for more success with the Sox.
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Encarnacion, 37, signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the Sox on Jan. 9. The Sox hold a $12 million option for 2021 that does not include a buyout.
The designated hitter/first baseman has hit at least 32 home runs in each of the last eight seasons and has 414 homers in a 15-year career that includes three All-Star selections.
“He’s a huge impact player for us in terms of offense,” Sox manager Rick Renteria said. “And that combined with (Jose Abreu) and Eloy (Jimenez) and (Nomar) Mazara, all these guys, Timmy (Anderson), (Yoan) Moncada, and I can continue to go on ... he’s going to obviously play a huge role for us and is a big piece for us.”
Encarnacion had a .244/.344/.531 slash line with 18 doubles, 34 homers and 86 RBIs in 109 games with the Mariners and Yankees in 2019. He was out from Aug. 3 to Sept. 3 because of a broken right wrist.
Sixteen of his homers came as a designated hitter. Sox DHs hit a combined 17 home runs in 2019.
Edwin Encarnacion, left, takes ground balls at first base with White Sox teammate Jose Abreu, right, during spring training Feb. 17, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (Gregory Bull / AP)
Encarnacion spent some time Tuesday fielding grounders at first base with Abreu. Renteria primarily sees Encarnacion as the DH, though he’s willing to aid the team in any role.
“Whatever they need me to do, I’m here for whatever they want,” Encarnacion said. “I have no problem to play DH or play first base.”
The Sox also anticipate Encarnacion will make an impact in the clubhouse.
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His message this spring: “Just play the game right, don’t put pressure on yourself. Don’t try to do too much. Don’t think you’ve got to do everything in order to win. It’s going to be a team effort. You can’t think about just yourself. You’ve got to stay together and play the game right and hard.”
Encarnacion already had a connection with Sox left fielder Eloy Jimenez. Both are from the Dominican Republic.
“He gave me a lot of advice before I signed,” Jimenez said. “The first advice I’ll always have with me: ‘Don’t get crazy and don’t change because you have money.’
“Before I got to the majors, he said, ‘Don’t try to do too much and just show what you do always.’ I appreciate him because he’s always treated me as a kid he loves. It’s good to have a veteran who takes care of me.”
Encarnacion said that type of camaraderie is crucial to a winning formula.
“That’s the main thing, the team has to be together,” he said. “Pick up your teammates. If your teammate does something wrong, you’re going to feel it and you’re going to want to do something to help them out.
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“It’s going to be a fun year with the White Sox. It’s going to be a great lineup from the first to the bottom.”


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--How will the Bears approach the NFL combine and free agency? The Bear Download podcast breaks it dow

How will the Bears approach the NFL combine and free agency? The Bear Download podcast breaks it down.

The NFL combine is less than a week away and Dan Wiederer and Brad Biggs break down what to expect @ @ @ @ @ take a long look at the Bears quarterback situation and question the notion a marquee @ @ @ @ @ Tom Brady or Philip Rivers — would be willing to join the team even if @ @ @ @ @ is no longer the starter .
They discuss other positions of need , Brad opens @ @ @ @ @ new segment and the two crown a former Bears defensive coordinator .

Welcome to the Bear Download podcast.
Listen below or subscribe and listen on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play
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The NFL combine is less than a week away and Dan Wiederer and Brad Biggs break down what to expect from the event. They take a long look at the Bears quarterback situation and question the notion a marquee free agent — say, Tom Brady or Philip Rivers — would be willing to join the team even if the Bears decide Mitch Trubisky is no longer the starter. They discuss other positions of need, Brad opens up his mailbag in a new segment and the two crown a former Bears defensive coordinator.


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--Motorola Solutions scored a $765 million win in a trade secrets case against a Chinese competitor. I

Motorola Solutions scored a $765 million win in a trade secrets case against a Chinese competitor. It’s not satisfied.

