>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight.

Black voices, I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

chaos.

Cook County officials are calling out federal immigration agents amid ramped up enforcement operations.

And what federal cuts to minority serving colleges could mean for local students.

And a historic life and career in politics.

We revisit our conversation with former senator from Illinois, Carol Moseley Braun on her memoir.

>> First off tonight, Cook County officials are calling out federal immigration agents for using what they say are deceptive tactics amid an immigration crackdown.

>> Local leaders and community organizers say ICE agents are refusing to provide identification or even warrants in some instances.

County commissioners today introduced a resolution asking agencies to notify commissioners of enforcement activity on county property or facilities like court houses.

>> Now than ever, we must keep strong lines of communication open between local government and community.

And commissioners of the presence of ICE agents means that we can connect directly to folks on the ground.

Was mission is to inform to educate and to protect.

>> Federal officials have argued sanctuary policies, quote, protect criminals over the safety of American communities.

Federal education authorities are threatening to withhold grant money from Chicago Public schools.

That's unless the district agrees to drop its black students.

success plan and revise policies related to transgender students.

The letter sent by the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights to the Chicago Board of Education.

President Sean Harden argues the initiative is, quote, textbook racial discrimination.

The district's black student success plan aims to bring in more black teachers, reduce suspensions against black students promote teaching on black culture, increase belonging and close opportunity gaps.

The CPS spokesperson says the district would not comment on ongoing investigations.

For more on this story, please visit our website.

Women being held in the state's Logan Correctional Center have filed several federal lawsuits as part of a mass action alleging an ongoing crisis of assault and harassment.

Uptown People's Law Center and the Chicago Alliance Against Exploitation or case say 7 women are plaintiffs in the case that also claims they experienced retaliation when attempting to report the abuse allegedly committed by correctional officers.

Filings show from 2021 to 2025.

85 complaints regarding staff on prisoner abuse were filed at Logan, but only 6 resulted in any disciplinary action and even fewer in criminal prosecution or removal.

Logan is the state's main women's prison about 3 and a half hours southwest of Chicago.

The state's first West Nile related death has happened in Cook County, state and county.

Public health officials say the man was in his early 60's and testing confirms the mosquito-borne virus was a contributing factor in his death.

They're also warning residents that the risk of West Nile virus in suburban Cook County remains high.

So far a Cook County has recorded.

33 cases of West Nile virus almost twice the number of cases last year.

>> And 22 of those 33 have been neuro invasive, meaning the central nervous system was affected.

Idph reminds residents to reduce standing water around homes and to use up a registered insect repellent when outdoors.

>> The North Siders are playoff bound.

The Chicago Cubs clinched a spot in the postseason this afternoon in 8 to 4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The team currently holds the top wild card spot.

The division is still in play, but Milwaukee Brewers have comfortable lead with 11 days left in the season.

It is the first time the Cubs have reached the playoffs since 2020.

And on a programming note, we had hoped to be joined tonight by Karen Freeman.

Wilson, a co-chair of the city's Budget Task Force.

But she is canceled.

We hope to have her on in the coming weeks.

Up next, what federal cuts to minority-serving colleges could mean for Chicago area students.

>> Chicago tonight, black voices he's made possible in part by the support of these donors.

>> Some local colleges are up next in the Trump administration's wave of federal funding cuts.

The Education Department is cutting 500 million dollars in grants to universities predominantly serving students of color known as minority serving institutions.

The move is part of the president's efforts to crack down on diversity initiatives.

Joining us to discuss this are the Scot president of Chicago State University and on Zoom, Joyce, Esther, President of Governors, State University.

And Prairie State College President Michael Anthony, thanks to all 3 of you for joining us.

So all of your schools are pb eyes predominantly black institutions, meaning at least 40% of your students, black.

The Trump administration is saying that they are cutting the spending because schools like yours, quote, racially discriminate to meet government government mandated quotas in the back is unconstitutional presidency.

Scott, what do you make of what the department is doing?

First of all, our status as a predominately black institution is one that we received from the Department of Education.

>> Each year we have to recertify that status.

And like you said, it requires that 40% of our student population is black.

But it goes on to say that at least 50% of those students have to be low income or first generation.

And that's your institution's ability to support those students cannot meet if that financial calculation, that means you have the resources to support those students.

We were certified this year by the Department of Education under this administration has a pbi and we have grants from the Department of Education that are that are predominantly black institution grants what it means.

