Raoul suggests underfunding of his office could make winning legal battles against Trump harder

Illinois attorney general says his office needs more state investment from state to do its job

By NIKOEL HYTREK
Capitol News Illinois
nhytrek@captiolnewsillinois.com

Article Summary 

• Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Tuesday discussed the difficulty of working with the federal government at a City Club of Chicago event. He cited federal immigration enforcement efforts and withheld funding as reasons for the strained relationship. 

• Despite the issues, Raoul said his office is standing up for Illinoisans by suing the federal government to reverse its actions and reclaim money owed to the state. 

• Although the attorney general’s office has been successful in many lawsuits against the Trump administration, Raoul lamented his office didn’t receive new funding compared to last year.

This summary was written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul says his office was underfunded by $10 million in the latest budget, and that could make it more difficult to fight legal battles against the Trump administration while still fulfilling its enforcement duties in the state.

Raoul spoke at a Tuesday event at the City Club of Chicago about the challenges of working with a federal government that has been hostile at times to Illinois. He also touted some of the state’s legal victories against the Trump administration and his efforts to work with the federal government on other issues.

But despite achievements that many legislative Democrats and the governor often celebrate, state lawmakers appear not to have rewarded Raoul’s team with increased funding.

“We can't do this type of work without adequate investment, and, you know, unfortunately, at approximately 3 a.m. in the morning a week ago Monday, we were shorted about $10 million from what our overall appropriation was for FY26 and I can't imagine why,” he said.

The attorney general’s office is funded by multiple sources in the budget. This year the total comes out to $184.5 million between all funds. Last year, the total funding amount was $194.5 million. 

The state budget passed on June 1 closely matches how much the state is expected to spend by the end of the current fiscal year on June 30, meaning the whole budget is essentially flat.

“I've been aggressive about going to the legislature in the seven and a half years that I've been in office to appeal for investment in this office,” he said. “Over the course of my seven and a half years, for every dollar of General Revenue Funds spent on the attorney general's office, we return $21. Anybody who has that in their portfolio is rich.” 

Last year, the General Assembly awarded the attorney general’s office $15 million more in operational expenses to compensate for the heavier workload.

In addition to representing Illinois in court, the attorney general’s office enforces multiple state laws dealing with issues like consumer protection, victim assistance, civil rights, and more.

Increased workload

Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025 and unleashed federal immigration agents in states, Illinois has navigated a more-difficult relationship between the state and federal governments.

Raoul said that hostility sometimes gets in the way of work to pursue drug and gun trafficking, child sexual abuse material, and organized retail crime. Cracking down on those crimes is normally a collaboration between the state and the federal government, he said.

The hostility has led to more work for Raoul’s office. Between the start of Trump’s term and April 2026, the AG’s office filed 63 lawsuits against the Trump administration. Most of the cases dealt with federal funds being withheld, protecting money for critical Illinois programs.

“Not a single lawsuit have we filed because of a policy difference with the president of the United States or with the federal government,” Raoul said. “Every lawsuit we filed, we filed because what he (Trump) was trying to do, he was doing illegally and unconstitutionally.”

Raoul said the hostile dynamic was clearest in September 2025 with Operation Midway Blitz, the Trump administration’s Chicago-focused mass deportation campaign, and attempts to deploy the National Guard in city streets.

He said Illinois won the U.S. Supreme Court case to block Trump from deploying the National Guard to Chicago because the federal government overstepped during Midway Blitz with the often-violent tactics federal agents used to arrest people suspected of being in the country illegally. 

“Its reach was far beyond just a question of immigration enforcement or crime,” Raoul said. “It’s whether we're going to embrace a sort of an authoritarian approach of giving one man the ability to turn the country's military against whoever he wishes based on whatever he perceives.”

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Illinois in the National Guard case in December.

Ultimately, Raoul said, lawsuits against the federal government have protected $8.6 billion in federal funding for Illinois. That includes money for childcare, disaster recovery and preparation, public health, scientific and medical research, and more. 

Despite the difficult relationship, Raoul said Illinois has been able to work with federal law enforcement in some cases to successfully combat retail theft and online crimes against children.  