In the mid-2000s , it became evident to Hytera that “ its analog radio products faced extinction , and that @ @ @ @ @ develop its own digital two-way radios in time to save its ailing business , ” @ @ @ @ @ .
Hytera “ embarked on an unlawful plot to surreptitiously take and copy '' Motorola @ @ @ @ @ copyrighted material , and use them to build a competing product , Motorola alleged in @ @ @

A mannequin equipped with what Motorola calls "next generation police officer" devices sits at the Motorola campus Oct. 8, 2014, in Schaumburg. Motorola Solutions makes digital two-way radios, often used by emergency crews and first-responders. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
A yearslong court battle over technology trade secrets and copyright infringement came to a head last week when a jury awarded Motorola Solutions $764.5 million in damages.
But the case the Chicago-based company is waging against a Chinese competitor is not over yet.
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“This company stole for years Motorola proprietary technology,” said Motorola CEO Greg Brown. “They stole thousands of documents, they stole millions of lines of source code, and to this day, their products are still being sold with stolen technology.”
The lawsuit, filed in 2017, alleged that Shenzhen, China-based Hytera was selling digital radios that used trade secrets and source code stolen from Motorola. Source code tells a product how to run.
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On Friday, a federal jury in Chicago sided with Motorola, awarding the company the maximum requested amount in damages. Hytera said it plans to appeal the verdict.
Motorola is asking the court to stop Hytera from allegedly selling products around the world that contain its confidential trade secrets and stolen source code, said Mike De Vries, an attorney representing Motorola. A court hearing is scheduled for Friday.
Motorola Solutions makes digital two-way radios, often used by emergency crews and first-responders, as well as workers at airports, hotels and construction sites.
Hytera was founded in 1993 and was a distributor for Motorola products until 2001, when it started making analog radios, according to the amended complaint, filed by Motorola in 2018.
In the mid-2000s, it became evident to Hytera that “its analog radio products faced extinction, and that it could not hope to develop its own digital two-way radios in time to save its ailing business,” Motorola alleged in the lawsuit. Hytera “embarked on an unlawful plot to surreptitiously take and copy" Motorola’s trade secrets and copyrighted material, and use them to build a competing product, Motorola alleged in the suit.
Motorola also alleged that Hytera hired three former senior Motorola engineers in 2008 who were involved in developing some products.
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The jury’s verdict, following a trial that began in November, is a win for other American technology companies struggling with intellectual property theft, said Motorola’s Brown.
Last year, Motorola invested almost $700 million into research and development, he said. Technology companies need to protect that investment.
“This is a big, big issue,” he said. “This was obviously the right thing to do against the bad actor Hytera, and now they’re going to pay for it.”
Hytera spokesman Dylan Liu said the company disagrees with the jury’s decision. “Hytera will appeal the verdict and is prepared for the appeal procedures ahead, which may take multiple years,” he said in a statement. “Hytera maintains its faith that the American justice system will ultimately provide a fair outcome in this matter.”
The company has added new policies and procedures regarding intellectual property and hiring employees, Liu said. It is also working to remove source code from “the products at issue” and has been rolling out updated software.
amarotti@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter @AllyMarotti


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--Meet the North Shore woman who likely helped you connect with your ‘Top Oprah Pick.’ Her new book te

Meet the North Shore woman who likely helped you connect with your ‘Top Oprah Pick.’ Her new book teaches the power of storytelling and finding your audience

“ I connected the audience to each other , ” said Loveman .
“ You couldn ’ t just take @ @ @ @ @ had to take the person who stood by you in life , which we called @ @ @ @ @ Oprah Pick.
’ This wasn ’ t just come and see the show and leave @ @ @ @ @ see you again , if you wanted the relationship to happen , it happened — @ @ @ @ @ other . ''

