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

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

The impact.

Chicago's lower homicide clearance rates have on communities.

>> We are celebrating pride out loud and we're gonna vote that.

And so we can't anymore.

>> Chicago's ballroom scene is in vogue this pride season.

>> 1986, there were only about a dozen piping plover pairs left in the Great Lakes >> and you've likely heard a lot about Chicago's piping plover is.

But why are they such a big deal?

wet Lee has the next edition of WT Tw News explains.

>> And now some of today's top stories.

Older people are holding a hearing tomorrow over the Chicago Police Department's involvement in a recent ice read at issue is whether police violated the city's welcoming city ordinance which prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities.

When officers responded to a June 4th demonstration outside an ice facility in the South Loop, federal agents had detained undocumented immigrants after they were told to check in at the facility.

Tensions escalated as immigrant advocates gathered to protest ICE agents were seen pushing some demonstrators, including some city council members.

Cpd has said its officers were at the scene for public safety reasons and not cooperating with immigration enforcement.

The city's committee on immigrant and Refugee Rights is holding that hearing tomorrow at 10:00AM.

Chicago residents are getting the opportunity to share how they think the city can address its budget shortfall in a series of round tables.

The second of which begins in less than a half hour at Malcolm X College, the first was held over the weekend at Truman.

College City officials have warned the city is facing one of the most difficult budget years in recent memory with both a billion dollar shortfall and the looming threat of federal cuts, the city says the discussions allow officials to hear directly from Chicago winds about which services and programming they think matter most and where money can be saved.

That said officials have yet to respond to Wt Tw news requests about how much it spent in overtime for the first 3 months of 2025. for more on that and the next round tables.

Please visit our website.

As the U.S. Senate considers President Trump's so-called big beautiful bill of tax breaks and spending cuts.

Local advocates are calling out how the legislation would impact Chicago area safety net hospitals among them Sinai, Chicago, where 70% of patients are on Medicaid.

>> Medicaid is a lifeline.

If the proposed cuts go through, it won't be just about numbers of people.

It will mean fewer nurses, fewer doctors, if you are more people suffering longer wait times.

And it's not just here at Sinai.

This will be true for every single community hospital and all the other hospitals will feel the effect as well.

>> Congressman Danny Davis made stops at 5 safety net hospitals that his office says serve 80% of African-Americans on the west side of Chicago.

Sinai.

Chicago says if the bill passes critical programs would be cut, disrupting essential services and potentially closing some hospitals.

The president has given Congress a 4th of July deadline to pass the 940 page Bill.

As we're street closures, take effect today for crews to set up for the 3rd annual NASCAR race downtown.

The future of the Chicago Street race is unclear.

The city and Motor Sports organization into three-year deal back in 2022.

But there's been no word yet on whether the race will return to Chicago again next year local businesses and residents initially hit the brakes on the idea because of the street closures required in such heavily trafficked areas but organizers have downshifted.

The construction is scheduled to fewer days and made other adjustments based on input from fans.

>> The festivities kick into high gear this Wednesday with the Family Fest and dinner on the track by Chicago Gourmet.

Then the races on Saturday and Sunday.

We dig into the cities, low homicide clearance rate and the disproportionate impact it's having on black and brown residents.

And later in the program, we explain why Chicago's famed piping plovers are such a big deal.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part why the Alexandria and John Nichols family.

The gym and K maybe family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these.

Don't >> For many people affected by gun violence, finding justice is an important step towards healing according to the Chicago Police Department.

56 1% of homicide cases were cleared last year, but only 23% results resulted in an arrest.

Gun violence advocates say discrepancies in reporting and poor communication with victims is leaving survivors without badly needed answers.

Joining us now, our and executive director of Illinois Rios.

an investigative reporter at that race and Delfina Cherry, a gun violence prevention advocate.

We should mention.

We also reached out to the Chicago Police Department to join us, but they declined our requests today.

I think the 3 of you for joining Retos together.

Let's start with you.

Please explain.

Clearance rates per they calculated.

clearing trades are a tricky way of calculations.

So the FBI has set a standard for how long first month should calculate these.

>> And basically what they do is that they take the number of cases of homicide cases.

Regardless of the year over the number and it happened that year.

So encompasses a lot of years beforehand.

So that kind of makes a bit tricky to see exactly what's happening year by year.