So our students and what it means to all students who are people, all institutions that are pb eyes that we are at risk.

There was a recognition in federal law that this category of students required significant.

That special support.

And that was in legislation that was championed by Senator Barack Obama, Representative Danny Davis in the House.

And when the legislation was passed, it was passed to enlarge grant opportunities for predominantly black institutions and the Department of Education is describing the this minimum requirements in order receive this designation.

40% for black students.

>> Describing this as a quota, would you classify your enrollment that way?

No, I would not classify it as a quota.

I would classify as leveling the playing field.

Many of our coming from underserved populations and schools that had a difficult time preparing them for college.

This is a grant to the institution and not to the student and therefore, I do not view it discrimination.

I view it the sort of the calculation it's questionable.

They have not attacked the legislation, but they have attacked the institutions.

>> Well, the President Anthony Prairie State College.

How much of your schools budget relies on on federal funding in this particular designated pbi funding?

Thank you so much for a portion of our budget.

>> for does not believe arch, but it is critical to continue the support for the students.

And want to be really clear about this notion of quotas is so troubling because we are community college.

So it's important differentiate many colleges Collins on all.

when clothing for both these are students.

These are your citizens, statements that are in this community Jews come ready walk.

Students are from the south which are going in region.

This is not a quota of this is to So that actually tied PPI.

happy be its But the government away to other students That's how we get the most.

>> Same question to President.

Esther, I know you are newish to the job compared to your colleagues, but how much of your schools budget would you say relies on this kind of federal funding and what it means for your school?

>> Yeah, my answer would be very much the same.

And again, thank you.

And newish meeting as of But I would agree with Dr Anthony that it really is about the students we serve.

It's not about recruiting.

It's about meeting the needs of area and the students who have unmet needs the students who have maybe not have been served in our society early are on.

And so they need these extra supports.

And we're also talking about not just about race, but we're talking about the impact of poverty, the impact of other in other kinds of.

Things that manifest in their educational system.

And so for me, I think that it is unfortunate.

And I really agree with what doctor that just gotta said is that it is about leveling the playing field is not about having someone get something extra.

It's about making sure that all the students get what they need.

>> We talked about this, you know, just a little bit of President Anthony, you know, what was original intent of these designations of, you know, designating schools as minority serving institutions sending more funding that way as a result.

>> Door in face of the part of education that not saying that, but it does.

It makes them sick.

I think as a as a leader higher education.

But also I thought representatives it is a very, very clean efficient way identify where students need to.

Close services are popular where there were there school.

Again, idea that this effort we are pushing stocks in this aside certain photo, certain that, does it.

It doesn't make sense.

It's not particularly college level.

We're we're open enrollment institution and yet lots of seats to it.

So they're more more to students to come here.

All that It.

It does a lot of designation quickly identifies.

We are some of our students who by populations him to it, too.

But it is for the buck or any >> According to post-secondary National Policy Institute, Illinois has the second highest concentration of predominantly black colleges.

Second to Georgia on data from the Department of Chicago state student body is 76% black and 7% Hispanic prairie state students are 54% black and 23% Hispanic.

Governor State is 41% black and 20% Hispanic President Scott, I mean, you know, we just heard President Anthony discuss it a bit as well.

How is it that that you're universities that your schools end up with this enrollment with the student body with I want a concentration, but you have your predominately black sea have a large and woman in black schools and some black students excuse me and some Hispanic in your case.

So we're located on the south side of Chicago and we are largely your commute, commuter campus.

So our campus attracts students living with coat that are close to Chicago State University.

>> And that is primarily black.

We did not start out this way.

We started out as a teacher's college, but through changing demographics in our neighborhoods, we became predominately black and that happening around the 1960's.

So then who the students who attend Chicago State come within a certain radius up a radius of the institution.

And so you mentioned, you know, that's shift began to happen in the 60's because I found it interesting that last week the administration >> eliminated this particular funding for in a size, right, minority serving institutions.

And then this week touted.

But it is diverting 500 million dollars to HBC use historically black colleges and universities.

Those founded before 1964. as well as tribally controlled school's president.

Esther, what do you make of that shift in funding?

>> I'm not really sure what to make of the funding because both designations, whether it be HBC use whether PPP eyes, all of us for all of the things that we've been saying already.

Our students want and need and deserve the services that we provide for them.

And so I think movie coming of the dollars out of the PP eyes were ages size into HBC use.