Sally Lou Loveman, a former audience producer for Oprah Winfrey for more than 20 years, published a book in January called "Speak: Love Your Story. Your Audience is Waiting." ((Allie Goulding/for the Chicago Tribune))
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Sally Lou Loveman was just 25 years old and working her dream job at The Oprah Winfrey Show when someone handed her a microphone to “warm up the audience.” She didn’t know what that meant, she said, but she spoke from the heart.
Loveman laughs at having no recollection of what she said, but she does have a clear memory of how that moment made her feel.
“I was like, 'Oh, I found my voice; I’ve found my purpose,” remembers Loveman, now 58. “I found my purpose in that moment and I just wanted to be in the studio connecting with people.”
Loveman, who worked as an audience producer for the Oprah Winfrey Show for years, writes about this experience in her new book “Speak: Love Your Story. Your Audience is Waiting.” She shares tales from her life of how she found her voice, and helps readers to do the same. She believes you don’t have to be in a prominent role, like a CEO or celebrity, to have an audience.
“The stories are there (in the book) to rekindle the idea of your story, and then help you with how to present it and tell it to someone who really needs to hear it,” explained Loveman, “and you have no idea who those people are.”
Each chapter of the book has a lesson for the reader to explore, and by the end of the book, readers have a start to their own story, explained Loveman, who modeled the book after her “very participatory” Oprah Show warmup.
“I used the audience to make for a better warmup, so I’m using the reader to make for a better book,“ she said. “That’s really what this book is about: using your story and connecting.”
For Loveman, the journey of connecting people began as a teenager when she went to The Mike Douglas Show in Philadelphia, her hometown, with her mother. As she sat in the studio audience, she spotted a woman on set with a clipboard, Loveman said.
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“I didn’t know what she did, but I was like, it’s 1976, she’s a woman; she’s wearing a headset, so she’s automatically cool; she’s carrying a clipboard, so she’s official; and she’s really busy,” remembered Loveman.
In that moment, Loveman knew what she wanted to do. “The environment just sucked me in — it pleased every one of my senses,” she said.
In 1987, Loveman started at The Oprah Winfrey Show as an audience coordinator and she “loved being in the studio.” Later, she became a producer for the show and “hated it,” so she left in 1992 and freelanced for 10 years, had three kids, and only worked on shows when the show needed her, she said.
“I didn’t want that seat,” Loveman said about the producing role, “I wanted to stay with the audience.”
She went back full time in 2003 when the audience producer and supervisor role opened.
Warming up the audience was still a part of her job duties.
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“I connected the audience to each other,” said Loveman. “You couldn’t just take anyone to Oprah, you had to take the person who stood by you in life, which we called at the time your ‘Top Oprah Pick.’ This wasn’t just come and see the show and leave and I’ll never see you again, if you wanted the relationship to happen, it happened — and it happened with each other."
By 2014, The Oprah Winfrey Show wasn’t in production anymore, and Loveman’s audience team was being used for only a few shows being filmed for OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network, said Loveman, “and then there was nothing left to do.”
Loveman was given an opportunity to work for the marketing team, but knew she wanted to continue her message of connection.
“It wasn’t even a choice; I chose me,” Loveman said. “I told Oprah, ‘I can only work for two people: you or me. Right now, I’m going to work for me.’”
Loveman officially started her own business, Love Speaks, after her departure. She regularly emcees or keynotes events, and is committed to staying in her purpose of connecting audiences.
“I had a front row seat to the stories that were told on The Oprah Winfrey Show and they literally were life-changing,” said Loveman. “They connected viewers to others and they helped people heal. And that’s what stories do. And so for me, my book is about using my story to help connect the reader with their own.”
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Join Sally Lou Loveman for a reading and book signing at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at The Book Stall, 811 Elm St., Winnetka, IL. Another reading will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Jill Albert’s Jewelry, 311 Park Ave., Glencoe, IL.
chrjohnson@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--Kris Bryant expects to be in a Cubs uniform on opening day: 4 takeaways from spring training

“ The conversation I had is all that I needed for the questions that were asked in the press conference @ @ @ @ @ “ We cleared up things about what I was feeling , what he was feeling @ @ @ @ @ was good .
I ’ m not telling you anymore .
”

Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Victor Caratini and Kris Bryant stand on the field at Sloan Park. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
MESA, Ariz. — Here are four takeaways from Cubs spring training Tuesday.
1. Kris Bryant expects to be with the Cubs on opening day.
Kris Bryant continued to rave about his meeting Sunday with Cubs President Theo Epstein to the point Bryant believes the trade speculation might subside somewhat.
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Asked directly Tuesday whether he expects to wear a Cubs uniform on opening day March 26 against the Brewers at Miller Park, Bryant replied with a firm “yes.”
That’s no guarantee, of course, but Bryant said Epstein gave him some insight as to “what kind of happened in the offseason.”
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After being asked if Epstein would grant his request to be kept in the loop about any developments, Bryant paused for six seconds before saying no, then waited another eight seconds before elaborating.
“The conversation I had is all that I needed for the questions that were asked in the press conference,” Bryant said. “We cleared up things about what I was feeling, what he was feeling about the offseason. It was good. I’m not telling you anymore.”
2. The Cubs are expanding Javier Baez’s defensive skills.
The Cubs practiced bunt coverage as part of their defensive work, and one wrinkle featured Javier Baez charging from shortstop and Kris Bryant holding at third base.
“That’s top secret,” Bryant deadpanned. “You guys aren’t scouts for the other team.”
This likely will be a new feature under manager David Ross, who also was tight-lipped about the coverage.
“I don’t know how often that play would be used this year,” said Bryant, whose 6-foot-5 frame provides a big target at third. ”But we have the talent to do it.”
3. Jon Lester doesn’t want ball-strike calls during live batting practice.
The Cubs have been using umpires to bring intensity to batting practice, but Jon Lester asked not to have his pitches called. He believes removing the batting cage provides enough of a game-type atmosphere.
Lester vs. Rizzo live BP pic.twitter.com/WlWSgTMmPU — Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) February 18, 2020
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“Right now my main focus is having a good, solid tempo,” Lester said. “Feeling like you’re aggressive is a good way to describe it.”
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Lester said his delivery already feels more athletic than mechanical.
4. Kris Bryant broke his favorite bat in batting practice.
Jon Lester faced a group of hitters that included Anthony Rizzo, Jason Kipnis and Kris Bryant, who didn’t fare well.
“I was in the bat room looking for bats and I picked that one up,” Bryant said of the first bat he used. “It felt really good, and when you do that, you usually break it.”
Sure enough, Lester threw a cutter up and in that jammed Bryant and broke his bat.
But all was not lost.
“I got my walk,” Bryant quipped.


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--Mother charged with child endangerment after 7-year-old daughter shoots 11-year-old son while playin

Mother charged with child endangerment after 7-year-old daughter shoots 11-year-old son while playing with gun

Curtis had been sleeping in the living room when the children found a key and unlocked her bedroom , where @ @ @ @ @ police said .
The boy took the gun from a dresser drawer and began playing @ @ @ @ @ on the bed , police said .
His sister picked it up and pulled the @ @ @ @ @ on the right side of his jaw .
Curtis called 911 .

A West Side mother is facing misdemeanor child endangerment charges after her young daughter wounded her older brother while playing with a handgun, authorities said.
The Valentine’s Day shooting at the home in the 3100 block of West Fillmore Street was one of several that injured at least eight juveniles between 8 and 16 over the weekend.
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Lucreshia Curtis, 39, was charged with two counts of child endangerment after her 7-year-old daughter fired her mother’s weapon, striking her 11-year-old brother in the jaw.
Curtis told authorities she awoke to the sound of a pop and then her daughter ran from a bedroom to tell her what happened, according to a police report.
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Curtis had been sleeping in the living room when the children found a key and unlocked her bedroom, where she kept the firearm, police said. The boy took the gun from a dresser drawer and began playing with it before placing it on the bed, police said. His sister picked it up and pulled the trigger, striking the boy on the right side of his jaw. Curtis called 911.
Curtis had a firearm owner’s identification card and a concealed carry permit, police said. State and local laws require firearms to be locked away in homes with young children.
Court information for Curtis wasn’t immediately available.


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--Chicago lawyer says Boy Scouts bankruptcy filing is bid ‘to limit future exposure to abuse claims’;

Chicago lawyer says Boy Scouts bankruptcy filing is bid ‘to limit future exposure to abuse claims’; local councils say they won’t be impacted by move

“ The BSA cares deeply about all victims of abuse and sincerely apologizes to anyone who was harmed during their @ @ @ @ @ are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our programs to @ @ @ @ @ Roger Mosby , president and chief executive officer , said in the statement .
“ @ @ @ @ @ undo the tragic abuse that victims suffered , we believe the Chapter 11 process — @ @ @ @ @ — will provide equitable compensation to all victims while maintaining the BSA ’ s important @ @ @