“We have continued through all of this sort of conflict to collaborate on fighting crime, and it's something that should be applauded for these respective leaders,” he said.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

 Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul receives a round of applause during the governor’s 2026 budget address in February for his efforts suing the Trump administration. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)

10K Illinois noncitizens to lose Medicaid coverage due to federal changes

State lawmakers pass bill that implements these new federal restrictions

By PETER HANCOCK
Capitol News Illinois
phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com

Story Summary

• Last year, as part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” Congress cut off Medicaid eligibility to nearly all groups of noncitizens except lawful permanent residents, effective Oct. 1.

• To comply with the new federal rules, state lawmakers passed legislation implementing that change in the state’s Medicaid program.

• The change will affect an estimated 10,000 people in Illinois, most of whom are lawfully present in the country on humanitarian grounds.

• Legislation that would have enabled most of those affected to keep their coverage beyond Oct. 1 stalled in the General Assembly due to budget pressures.

This summary was written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story. 

SPRINGFIELD – A bill that will soon head to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk will officially remove an estimated 10,000 people from the state’s Medicaid program, leaving them without any form of health coverage.

That group is made up mainly of people who are not U.S. citizens but who are in the country legally, according to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. That includes refugees and asylum-seekers, many of whom came to the United States with pre-existing health conditions.

“If they are enrolled, then they still have Medicaid up until Oct.  1,” Edith Avila Hesser, ICIRR’s health justice and policy director, said in an interview. “This adds to the number of uninsured populations that we have here in the state of Illinois, and so obviously we will be working to educate this community about the resources that are available to them through community clinics like FQHCs (Federally Qualified Health Centers) and free and charitable clinics available throughout the state.”

Medicaid is a public health coverage program that is jointly funded by the federal government and the states.

In 2025, Congress amended the federal eligibility rules for Medicaid with passage of H.R. 1, commonly known as President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” It removed eligibility for nearly all noncitizens except lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and migrants from certain Pacific island nations known as the Compact of Free Association.

Illinois’ Medicaid bill

In order to comply with that change in federal law, Illinois lawmakers included language in this year’s annual Medicaid omnibus bill, Senate Bill 3365, removing most groups of noncitizens from eligibility under state law. 

They include, among others, immigrants who are honorably discharged U.S. veterans and their families, refugees and asylees, noncitizens identified as victims of trafficking, Amerasians from Vietnam, and American Indians born in Canada.

“We had to make that change to comply with H.R. 1 so that we didn't put our entire Medicaid program in jeopardy,” Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, who chairs the House working group that wrote the omnibus bill, said in an interview.

Although Illinois also provides health coverage outside the Medicaid system that is funded entirely with state dollars, the language in this year’s bill specifically states that it “shall not require any category of non-citizens or part thereof to be funded at state-only cost.”

For example, in 2020, Illinois launched a program to provide Medicaid-like coverage known as Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors for noncitizens  age 65 and over, regardless of their immigration status. The following year, it expanded that program with Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults, which covered adults age 42 to 64, regardless of immigration status.

But the latter program was closed in 2025 amid budget and political pressure and enrollment in the seniors program has been limited while many of its enrollees have been shifted to other subsidized coverage programs.

Stalled programs

Illinois also participates in a limited program that provides health benefits to asylum applicants and victims of torture, trafficking and other serious crimes. And to minimize the impact of the upcoming change in eligibility rules, immigrant rights advocates introduced legislation this year to expand that program.

House Bill 4824, sponsored by Rep. Dagmara Avelar, D-Romeoville, and Senate Bill 3462, sponsored by Sen. Graciela Guzmán, D-Chicago, would have extended coverage under that program to several additional categories of noncitizens who are in the country for various humanitarian reasons. But neither of those bills was ever assigned to a substantive committee.

Moeller said budget pressures were the primary reason the bills were not considered this year, and she said that is not likely to change anytime soon.

“We're looking at enormous budget pressures next year because of the cuts in H.R. 1 to the Medicaid program, which is going to affect our overall budget,” she said. “Hopefully, at some point we can get many of the provisions that were contained in H.R. 1 overturned federally.”

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. 

State Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, speaks on her Medicaid bill on the House floor on May 31, 2026. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)

Bill creates gender-affirming, reproductive care protections for out-of-state foster placements

Republicans accuse majority party of ideological overreach

By HANNAH WEBSTER
Medill Illinois News Bureau
news@capitolnewsillinois.com

Article Summary

• During the last week of the legislative session, the Illinois legislature passed a bill that would require the Department of Children and Family Services to make special considerations of reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare before an out-of-state foster placement. 