It just really feels like you're moving things around the test board instead of really addressing the 2 needs that we have.

>> President Anthony, we've got just a couple of seconds left.

Would you describe, you know, any difference isn't in what the school's offer HBC use versus any in the site.

>> If they offer range wonderful things populations of patients use out of the store.

But that solution type of this to show they are.

offer our research go to programs that But the reality is that act as to what why didn't the slice down?

It's to take one area to other.

Even though and she a start widen the circle she does.

>> Okay.

best of luck to each of you as you work through this.

My thanks to president says the Scott Michael Anthony enjoys Esther, thanks you Thank you for having us.

Thank you.

Up next, we revisit our conversation with former senator from Illinois, Carol Moseley Braun on her new memoir.

Carol Moseley Braun is making waves in the push for more diverse leaders in politics.

Her historic election in 1993 as the country's first black woman senator shuttled her into the national and cultural spotlight from her stint in the Illinois General Assembly to serving as the ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa Moseley Braun made a journey through the ranks, but not without some obstacles along the way.

She reveals how she broke through barriers in her new memoir, Trailblazing Perseverance in Life and Politics.

Bless you.

Joining us now is the book's author herself, Carol Moseley Braun.

Ambassador, Welcome back, Chicago, thank Guys is pleasure to be here.

Congrats on the book.

Of course, there have been decades of news coverage books chronicling your historic rise in politics.

Why did you want to toe your story this way?

People kept asking me when write a book, this is my first.

So it just made sense to do it.

Now.

I'm still here.

Are there other books in the works for you think?

I don't think so.

I mean, that's question.

This which with this one.

And then you write a second wind to clear that up.

>> All you open up in this book, of course, about your own personal struggles from finding out and dealing with dyslexia in law school.

Not a great time to growing up under an abusive alcoholic.

Father.

share those struggles now?

was part of my story and actually out.

My was killed all but he was troubled troubled.

And and and >> it was a difficult childhood and that that is wouldn't tell the truth about all that.

>> Describe that childhood and how how that impacted you have that influence to.

He would sometimes very violent and between my brother, my brother, this is just but primarily me because I was the right.

>> And so you know, I'd survive that.

And that's when the reason for the subtext of perseverance, you know, survived being beat up as a child.

You know, truly the clearly that impact on you for the rest of your life.

But I came through that and maybe that was the grounding for all the rest of the you know, can you?

Well, I got to the >> Yeah.

He was a musician.

And you talk about, you him playing the piano and there are certain tones are certain certain pieces that you would hear him play that would sort of, you know, foretell what you and your siblings knew what was coming.

He became his family.

What family of musicians they came from.

New Orleans and and they played like he played 7 instruments and spoke 5 languages for the man was one way is news.

But on the other end, he beat family.

Was Trump can.

Yeah, you say in your book that, you know, those challenges at one point being, you know, they took a toll on your self-esteem and your confidence.

You know, the dyslexia as well.

>> How do you think you overcame all of that?

>> Perseverance sub Texas of book, subtitle of Them.

And and So You just take one foot front of the net, the other and it just keep doing what you think is right.

And, you know, come come on time.

>> From reading the book, it seems to me like that perseverance comes from the people who raised you that the ancestors who came before you.

That's right.

>> My mother, my mother was great influence.

She she say do the best job you can where you plant it.

And so that was that became a really a signal for me.

Just 2 were hard at whatever it was that I was doing and tried to the best.

And that was best expression of who I was and and made a difference.

>> You came of age during the civil rights movement, of course, got involved in some of that activism.

What were some of the influences that shaped your involvement social justice at a young age?

You're even there that day at Market Park with Dr King right?

>> You know, back to London right?

He he he was actually because he was such he's difficult man.

But he added a very keen intellect and among the things he did was introduce pain too.

They did.

The principles behind the label may be a movement.

When I was coming up.

So between support for labor support for civil rights and the other than less and that he imparted.

I was it was there was no that was for me.

But be active.

>> Many people that, you know, for your, you know, decades long work in politics from the Illinois General Assembly to the Senate.

That's how people remember you a lot.

But you say in your book that your career in politics was actually accidental you get into well as 2 parts.

Actually.

One was the bottling >> In Jackson Park and I joined protests because the park is going to tear down trees, down in an area that had been a populated by little rights birds from South Carolina.

And somewhere there's a picture of you.

I have bonded.

But anyway, Park district do by Billings.