Danny Crnokrak, 13, left, and Ayden Parker, 10, place flags near a veteran's grave on Thursday, May 24, 2018, as Boy Scout Troop 45 of Crown Point volunteers at the Historic Maplewood Cemetery. (Kyle Telechan/for the Post Tribune)
The clock is ticking for men seeking damages from the Boy Scouts of America over claims of sexual abuse, Chicago attorneys say, now that the national organization has filed for bankruptcy.
After facing hundreds of sex-abuse lawsuits, the Boy Scouts filed for bankruptcy protection Tuesday in what lawyers are calling an effort to limit growing victim compensation claims.
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Hundreds of lawyers across the country are seeking settlement on behalf of thousands of men who say they were molested as scouts by leaders over decades.
“The danger for victims is that now, there will be a clock set by the bankruptcy court where victims will have a certain window of time to bring a claim, or their claims would be barred,” attorney Mark McKenna said.
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Local Boy Scouts councils stated that they are legally separate from the national organization, did not file for bankruptcy, and will be unaffected by the court case, but victims’ attorneys say they will fight over that issue. In order to be freed from liability, attorney Evan Smola said, local councils may have to give up some of their assets, the most valuable of which include large campgrounds such as Camp Lakota near Woodstock and Camp Napowan in Wisconsin.
Citing recent changes to make states’ statute-of-limitations laws more flexible, more victims of abuse have greater means to seek justice, said Michael Mertz, a Chicago lawyer who has resolved several child abuse cases. The Chapter 11 filing in federal bankruptcy court in Wilmington, Delaware, will be an atypical bankruptcy case, he said.
“This isn’t a bankruptcy in the traditional sense; it’s an effort to limit future exposure to abuse claims," Mertz said.
Mertz, McKenna and Smola work at the same firm, Hurley McKenna & Mertz, which has handled hundreds of sex abuse claims against the scouts.
The Boy Scouts have assets that exceed their liabilities, Mertz added. Companies file for bankruptcy when they have debts greater than their assets or ability to generate assets. According to a statement released by the Boy Scouts, scouting programs will continue throughout the bankruptcy process.
“The BSA cares deeply about all victims of abuse and sincerely apologizes to anyone who was harmed during their time in Scouting. We are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our programs to harm innocent children,” Roger Mosby, president and chief executive officer, said in the statement. “While we know nothing can undo the tragic abuse that victims suffered, we believe the Chapter 11 process — with the proposed Trust structure — will provide equitable compensation to all victims while maintaining the BSA’s important mission.”
By going through bankruptcy, the Boy Scouts will reorganize to rid itself of debts, including lawsuits, Mertz said. Mertz estimates the bankruptcy window will close within several months, extinguishing the organization’s future liability for abuse cases, and allowing it to continue to operate.
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Hurley McKenna & Mertz have been involved in more than 300 legal actions involving scout abuse, and have seven pending cases in Illinois. Last year, according to court records and the Jury Verdict Reporter, the Boy Scouts paid $89 million to resolve the firm’s 16 cases involving Thomas Hacker, who admitted molesting hundreds of boys over decades before he died in prison in 2018.
Victims with current claims, however, may see their cases resolved at a faster speed. In Illinois, the statute-of-limitation requires case-by-case decisions. Illinois also has favorable statutes for abuse victims, Mertz said.
"It’s well known that abuse victims require decades before they’re able to come forward. There are people who have been abused in the last several years who are not able to speak about their abuse. Those people will be without any legal remedy,” he said.
Similar previous cases have shown how such cases can work. Facing numerous claims of sex abuse, both the Congregation of Christian Brothers and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee filed for bankruptcy and paid millions of dollars to settle hundreds of claims of abuse.
In both cases, McKenna said, the judge set a time frame for victims to submit a claim. The court also determined compensation for victims based on factors such as the age of the victim, the length and severity of the abuse, and the extent to which the organization knew about the abuse.
The Pathway to Adventure Council, which is based in Chicago and oversees scouting activities in much of the area, issued a statement on its website Tuesday emphasizing that the council has not filed for bankruptcy.
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“Our Council is legally separate, distinct and financially independent from the national organization,” council CEO Jeff Isaac wrote. “In short, we expect no changes to the local Scouting experience in the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana area."
He also called scouting “safer than ever before.”
Nick Roberts, CEO of the Northeast Illinois Council, which covers Chicago’s north suburbs, issued a similar statement stressing that the local councils, which provide programs, money and facilities to local scouts, should be unaffected by the bankruptcy.
“Meetings and activities, district and council events, other Scouting adventures and countless service projects are taking place as usual,” Roberts wrote. “In short, there should be no change to the local Scouting experience.”
jvillagomez@chicagotribune.com
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Twitter @JessicaVillag
Twitter @RobertMcCoppin