• Youth age 8 or older would be able to object to out-of-state placements. 

• Advocates argue that the legislation will secure legal protections for Illinois children if they are placed in other states.

• Republican legislators fought the bill, arguing it infringes on other states and might deepen administrative burdens on DCFS.  

This summary was written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story.

SPRINGFIELD — A bill that would require the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to consider access to reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare before placing foster children out of state passed the legislature during the last week of session. 

The legislation, if signed into law, will require that DCFS conduct individualized risk assessments before placing a foster child in another state. The assessment would specifically consider whether the youth or their caregiver could face criminal charges for healthcare that is legal in Illinois or whether the youth would lose access to healthcare that is legal in Illinois. 

Sponsored by Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, House Bill 4966, came amid federal policy changes that complicate access to reproductive services, including abortions and gender- and sexuality-related healthcare across state lines.  It’s also known as the SECURE Act, short for Safeguards to Ensure Continuity and Uphold Rights and Equity.

“House Bill 4966 is about ensuring that the youth in the care of the state of Illinois retain the rights of residents of the state of Illinois, regardless of where we have to place them,” Cassidy said in an April committee hearing

If DCFS found that a child may struggle to obtain healthcare in an out-of-state placement, the department must document a plan to mitigate that risk, such as coordinating with out-of-state or Illinois providers. If the department cannot do so, and the child does not want to be placed in that state, DCFS must decline the placement.  

According to DCFS, 68 foster children are currently placed in other states, though the agency didn’t break that number down by age. HB 4966 would only apply to children 8 years old or older. Cassidy said it’s also about giving children a say in where they’re placed.  

“In a state like ours, where foster youth lack the vital safeguard of a statutorily guaranteed right to client-directed legal representation in abuse and neglect proceedings, Illinois foster youth are at a serious disadvantage,” she said during House floor debate. 

Often, children placed outside of Illinois are sent to live with family members, said Nora Collins-Mandeville, director of the youth & family policy project at the ACLU of Illinois. The bill does not aim to restrict out-of-state placements, Collins-Mandeville said. Instead, it requires that DCFS attempt to plan ahead and requires obtaining the child’s support for a placement when the department cannot ensure access to certain kinds of healthcare. 

“We wanted to make sure that the child has not just a voice, but that people actually are listening to that voice,” Collins-Mandeville said.” So if the child is saying, ‘I don't want to go,’ and the department can’t mitigate that risk, the department cannot place that child in that situation.”

Republican opposition

Republicans pushed back against the bill, citing overreach beyond state lines. 

“This bill is basically set up to provide conflict between Illinois' most expansive laws dealing with gender-affirming care, abortion, those kinds of things, with states that may be somewhat more restrictive,” Rep. Steve Reick, R-Woodstock, said during floor debate. 

Rep. Jed Davis, R-Yorkville, who has frequently pushed for reform at DCFS, said in an interview that the department should prioritize existing responsibilities, rather than adopting new policies.  

“Before we start shoving all of our preferred philosophical beliefs onto a department, let’s make sure they can actually get their day-to-day operation job done adequately,” Davis said.  

As a foster parent for over a decade, Davis said he supports requiring risk assessments to keep children safe, but he opposed the bill. 

“It has some really good things in there,’’ he said. But, he added, “The root underneath the bill is very ideological and trying to bring the beliefs that are happening in the dome of Springfield, and push them onto neighboring states.” 

Collins-Mandeville said opponents of the bill frequently argued that it would “export Illinois laws” to other states. However, she said, the bill is instead aimed at ensuring “an Illinois child doesn't lose access to Illinois legal protections.” 

The bill would also require DCFS to protect a child from unnecessary and unapproved disclosure of any personal information that could be linked to the child’s sexual orientation or other protected characteristics like gender. It also establishes guidelines for the department to share that information if needed. 

The bill passed both the House 35-19 and Senate 74-30 with only Democratic support in the final days of the Illinois General Assembly’s session. The bill has an immediate effective date, though some of the administrative functions and rulemaking would happen over the next two years if it’s signed by the governor. 