And on top of that, there's also this category called exceptional clearance.

Us and that includes and the Chicago Police Department data that we saw was barred prosecute, which are cases that.

Police had a suspect.

But then when they bought up to prosecutors, they deny them and rejected the case is something back to police either because there's a of evidence or procedural issues.

Whatever the case.

And that's a little gray area.

What happens cases and other category is up for the Thunder.

So of the suspect is thought to be dead.

Then also is clear.

So some of these cases are cleared but not solved.

>> And so cleared.

But that does not necessarily mean an But the arrests that happened as a result prosecutions, those also get calculated into the clearance rates.

But it seems like it's these other areas that that make it a little bit gray.

Yes, okay.

Your lawns of what was the impact of having low clearance rates.

>> Well, when there is no justice, you know, when survivors, those those families don't have justice, it's continued to be trauma.

Regionalization, right?

So if you are, if your loved one your child and sometimes not just one but 2 who have been lost to gun violence.

There's no victim that there's nobody brought to justice.

Then you will find that there's even more crime that happened throughout throughout the city.

Nobody is held accountable.

Then you're going to continue to see more shootings.

It.

>> If nobody is held accountable, then people who might consider committing a crime alert.

You know, why not?

What's what's the risk?

You're not gonna get caught.

Yeah.

Don't scene.

You lost 2 children to gun violence and my condolences.

I'm sorry to hear that that that that is the case.

One was solved in the other was not.

Why do you think that was?

lack of Can I say they think they're dropped the ball in my son's case.

No evidence what said was evidence.

But evidence was tainted.

They did not search for a a suspect.

So his case is spent on SA for 12 years.

Now.

feel like it was a lack.

responsibility of the police department.

I live in the suburbs on the Capitol.

municipality's to Don't.

Take it seriously that she was a loved one.

What was instance the tell us a little bit about those 2 cases, if you want your daughter died in 92 and her case, it got media attention because of of how and where it happened.

Why so my go to on the Gold Coast couple brought from of the life cells.

>> And she had want to see the premiere Juice.

back then if you know, this a lot of people getting shot back then.

And as for friends were coming out it a young man and his friends got into a fight, got a gun track to shoot.

a member the bully hit a building ricocheted and hit her in the killing instantly.

So she was not intended target.

20 years later, pregnant with my He goes to work, come home, get ready for friends, party that you do every year.

He never made it on my driveway.

You know, he was shot.

And never came.

His friend took him to the hospital.

He said there and literally bled to death.

no help.

So felt like my community failed me as a parent felt some as the victim.

And Far as the clearance rate of homicides.

And we're a little bit.

They don't get solved often.

at all.

>> And your your deaths happened Hazel Crest happenings across home front of a home.

As he was getting ready to go to.

A classmate's birthday party it to every year and he never made it out to driveway.

No witnesses.

So they say, but he was alive when his friend took him to the hospital and he was talking and he waited in the emergency 23 minutes before you get waited on.

Before he was treated.

So readable gun violence happens everywhere.

Your reporting found you know, in the in the case of you Delphine once it happened, it happened to your daughter and Gold Coast and it happened to your son Hazel Crest.

>> You're reporting Rita still found that there is a disparity in the amount of crimes solved depending on certain factors.

What are those factors and why the disparity?

>> So in our do we found in Chicago, homicides were true by rust within a year.

Fleck victims 20.

It was 21%.

And for white victims.

38%.

So there is a large gap between those 2 and the reasons behind.

It depends really who ask.

If you us about police officers still say that it's like a resources in order to clear cases and elect witnesses coming forward, especially among the black community.

There's a lack of witnesses, they say.

And you talk to survivors, still explain that people don't feel comfortable coming forward because still feel there's a system of structure place within the police department to keep them safe.

And then they also don't think even if they do come forward.

And that information will be used they think, oh, are going to solve Why should risk my So there's a term of the factors that come into play.

And 2, I there's very right?

>> In the Indo themes, case with your daughter, you know, there was was media coverage.

Her killer was found and sentenced to 50 years.

This presented believe he served 20 and was released several years Actually was released someone's mind.

It.

So he did 20 years of a 50 sentence.

He was 14 when it happened.

We will stay before we get out.

So I figured he'd get his whole life ahead of him.

>> I raise that just because there's also a conversation to be had about the role of the media.