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--Police release photo of man wanted for questioning in attack on 3-year-old girl in River North resta

Police release photo of man wanted for questioning in attack on 3-year-old girl in River North restaurant

The man is suspected of pulling the girl into a stall of a restaurant bathroom near the 600 block of @ @ @ @ @ a.m. and touching her in an inappropriate manner , police said .

Chicago police say they have made an arrest after releasing surveillance images of a man suspected of sexually assaulting a 3-year-old girl in a River North restaurant earlier this week.
The man is suspected of pulling the girl into a stall of a restaurant bathroom near the 600 block of North Clark Street about 8:20 a.m. Monday and touching her in an inappropriate manner, police said.
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Chicago police release surveillance photo of suspect in attack on girl in River North restaurant.
The girl was taken to Lurie Children's Hospital.
Detectives were questioning the man Wednesday morning but no charges have been announced.
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Check back for updates.


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--Former Chicago special education teacher charged with sex assault of 8th grade student

She invited him to her home and provided instructions on how to get there by bus , prosecutors said .
@ @ @ @ @ gave him tea laced with marijuana and cannabis gummy bears , according to prosecutors .
@ @ @ @ @ and she sexually assaulted him and he wanted to leave , so he told her @ @ @ @ @ , after which she texted him not to tell anyone about what happened , prosecutors @ @

A former Chicago Public Schools special education teacher has been charged with sexually assaulting a teenage boy who was in eighth grade at the school where the woman taught, officials said.
Sara Damyan, 33, of the 600 block of West Irving Park Road, was ordered held Tuesday on $150,000 bond by Cook County Judge Susana Ortiz. Her attorney said she had turned herself in at Belmont Area Police Headquarters about 10 a.m. Monday after learning she was wanted and she was charged with criminal sexual assault of a victim between ages 13 and 17. Prosecutors said he was 14 and in eighth grade, although police said he was 13; he was not a student of Damyan’s but attended the school where she taught, according to prosecutors.
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Sara Damyan, 33, a former Chicago special education teacher, faces charges of criminal sexual assault of a 13-year-old boy. (Chicago Police Department)
The assaults happened at a home in the 2400 block of North Kedzie Avenue between Jan. 15 and March 8, 2019, police said. Prosecutors said the home was where Damyan lived.
Damyan offered to tutor the boy and other students after school and often brought the group snacks and gave her cellphone number to them, prosecutors said. After someone required to report suspected abuse alerted school personnel in March 2019 to the relationship, which included Damyan providing marijuana to the student, the office of the inspector general for the Chicago Board of Education launched an investigation.
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The investigation turned up some 12,000 communications between the student and Damyan, most of which were text messages and about 100 of which were phone calls, some made to the student’s home, prosecutors said.
When allegations were “brought to the attention of school leadership and district officials in March” 2019 the Board of Education removed Damyan from her position working with students and launched an investigation, said James Gherardi, a spokesman for the Chicago Public Schools.
The teen started to share his feelings with Damyan, who eventually told the boy she liked him, prosecutors said. The boy had reservations about the age difference at first, but later told her he thought they should “go out together,” prosecutors said.
She invited him to her home and provided instructions on how to get there by bus, prosecutors said. When he arrived, she gave him tea laced with marijuana and cannabis gummy bears, according to prosecutors. The two watched a movie and she sexually assaulted him and he wanted to leave, so he told her he had to go home, after which she texted him not to tell anyone about what happened, prosecutors said.
The next day, the boy again went to her home and watched a movie and again he was sexually assaulted, prosecutors said. He again felt uncomfortable and left, prosecutors said.
Later, Damyan told a friend that the teen was her boyfriend and told the friend they had sex, according to prosecutors. She brought a teddy bear to the friend’s house and said she used a small hole in the stuffed animal to sneak marijuana vape pens onto school property, where she would smoke with the student she’d called her boyfriend, according to prosecutors. The friend, who was in a job that required reporting illegal activity involving minors, shared the information with the school, prompting the investigation.
Damyan had been employed as an elementary-level special education teacher at the Alessandro Volta School, 4950 N. Avers Ave., until September of last year, according to a database of Chicago public schools teachers. She did not appear on a subsequent school teaching roster and Gherardi said her employment ended that month and she had not been in a classroom setting since the investigation was launched in March.
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Chicago Tribune’s Megan Crepeau and Hannah Leone contributed.
kdouglas@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @312BreakingNews