Hannah Webster is an undergraduate student in journalism with Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, and a fellow in its Medill Illinois News Bureau working in partnership with Capitol News Illinois.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

 State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, on the House floor in April 2026. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jenna Schweikert)

MCPD Officers Handle Nearly 500 Incidents In May

Based on the monthly activity summary released by Mt. Carmel Police Chief Erin Peach, officers responded to 493 incidents during the month of May. The report shows a wide range of law enforcement activity, including traffic enforcement, criminal investigations, security checks, and community policing efforts.

Traffic-related arrests included 11 cases involving uninsured motor vehicles, nine arrests for driving while license suspended or revoked, six registration violations, five speeding arrests, and four other moving violations.

Drug-related arrests totaled three, including one arrest each for possession of a controlled substance, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Alcohol-related arrests included two DUI cases.

Among other criminal arrests, officers reported three weapon offenses, three domestic battery arrests, two criminal damage to property cases, and one arrest each for burglary, vehicle theft, criminal trespass, and ordinance violations.

The department also issued 105 warnings, investigated eight traffic accidents, served two warrants, and handled one missing person case. Officers completed four sex assault or child abuse transfers and responded to 14 animal complaints and 13 mental health incidents.

Community policing efforts remained active, with officers conducting 68 hospital security checks, 49 residential security checks, 30 business security checks, and participating in six community relations events. The department also issued 17 new golf cart stickers, renewed eight others, and completed five new bicycle registrations.

Mayor Remembers Steven Haase, Requests Prayers for Grace Thacker

Mount Carmel Mayor Joe Judge opened Monday night’s City Council meeting by asking the community to keep two local families in their thoughts and prayers following recent tragedies involving young residents.

Judge first remembered 21-year-old Steven Haase, who lost his life in a grain bin accident last week in rural Wabash County.

The mayor described Haase as a young man who always carried a smile and never met a stranger.

Judge also extended prayers to Haase’s family, as well as the emergency responders, hospital personnel, EMTs, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and others who were involved in responding to the incident.

The grain bin emergency occurred June 1st near Friendsville Avenue and North 1550 Boulevard. Three people became trapped in a grain bin. Two were able to free themselves, while rescue crews worked for several hours to extricate Haase. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.

During the meeting, Mount Carmel Fire Chief Francis Speth thanked Patoka Township Fire and Rescue for assisting with the response. Speth said the department faced a busy morning, handling two additional calls while rescue operations were underway.

Despite the demands placed on emergency personnel, Speth said mutual aid and teamwork allowed the department to continue providing service to the community while crews remained committed to the grain bin rescue effort.

Judge also asked residents to keep Grace Thacker and her family in their prayers. Thacker was seriously injured in a separate accident within the past two weeks.

The mayor said updates shared by her family on social media indicate she is showing signs of progress in her recovery. Judge also noted that a fundraiser is being planned to help the family with expenses related to her ongoing medical care.

He encouraged the community to continue supporting both families during this difficult time.

Pool Project Making Quick Progress

Construction continues to move forward on Mt. Carmel's new aquatic center, with crews making steady progress on several key phases of the project.

At Monday afternoon's City Council meeting, Mayor Joe Judge reported that plumbing work has been completed in both the deep-end section of the pool and the splash pad area.

Judge said crews began installing rebar this week as work continues on framing the deep end. He expects the deep-end floor to be poured later this week or early next week, after which construction will shift to the pool walls.

The mayor noted that multiple crews are working in coordination on the project. As rebar installation progresses, other contractors continue staging materials and preparing for upcoming phases of construction.

Judge also reported that Garmong Construction remains active at the site and that architectural firm ADG is currently preparing a full-color rendering of the future bathhouse. The rendering is expected to provide residents with a clearer picture of what the completed facility will look like.

Meanwhile, fundraising efforts for the aquatic center continue. Judge reminded residents and businesses that sponsorship opportunities remain available, ranging from naming rights for portions of the facility to the purchase of commemorative bricks that will be incorporated into the sidewalk leading to the aquatic center.

Mt. Carmel Man Pleads Not Guilty To Various Charges

A Wabash County man charged with multiple felony sex offenses involving a child remains in custody following a court hearing Monday afternoon.

Sixty-one-year-old Terry McGee appeared in Wabash County Circuit Court for a preliminary hearing. During the proceedings, McGee told the court he had retained a private attorney, but that attorney had not yet filed an appearance in the case or appeared in court. The court noted the attorney had been in contact with Public Defender William Easton, who continues to represent McGee at this time.