Yolanda how the media covers these cases.

What would you say that role is and how has it been done?

How going to be better or different?

the survivors that we work with in our in our Survivors Council have shared that.

>> You especially for black and brown communities that the media does not cover as they do in say something like a high-profile case, like let's say, the Highland Park mass shooting right?

And so we worked really hard to ensure that those survivors that we work with, that they're heard that their cases are And that's why, you know, coming on to shows like, like this are really, really important.

What what can be done to repair the relationship between black and brown communities that are not seeing a higher clearance rate in their communities.

>> One of the things right.

We recently passed a homicide Data Transparency Act, right?

And so that will ensure that police departments bachelor leap publish homicide data.

>> And share that with the public can share that with communities that are most impacted.

So that is one step towards, you know, kind of healing that relationship and another step towards it will be passing something that we're working on.

Our coalition is working on called the Homicide Victims.

Families Rights Act.

And this would ensure that after a case is cold after 3 years, you could that surviving family could apply for that case to be reviewed.

And if it's accepted a new undetected, fresh eyes would be put on that case.

And it also would assign a family liaisons, a trained in trauma, informed care on to that case to ensure that, you know, families are treated with respect and and humanely because often something that shared in the case of boys being shot and killed black girls being shot and killed black and brown individuals being shot and killed it's often looked at immediately as this is gang-related, right?

Without any investigation.

So it feels as if you know, we don't matter.

And the case doesn't matter.

The victim doesn't matter.

The survivor doesn't matter.

So when we pass this and we're really hoping to pass a patch last session, but we're hoping to pass in upcoming session.

That will also they do some healing work police departments and communities that are impacted.

Delphine.

You've done a lot of work on your to solve your son's case.

What does that look like?

>> It's hard.

It's all right.

So one of son to him information something that I use.

call the police station say, hey, I information.

And they'll say tax it why pay tax public phone.

So what my son's case the detective that was on his case.

What I did was I sent a gate, a somewhat car, my son's picture and a picture of his family and say, look, and if you have children, this was not signed.

It could have been us on.

And he's like mystery.

I was told not to continue working case.

But I would do it.

I just can't let do And he's retired.

still today, I contact him when I have new information.

hopes that he can help you kind of think through what I mean, what to do with this information because retired he he did come to me and say this was my suspect.

But I need a witness to come forward and say that they saw him.

And I can't say it publicly, but there were several witnesses that saw this person that won't come forward.

>> So and the case, the case obviously remains open Rita before run out of time.

What are some recommendations for to CPD or for any police department to improve clearance rates?

>> As the city has acknowledged the problem, low clearance rates and they actually commission Executive Research Forum to provide recommendations and they recently were.

Released a report with those recommendations and some of the things they've done is they've added the family liaison officers to prevent communication, but the families and the detective, there's new area technology centers that are better equipped to handle.

Well, the videos and process that the technology that is needed to solve cases and there's more added forensic stuff, things like that.

So there's more resources specifically for detective.

That's helpful.

We're out of time.

But my thanks to all 3 of you for joining do Thi Jerry, thank you for sharing your story.

>> do together and you want to in terms of thanks to Up next, inside a creative Chicago community that's always on the move.

>> Strike a pose.

Come on Vogue.

Chicago's ballroom scene is front and center this Pride month in know, not ballroom like the classical dance style ballroom as in the subculture.

That was pioneered by and trans individuals.

It includes key elements like houses, and most famously voguing a local who's in the scene explains more.

>> Voting is freestyle dance forms was born in this underground black and brown clear.

Might like space.

>> on Martin is a makiki house of juicy Couture houses of shows and family.

been going for both classes the last 2 years.

We all sort of art.

>> Fraud drawn to this community for a reason.

I think it's the opportunity to be a part of something really happened to a legacy.

>> culture originated in 1960's Harlem alongside voting as the name suggests the styles inspired by famous images of models and Vogue magazine.

But traces of the culture of date back to the 19th century.

William Dorsey, Swan, a Maryland man born into slavery, who later went on to a game resistance groups and hold drug.

>> A larger black men.

so like, what does it For me too?

>> Put on like this block and steppens about this really famine dance floor that >> Resistance that is revolutionary.

>> Across town from Dan's apartment is task force.