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--Tech hub 1871 acquires Illinois Technology Association in bid to better support tech companies. ‘It’

Tech hub 1871 acquires Illinois Technology Association in bid to better support tech companies. ‘It’s an opportunity to connect all the dots.’

1871 , which was co-founded by J.B. Pritzker in 2012 , offers programming and support for startups and helps connect @ @ @ @ @ those early stage companies exposure to a larger audience .
Illinois Technology Association , or @ @ @ @ @ larger companies that have 25 to 1,000 employees and are trying to grow .

Illinois Technology Association employees Abbey Kwiat, center left, Jessica Hughes and their colleagues get a tour of Chicago tech hub 1871 on Feb. 18, 2020, at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago after it was announced that ITA has been acquired by 1871. ITA's seven employees will join 1871′s team of 25. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago’s marquee tech hub, 1871, has acquired Illinois Technology Association in an effort to broaden the resources available to its member tech companies.
1871, which was co-founded by J.B. Pritzker in 2012, offers programming and support for startups and helps connect them to corporations, giving those early stage companies exposure to a larger audience. Illinois Technology Association, or ITA, focuses on slightly larger companies that have 25 to 1,000 employees and are trying to grow.
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“For us, it’s a total complement,” said Betsy Ziegler, CEO of 1871. “We’ve got different memberships and it’s an opportunity to connect all the dots.”
ITA’s members could benefit from connecting with 1871′s corporate partners, or tap into some of its programming for founders, said outgoing CEO Julia Kanouse.
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“There’s a lot that we do for growth-stage companies that could really enhance and accelerate the startup experience as well,” she said.
ITA will move out of its home in the Civic Opera Building and into 1871′s space at Merchandise Mart. ITA’s seven employees will join 1871′s team of 25.
Ziegler will be CEO of the combined organization. Kanouse stepped down as ITA’s CEO at the end of December.
The deal, which closed Tuesday, was a merger of assets between the two nonprofits, Kanouse said. 1871 assumed the assets and liabilities of ITA.
A common area at 1871, the tech hub and co-working space, is seen Feb. 18, 2020, at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
1871 has about 1,500 members, including corporations, venture capitalists and startup founders. ITA was founded in 2005 and has about 450 members, Kanouse said.
The nonprofits are two among many tech incubators and organizations that offer startup resources in Chicago. Others focus on specific industries and do not necessarily overlap with the resources 1871 and ITA offer.
Still, Kanouse said the acquisition could lessen confusion about where to go for support in Chicago’s tech industry.
“This consolidation is helpful in providing a little bit more streamlined support,” she said. “So there’s less of, ‘Where do I go for that again?’”
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amarotti@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @AllyMarotti


chicagotribune--2020-02-18--Chicago leaders blast Trump plan to bring in border agents as effort to intimidate immigrants, hurt

Chicago leaders blast Trump plan to bring in border agents as effort to intimidate immigrants, hurt census count

Households across the country will start to receive mail by March 12 from the U.S. Census Bureau with instructions on @ @ @ @ @ questionnaire by phone , mail or internet .
Workers hired by the federal agency will @ @ @ @ @ ’ t responded on their own by April , according to the bureau .
In @ @ @ @ @ already started knocking on doors , trying to inform residents about the decennial count and @ @ @ @ @ people need help filling out the questionnaire .