So I was protesting trying to protect about wings and that was one.

But the second thing was that I had actually run for office before I'm on the Whaley added knows I was gonna be my future path.

But when I was in college, Iran fits I was secretary of the Day Action party running for.

>> The the student government leadership.

And so I did that.

I did.

That had no idea at the time.

That was a What I was gonna go for that with my to be more running for you?

Yeah.

>> You know, later on, of course you you end up sort of struggling the balance of raising a family along with your dedication to public service, which is, of course, something that many working parents are familiar with.

Do you think that there are often no different expectations for women and mothers in particular in public service still are.

>> Absolutely footing to cause.

When my son met who I adore was little he was asked, what did your mother do?

He's he's as well she goes.

Meetings and meetings have already to that So of but yeah, no, it was.

was it was important to do back to my mother.

Do the best you can.

planned it being a mother was important to me.

And so I want to do the I could with him.

How do you think you did that?

That accident my magnificent.

He is one I hope is that this in Canada the link is not yet.

Now he's he's wonderful and he takes good care of me.

And he is he I could I mean, designs.

Cousin of blessed to have gotten this wonderful son and one of her family in spite of myself, I tried, but I I'm sure of bills >> As the first black woman senator, you were often scrutinized for your appearance for your personality.

But you, of course, want to be known for the subject of your work, the service that you're there for How did you navigate that scrutiny on Capitol Hill?

I didn't do very well.

I didn't win reelection, but I think if along I think it out.

>> All I could do was my job.

And if focus in on doing that, I'd be fine.

And then that turned out Ike.

I was I am you know, not crazy with any was that scrutiny was ever hopeful.

A lot of times.

Yes, it was.

But I don't well on that.

That's part of perseverance them have to take that step and put it over there somewhere.

And since is a step out goes away, if will.

You know, use Gavin, you can't let the naysayers.

You can bet that the negative things derail you after pat.

And so and I never did.

I just kept folks Well, it's going to take advice from Marge Simpson.

and you know, as we mentioned, there are some bumps along the way.

Of course, there was the Medicaid disclosure just before your election to the Questions raised by your visits to Nigeria.

There was reporting about high staff turnover when you were in your Senate office.

>> How do you reflect on the mistakes you've made the lessons you learned, the criticism he received back Washington and then a job with my press relations going one.

>> I mean, that's kind of fundamental.

I mean, that's pretty obvious because I didn't I did not do a very good job of.

Communicating what I was doing.

That was a focus my job.

I was focused on passing legislation as focus on being the best senator.

I could.

And I think, yeah, I think I succeeded at that.

I passed most of the bills that filed and I was represent my state.

It was job because in such diverse in such a huge state with diverse bag, everything from Chicago, too little town, Chicago to agriculture.

You got everything in the state and so I I had make sure that everybody got the attention they deserve and they need.

And that's what attracted to.

>> There are I want to talk about today a little bit because there are 2 black women who are running for U.S.

Senate now, representative supported both of Representative Robin Kelly of course, Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton.

What would it mean to you with either one of them, you know, should end up winning and becoming the second black woman to represent Illinois.

Well, the news is that I'm, you know, fielded you knew the first.

But you don't want to be the last.

>> So I would be wonderful we get a woman like from Illinois, a black woman like from the state, I'd be delighted.

What does it say that it will have been 20 plus years?

I'm not map incorrectly.

30 plus years.

Yes, the first woman did it you did.

You know it was it says that midst sexism sometimes hard overcome and raisins.

>> And I don't know why that's so it's just awful.

A man sitting for hours we could for through But the fact the matter is that that the idea electing a woman is harder for some people and the idea of electing a black person or person of color and by that.

So it is historical and social and cultural, et But I think I think good thing for our state.

Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, congrats on the book.

Thank you so much for joining us.

question.

>> Again, the book is called Trailblazer Perseverance in Life and Politics.

We're back with more right after this.

And that's our show for this Wednesday night.

Don't forget, you can get Chicago tonight streamed on Facebook, YouTube and our Web site W T Tw Dot com Slash News.

You can also get the show be a podcast.

And the PBS video app and join us tomorrow night at 5.30, in 10.

It's finally happening after years of anticipation, Chicago River swim is set to take place this weekend.

What to expect at the inaugural event?

Now for all of us here in Chicago tonight, black voices.

I'm Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> Closed captioning is made possible.

I Robert a and Clifford law offices, a