Chicago's Week in Review: News, Sports, and Surprises

This week in Chicago, a lot happened. Let's start with the big news. Congress made a move to get the Justice Department to share its files on Jeffrey Epstein. President Trump signed the bill, giving the department 30 days to hand over the documents. Meanwhile, Tom Pritzker, a billionaire and cousin of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, was mentioned in documents from the Epstein estate. It seems like a lot of people are still tied to this old case. In local politics, Chicago's leaders had a busy week. The Cook County Board approved a huge budget for 2026, while the City Council's Finance Committee said no to Mayor Brandon Johnson's budget. There was also some drama in Washington when Democrats and Republicans teamed up to criticize U. S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García for stepping down suddenly. Safety concerns popped up on public transit. A man was charged with a terrifying act on a Blue Line train. He allegedly poured gasoline on a woman and set her on fire. The same man is also suspected of starting a fire at City Hall. Mayor Johnson tried to calm fears, saying this wasn't a trend but pointed to the criminal justice system as part of the problem. Immigration news also made headlines. Border Patrol seems to be focusing less on Chicago and more on other cities. But the courts have been busy. A judge dismissed charges against a woman shot by Border Patrol, and another judge issued a big ruling on the use of force by immigration agents. However, that ruling was quickly put on hold. Pope Leo XIV spoke out against the Trump administration's immigration policies. He met with Governor Pritzker and Justin Ishbia, the future owner of the Chicago White Sox. Ishbia invited the pope to throw out the first pitch at the team's new ballpark and gave him a signed World Series jersey. Speaking of sports, the Chicago Bears had another close win. They beat the Minnesota Vikings with a last-second field goal, keeping their spot at the top of the NFC North. But not all sports news was good. The Blackhawks won a game but then lost to the Seattle Kraken. The University of Illinois basketball team also had a tough loss to Alabama.