U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx were among local politicians who spoke out Feb. 18, 2020, against a new immigration enforcement initiative announced by the Trump administration. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
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Chicago politicians and immigrant advocates vowed to push back against plans by President Donald Trump’s administration to deploy tactical units from the southern border to strengthen immigration enforcement in Chicago and other so-called sanctuary cities.
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U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García contended the timing of the initiative was intended to “instill fear” in immigrants not just about deportation but about participating in the 2020 census.
“The timing is no accident,” García said at a news conference Tuesday. “The attempted intimidation has a clear purpose: It is to intimidate our neighbors who are Latino, African American, Asian American communities in particular, not to open their doors. Trump succeeds if we do that. Trump wants us to be undercounted in our communities so that we would lose federal resources and services that are vital to our communities and weaken our political power.”
Households across the country will start to receive mail by March 12 from the U.S. Census Bureau with instructions on how to fill out the questionnaire by phone, mail or internet. Workers hired by the federal agency will start visiting households that haven’t responded on their own by April, according to the bureau. In Chicago, community organizations have already started knocking on doors, trying to inform residents about the decennial count and to figure out how many people need help filling out the questionnaire.
Outreach groups doing work around the 2020 census had already expressed concern about the willingness of immigrants to participate because of Trump’s attempt to include a citizenship question. The questionnaire will not ask anyone about their immigration status.
The new enforcement tactic and the response by local officials marked an escalation of the long-running conflict between the Trump administration and leaders of cities like Chicago, where state and local laws prohibit police from assisting in immigration enforcement or from stopping anyone because of their immigration status.
“We will not be bullied, period, especially by a bully like President Trump who trades in hatred and scare tactics,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a video she released following news last week about the new enforcement effort. “To all our neighbors and friends, I want you to know that Chicago stands with you and will always fight to keep you safe. We are a welcoming city and proud of it, and no amount of vitriol will make us think otherwise.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials told The New York Times last week that the agency will divert 100 officers to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in cities around the country “in order to enhance the integrity of the immigration system, protect public safety, and strengthen our national security.”
In Chicago, ICE officials previously said arrests are down in the area because state and local officials are no longer cooperating with them. An ICE official earlier this year said the agency no longer has access to databases in Illinois that it previously used to track noncitizens, and local jails denied more than 1,000 detainers the agency issued during fiscal 2019.
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Federal officials have also argued that the lack of cooperation has led to a greater public risk, leading to collateral arrests or costing residents more if the person gets arrested again.
But García described the administration’s latest move as a “radical departure” for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said the fear of ICE has already deterred victims of violent crime from showing up in court out of fear that immigration enforcement officers could be waiting for them outside the courthouse.
Foxx said that’s why her office joined the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights in suing the Trump administration over the “public charge” rule, which could deny green cards to immigrants in the country legally who receive a form of public aid.
While the U.S. Supreme Court in January allowed the Trump administration to move forward with the new rule, an injunction in Illinois remains in effect. The county’s federal lawsuit is still pending as of this week.
“Our office will be going to the Supreme Court once again to fight to make sure that these racist policies don’t take hold,” Foxx said at the news conference.
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At the state level, advocates are pushing for legislators to pass a bill that would further prevent local officials from cooperating with ICE, said Mony Ruiz-Velasco, executive director of the PASO West Suburban Action Project
As they did last year when Trump warned of a crackdown on those without legal residency, immigrant advocates are also promoting a know-your-rights campaign, advising people not to open their doors or speak to federal agents, to have a safety plan in place and to ask during a traffic stop if the officer is local or federal.
“Chicagoans have heard these threats before from the Trump administration," the National Immigrant Justice Center said in a release. "As a legal service organization committed to defending our Chicago neighbors, NIJC’s message to communities remains the same: Everyone in the United States, including undocumented immigrants, has rights under the U.S. Constitution. “We encourage families to ... prepare for a potential encounter with immigration officers and understand their rights.”
Emma Lozano, a community activist, called for the community to stand together, pointing out that many people lived in so-called mixed status households, meaning some family members could be living in the country illegally while others are U.S. citizens.
“We must prepare ourselves by knowing our rights,” Lozano said, as she urged people to register to vote and participate in the census.
Garcia said Tuesday that he had not heard of any sightings so far of the specialized units in cities like Chicago.
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emalagon@chicagotribune.com