Heather Cherone
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heathercherone.bsky.social
Heather Cherone
@heathercherone.bsky.social
13K followers 980 following 2.8K posts
Senior Chicago politics reporter for @wttw.bsky.social News
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How it started/How it is going
Post from Greg Bovino accusing Gov. JB Pritzker of lying and ending with “feel free to join us in Little Village tomorrow.” Governor Pritzker will give remarks at the American Legion Veterans Day Ceremony in Little Village.
November 11, 2025 at 4:41 AM
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Plow tracker … activate plow-tracker-chicago.hub.arcgis.com
A screen grab of Chicago’s plow tracker
November 10, 2025 at 3:01 AM
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Rafael Veraza said a news conference organized by the coalition Sunday afternoon that he and his wife were on the way to do their weekly grocery shopping at Sam’s Club when they heard sirens and the whistles that have become the common signal of the presence of federal agents in the area. When they realized that the big box store was at the center of the raid led by Bovino, they decided to turn around and leave the area, Veraza said. As they were attempted to leave the area, Veraza said federal agents pepper sprayed his car without warning. Since his window was rolled down, Veraza said he was hit straight in the face with the chemical agent. “We’re not protestors,” Veraza said. "We were not even attacking them.” Veraza said he did not realize that his daughter was also exposed until his wife told him to pull over. Veraza said his daughter couldn’t open her eyes and appeared to be struggling to breathe. The whole family went to get medical treatment, he said. “We were trying to leave," Veraza said. “I was minding my own business."
November 9, 2025 at 6:58 PM
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I've deleted my post with the now-incorrect information from the @chicagotribune.com, but here's a screenshot, for the record.
Screenshot of a deleted post for accountability
November 8, 2025 at 11:02 PM
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FULL STORY: Finding that federal agents repeatedly used force that “shocks the conscience” and lied about their actions, a federal judge issued a sweeping injunction designed to permanently rein in agents’ use of tear gas and pepper balls. @wttw.bsky.social
news.wttw.com/2025/11/06/f...
Protesters gather outside an ICE processing facility in the Chicago suburb of Broadview, Ill., Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. (AP Photo / Alex Brandon)
November 6, 2025 at 7:38 PM
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Third graf:
But the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications recorded that officers made an additional 210,622 stops in 2024 that were not documented as required by state law and CPD policy, making it impossible to know whether drivers’ constitutional rights were protected during those stops, as WTTW News reported in March.
November 5, 2025 at 6:51 PM
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Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling says CPD has made a "huge move" toward complying with the consent decree.
CPD's pace of compliance with the consent decree
November 5, 2025 at 6:42 PM
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A chart comparing the Chicago Police Department's budget with what it actually spent from 2019 to 2024.
November 5, 2025 at 4:10 PM
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Zohran Mamdani elected mayor of NYC
November 5, 2025 at 2:38 AM
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Edison Park is not a suburb, it is part of Chicago and folks don’t just get to declare what is and what is not part of the city
November 3, 2025 at 7:24 PM
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be well
Only the order that Bovino appear before Ellis daily was appealed by the Department of Justice.
October 31, 2025 at 9:30 PM
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Noem says nope. Screenshot from @atrupar
October 30, 2025 at 5:02 PM
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Here's Judge Ellis' full order after yesterday's hearing, which includes one change: Bovino has to appear today (and every weekday) in court at 5:45 p.m. "to account for the security needs of the Dirksen Courthouse"
The Court orders Defendants to have all Federal Agents operating in Operation Midway Blitz to place an identifier conspicuously on their uniform where one can easily view it and the Agent's equipment does not obscure it. Custom and Border Protection will strive to ensure that all CBP agents working in Operation Midway Blitz have body-worn cameras. Additionally, Defendant Bovino has agreed to have a body-worn camera assigned to him by 10/31/2025 and have completed BWC training. The Court orders Defendants to provide to the Court, under seal, all CBP use of force reports relating to Operation Midway Blitz from 9/2/2025 through 10/25/2025, by COB 10/31/2025. The Court further orders Defendants to provide to the Court, under seal, all BWC video corresponding to the use of force reports from 9/2/2025 through 10/25/2025 filed with the Court by COB 10/31/2025. The Court orders Defendants to provide to the Court, under seal, all additional CBP use of force reports and corresponding BWC video within 24 hours of finalization of the CBP reports. The Court orders Defendant Bovino to appear in court, in person, week days at 5:45 PM (modifying the Court's oral order during the hearing to account for the security needs of the Dirksen Courthouse) in courtroom 1403 to report on the use of force activities for each day. Finally, the Court orders Defendants to provide to the Court, under seal, by COB 10/31/2025 a chart containing the names, dates of arrest or detention, charges or citations, and resolution of the arrest or detention (e.g., released with charging, charged with misdemeanor, charged with felony, given summons, or given citation) for all individuals detained or arrested by CBP from 9/2/2025 through 10/29/2025 that is not directly related to an immigration enforcement violation, such as a failure to appear for an immigration appointment or an outstanding order of removal.