Following the preliminary hearing, the court found probable cause to proceed with the case. McGee waived formal arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty to all charges.

McGee also requested pretrial release. However, after hearing additional information presented by the State, the court denied the request. The judge found McGee's continued detention is necessary to prevent a real and present threat to a specific person or the community and determined that no combination of release conditions would adequately address that threat.

McGee is charged with six counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and three counts of criminal sexual assault. According to court records, the alleged victim is under the age of 10, and the alleged offenses are reported to have occurred between January 2024 and January 2026.

All previously scheduled court dates remain in place. McGee remains lodged in the Wabash County Jail pending further proceedings.

As with all criminal cases, McGee is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Judge Explains City Code Enforcement Process

Mount Carmel Mayor Joe Judge is reminding residents that the city's tall grass enforcement process is complaint-driven and not the result of city employees actively searching for violations.

During a recent appearance on WSJD, Judge said Code Enforcement Officer Heath Reed investigates properties only after a complaint is received from a resident.

Judge noted that when a property owner receives a letter regarding tall grass, it means someone has contacted City Hall about the condition of the property. The city has an ordinance regulating grass height, but property owners are given 15 days after receiving a notice to address the issue.

The mayor explained that during periods of rapid growth, grass can become significantly taller during that 15-day window, making some properties appear worse by the time action can be taken.

Residents with concerns about tall grass, junk, debris, or standing water are encouraged to contact City Hall and request a work order or leave a message for Reed. Judge emphasized that such complaints are handled through the code enforcement process rather than by the mayor's office.

In addition to tall grass, Reed also investigates nuisance conditions that can create health and safety concerns, including standing water that may attract mosquitoes. Judge cited examples such as discarded toilets holding water and neglected swimming pools.

Judge also referenced a recent complaint involving a vacant property across from Wabash General Hospital. Because of the excessive grass height, the city proceeded with mowing the property and will bill the owner for the work.

The mayor said the city's goal is to address complaints fairly while helping maintain neighborhood appearance and public health standards.

County Board Holds Brief Meeting

Monday afternoon's meeting of the Wabash County Commissioners was a brief affair, with little business on the agenda and few county officials in attendance.

County Clerk Janet Will was the only elected county office holder present for the meeting. Treasurer Angela Broster, who was absent, was the only other office holder to submit a report.

Commission Chairman Tim Hocking reported that last week's Board of Review sessions were completed successfully, with commissioners noting the process went smoothly and most issues were resolved without difficulty.

Broster's report noted that mobile home tax bills were mailed this past Wednesday and will be due August 7th. Residents may make payments at the Treasurer's Office or use the drop box outside the courthouse. Broster also reported that excess fees totaling $38,866.40 from the 2024-25 tax cycle were transferred to the county's general fund.

Commissioners also completed their required six-month review of closed session minutes and voted to keep those records sealed.

The board heard a brief presentation from Kevin Kern regarding the Hope Trust conference scheduled for July. Kern encouraged county officials to attend sessions focused on employee health insurance and benefit costs.

In correspondence, Will reported that Animal Control handled 14 dogs, 12 skunks, nine raccoons, one snake, and one bat during May while logging 1,650 miles. She also informed commissioners that the Circuit Clerk's audit had been completed and filed with the County Clerk's Office.

With no old business and no executive session needed, the commissioners adjourned after a relatively short meeting.

MCFD Receives FEMA Funding For Turnout Equipment

The Mount Carmel Fire Department has been awarded federal funding to help replace critical firefighter safety equipment.

During the most recent City Council meeting, Fire Chief Francis Speth announced the department recently received a FEMA grant that will fund the purchase of five complete sets of turnout gear.

Speth said the grant is valued at approximately $25,700 and will provide firefighters with new protective equipment used when responding to fires and other emergency incidents.

The chief noted that receiving the gear will take some time. Firefighters must first be measured for proper sizing, and the manufacturing process is expected to take four to five months. Speth estimated it could be around six months before the new gear is delivered and placed into service.

Turnout gear includes the specialized coats, pants, boots, helmets, and other protective equipment firefighters wear while operating in hazardous conditions.

Speth said the FEMA funding will help ensure Mount Carmel firefighters have access to modern, properly fitting safety equipment without placing additional costs on local taxpayers.

The chief made the announcement as part of his report to the council and said there were no other major updates from the fire department.