The grassroots organization in the Austin neighborhood, the supports the health and wellness of LGBTQ+, young people.

>> And they recently had a bomb.

>> or princess out of makeup.

>> As the house that was featured on the reality TV show.

Legendary.

>> his family's on this is chosen family.

They want to see you do greatness.

They wanted it.

But they also want to protect you from the to South.

>> Westside Native Sky Underwood is the first performer out of the middle last 2 and a latex ball, a major ball and New York City.

>> I used to really battle with my identity.

But then when I came here and as start to see light, oh, my God, it's when people look like me act like me how my guys I want this for myself.

I might I want to be able to be as free as them.

>> It's an affirming space.

We affirm their identity and we celebrate, you know, their culture of the things that are important to them.

>> Chris, and the rest of the task force team partnered with the Pride Parade this year.

A first for a community-based organization.

>> We are celebrating pride out loud and we are going And so we can't anymore.

And, you know, while I am not of over, I will try.

I just want to the you know, the things that are heavy in your needs.

>> I think going to price for a long time.

I've been wary of the corporate is a shun.

The weary of the commercial aspects.

We thrived and survived without corporate interests without support from the government and we can thrive and survive.

Now.

>> Historically, pride has been a protest and it seems that those roots of resistance may be reemerging.

According to the ACLU, there are 597 anti LGBTQ bills in the U.S. state legislatures right now, Illinois has 15 of those bows.

>> And so this once the some I'm gonna.

>> Vo my life away.

>> It has.

There is a time where we could do that.

We're a good 2.

And you don't know where the rest of the stuff social he coached do for me.

I got to make sure during that time during loudly after prowler and yeah, having fun doing it.

>> We're Chicago tonight.

I'm >> Up next, an Avian love story for the ages.

But first, a look at the weather.

Every summer for the past 6 years, Chicagoans have gone plover crazy.

I'm talking about piping plovers the endangered birds that have decided to raise their family on the lakefront.

3 new plover chicks hatched about 10 days ago at Montrose Beach.

So what's all the fuss about?

We explain what we thought it was time to explain body Whitley.

Chicago's lakefront is famously open and free.

>> So why's of crime section of monitors Beach road off every summer because it's for the birds.

Literally the piping plovers.

But there's tiny shorebirds about the size of a smartphone.

>> Action of the week there used to be 1000 them spread across the entire great thing.

think people took away lot of the beaches where they building houses, hotels, marinas and resorts.

by 1986, there were only about a dozen piping plover pairs left in the Great Lakes.

All of nesting in Michigan.

The future looked so bleak for our feathered friends.

They were officially added to the endangered species list.

4 to 2019, 2 of these rare creatures, a male and a female turned up on Montrose Chicago's birders rejoice there had been a nesting pair in Cook County since Harry Truman was president against all odds and logic.

A pair flavors had landed on one of the most crowded beaches in Chicago and decided to start a thing.

>> Maybe slightly unwise choice and cougars part.

But amazing.

An army of volunteers quickly formed to protect the slover's they on team grows from beachgoers and other threats.

>> Long story short the couple and eventually their chicks spent the summer charming.

The pants off.

Chicago before flying south for the winter.

What do you know?

Like all summer blockbusters this Monte inroads returned and Montrose to nest again 20?

Incredibly landed in Chicago within hours of each other.

Despite spending winter on opposite sides of the Gulf whatever.

>> The dynamic duo completed that religion in 2021.

Raising a 3rd take that Montrose.

>> Alas, in 2022, the saga took a tragic turn.

Rose never made it back to Chicago and Monte died of an infection, though.

Some would say it was really of a broken heart.

Still the legacy of these love birds lives not just in their son.

The money was also kind of made it Montrezl.

>> But in the goodwill, these 2 crazy kids created for their species.

Monti in putting the love in plover.

>> And if you want a chance to name Chicago's newest 3 piping plover chicks, there's a contest in the works.

We've got details on our website.

And that's our show for this Monday night.

You can stream Chicago tonight on our W T Tw YouTube Channel every evening and catch up winning programs.

You may have missed and join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10 wrapping up a busy term at the U.S. Supreme Court.

We look at the impact of some of the major decisions.

>> Now for all of us here in Chicago Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> A closed captioning is made possible.

Why Robert, a cliff.

for a Chicago personal injury and wrongful death for that serves the needs of clients in