October 29, 2025 at 2:34 PM
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Ellis brings up this encounter: When “one federal officer, who was not wearing a body camera or any obvious visible identification shot … Enrique Bahena in the neck from five feet away with a pepper ball,” according to the court filing.
Ellis brings up this encounter: When “one federal officer, who was not wearing a body camera or any obvious visible identification shot … Enrique Bahena in the neck from five feet away with a pepper ball,” according to the court filing.
October 28, 2025 at 3:22 PM
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A silent protest welcomed those arriving for the high-stakes hearing:
A silent protest welcomed those arriving for the high-stakes hearing:
October 28, 2025 at 1:51 PM
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U.S. District Court Judge Sara Ellis prohibited federal agents from deploying tear gas and other weapons against journalists, protesters and anyone not posing an immediate threat to immigration enforcement agents in an order issued two weeks ago. If agents determine crowds pose a threat, they must issue two warnings before using tear gas and other types of chemical sprays in a case brought by the Chicago Headline Club, Chicago Newspaper Guild Local 34071, Block Club Chicago and other media organizations, according to Ellis’ order.
October 25, 2025 at 6:17 PM
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A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson referred to the Lakeview residents who confronted agents as “agitators" and said they “swarmed” agents in a statement issued Saturday morning. “The agitators obstructed federal law enforcement and ignored multiple warnings to disperse and continued to impede operations, including trying to deflate a vehicles tire,” according to the statement, which said agents acted “to protect themselves.” “Agents deployed crowd control measures to disperse the crowd and agitators began throwing objects at them.” Multiple videos of the confrontation in Lakeview show no evidence of agents issuing an order to the crowd to disperse, or warning that tear gas could be deployed. Nor do the videos show residents trying to immobilize agents' vehicles or throwing objects at the agents before the tear gas was deployed. In a separate case challenging President Donald Trump’s deployment of 700 National Guard troops to Chicago, U.S. District Court Judge April Perry said she found federal officials’ assertions that federal agents had been subjected to serious and coordinated violence by protestors “simply unreliable.”
October 25, 2025 at 3:44 PM
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Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin referred to the Little Village residents who confronted agents, which included several elected officials including Sigcho-Lopez, as “rioters.” “A large crowd of 75 to 100 rioters surrounded law enforcement who set up a perimeter after agents were boxed in by a large box truck. Rioters then shot at agents with commercial artillery shell fireworks,” McLaughlin said. Sigcho Lopez said that was false. No one shot any kind of fireworks at federal agents, he told WTTW News Friday. McLaughlin accused Little Village residents of “attacking” a van that was transporting people who had been detained during the raid. “The mob of rioters grew more hostile and violent, advancing toward agents and began throwing rocks and other objects at agents, including one that struck Chief Greg Bovino in the head,” McLaughlin said. “Border Patrol agents repeated multiple warnings to back up and that chemical agents would be deployed if warnings were ignored. Riot control measures were deployed, including by Chief Bovino, and arrests were made. Agents properly used their training. The use of chemical munitions was conducted in full accordance with (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) policy and was necessary to ensure the safety of both law enforcement and the public.” The video submitted to the federal judge does not show Bovino being struck by anything before he throws at least two canisters of tear gas. In a separate case challenging President Donald Trump’s deployment of 700 National Guard troops to Chicago, U.S. District Court Judge April Perry said she found federal officials’ assertions that federal agents had been subjected to serious and coordinated violence by protestors “simply unreliable.”
October 24, 2025 at 3:30 PM
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Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino appears to fire tear gas of at a crowd of protestors in Little Village, according to a federal court filing.
Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino appears to fire tear gas of at a crowd of protestors in Little Village, according to a federal court filing.
October 23, 2025 at 8:43 PM
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Want to know what my favorite spooky places in Chicago are? Those haunted by the ghosts of politicians — and their scandals, natch.

Sign up for @wttw.bsky.social's Daily Chicagoan and stop missing out:
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A depiction of Camp Douglas by True Williams in Harper's Weekly, April 5, 1862, courtesy Wikipedia
October 21, 2025 at 2:44 PM
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Byers is asked about ICE agents handling of members of the clergy at Broadview.

Byers says David Black, senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Chicago, shown here in a photo by Ashlee Rezin of the @chicago.suntimes.com, was given multiple orders to leave the property.
David Black, senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Chicago, shown here in a photo by Ashlee Rezin of the @chicago.suntimes.com
October 20, 2025 at 6:56 PM
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I got this wrong last night, and I've deleted that post, but here's a screenshot, for the record.
Screenshot of a deleted post for accountability
October 20, 2025 at 6:44 PM
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Ellis asks about this photo, taken by Anthony Vasquez of the @chicago.suntimes.com:
October 20, 2025 at 4:42 PM
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The Progressive Caucus huddles after Johnson’s speech
The City Council’s progressive caucus
October 16, 2025 at 4:58 PM
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Good morning from Chicago City Hall, where Mayor Brandon Johnson began his day with a pep rally with supporters to whip up enthusiasm over the proposed budget he is set to unveil within the hour. Follow along, yes? @wttw.bsky.social
Mayor Brandon Johnson and supporters rally in support of his soon to be announced budget proposal.
October 16, 2025 at 3:27 PM