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WATCH: DOJ asks judge to deny IL’s motion to dismiss migrant sanctuary lawsuit | Illinois

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www.thecentersquare.com – Greg Bishop – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-02 13:29:00

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Justice is urging a federal district court judge to deny a motion to dismiss its challenge to Illinois’ migrant sanctuary policies. 

Arguing Illinois’ migrant sanctuary policies “allow criminal illegal aliens to move freely throughout the United States, inflicting harm on victims that would have been averted had the alien been detained,” the DOJ moved Tuesday to deny the motion to dismiss from Chicago, Cook County and the state of Illinois. 

The DOJ filed its lawsuit shortly after U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi was sworn into office under the Trump administration. 

Wednesday, state Sen. Javier Cervantes, D-Chicago, said the progressives in the General Assembly are going to have to continue to play defense. 

“We’re doing our best right now here to look at what’s happening and then build those policies to be on the defense, because we have to,” Cervantes said during an unrelated news conference in Springfield. “That’s what we’re here for.” 

State Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, said it’s a new day with the Trump administration. 

“The harder they push, they’re going to come up against a guy who is not going to be pushed around in President [Donald] Trump,” Bryant told The Center Square Wednesday at the capitol in Springfield. “We think they’re going to find out that this DOJ under this president is going to push back very hard.” 

The U.S. Department of Justice is urging a federal district judge to deny a motion to dismiss their challenge to Illinois’ migrant sanctuary policies. Illinois state senators from both sides of the aisle provide reaction.




In its filing, the DOJ said Illinois’ migrant sanctuary policies “work an extraordinary assault on the Federal Government’s enforcement of the immigration laws at a time when the United States is facing a ‘national emergency’ from the unprecedented ‘illegal entry of aliens’ into the country.”

Illinois’ state and local migrant sanctuary policies are preempted by the Immigration and Nationality Act, the DOJ argues, “because they stand as an obstacle to achieving the full purposes and objectives of that Act.”

In their motions to dismiss filed last month in the case, the state of Illinois said the DOJ’s lawsuit is misguided. 

“Consistent with the Tenth Amendment, federal law preserves Illinois’s sovereign right to opt out of assisting federal immigration agents with their civil immigration enforcement responsibilities,” the filing said. “That is what Illinois has done through its statutes, the TRUST Act and the Way Forward Act.”

The DOJ argued migrant sanctuary policies that prohibit state and local law enforcement cooperation “impede congressionally sanctioned and authorized federal immigration law.”

“Under the Tenth Amendment, Congress must exercise its legislative power over individuals directly and may not commandeer States into enacting a federal regulatory program,” the DOJ said. “Under the Supremacy Clause, ‘when federal and state law conflict, federal law prevails and state law is preempted.’”

Bryant said final resolution to the issue will take time. 

“We are only two months into the Trump administration,” she said. “I think the Pritzker administration is going to get smacked down hard.” 

Cervantes expects the Trump administration to “keep coming.”  

“I want the people of Illinois and our immigrant community to understand that we’re here to be on the defense as much as possible,” he said. 

The DOJ said the state’s policies have the purpose of thwarting federal law enforcement efforts to detain and deport criminal illegal aliens. 

“They deny federal immigration agents access to aliens who are in state and local custody. They prohibit state and local officers from releasing aliens, upon expiration of their state or local custody, into federal custody when federal agents present Congressionally authorized detainers and administrative warrants,” the DOJ said. “The Sanctuary Policies also prevent otherwise willing state and local officers from all communications with federal immigration agents necessary for those agents to carry out their duties.”


U.S. DOJ’s filing asking a judge to deny Illinois’ motion to dismiss sanctuary state lawsuit


The state, Cook County and the city of Chicago are set to reply to the DOJ’s filing April 29. 

 

The post WATCH: DOJ asks judge to deny IL’s motion to dismiss migrant sanctuary lawsuit | Illinois appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

News from the South - North Carolina News Feed

Reagan era credit pumps billions into North Carolina housing | North Carolina

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www.thecentersquare.com – By David Beasley | The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square – ) 2025-09-07 07:36:00


The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), established in 1987, significantly aids affordable housing development in North Carolina. Administered by the NC Housing Finance Agency, it supports $1.47 billion in apartment construction, creates nearly 22,000 jobs, and generates $95.3 million in tax revenue annually. The program allocates federal tax credits based on state population, with North Carolina receiving about $34 million yearly. Developers sell these credits to large corporations, reducing borrowing costs and keeping rents affordable. Despite rising construction costs and demand, the program enjoys bipartisan support, recently receiving a 12% funding increase, though demand still exceeds available resources.

(The Center Square) – A little known federal tax credit that existed since Ronald Reagan was president has a long way toward creating more affordable housing in North Carolina, the state director told The Center Square.

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit will help developers build $1.47 billion in affordable apartments in North Carolina this year and 21,960 jobs and produce $95.3 million in state and local tax revenue, said Scott Farmer, executive director of the NC Housing Finance Agency, which administers the program launched in 1987.

“What it effectively did was create a state-by-state allocation of federal tax credits to create, effectively, equity, for a public private partnership to develop apartments and also rehabilitate existing apartments,” Farmer said.

Once approved for the tax credits, the developers can then sell them on the private market, at a reduced price, such as 80 cents on the dollar.

“They are generally purchased by large corporate entities that have large tax obligations,” Farmer said.

The money from the sale of the tax credits lowers the amount the developer has to borrow for apartment construction.

“That’s how you keep the rents down,” Farmer said. “Your bank debt is much smaller so that you keep your rents affordable. It’s the truest form of a public-private partnership because you have the state agency, the federal government and these private investors that are all participating as well as the developers.”

Allocations of the tax credit is based on a state’s population. North Carolina’s allocation is around $34 million a year.

“There is a long waiting list,” for the tax credits, Farmer said. “The problem with this program is that we don’t have enough resources to go around.”

While other federal programs have been on the chopping block this year, Congress approved a 12% increase in the Low-Incoming Housing Tax Credit program, Farmer said.

“It was one of the few things that was increased and shows the bipartisan support for this program,” the director said.

Construction costs, labor and rents have all been going up over the last five years, Farmer noted.

“Without these types of programs, it would be difficult if not impossible to make these kinds of properties available for families and seniors,” he said.

The post Reagan era credit pumps billions into North Carolina housing | North Carolina appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

The article primarily reports on the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program and its impact on affordable housing in North Carolina without promoting a particular ideological viewpoint. It presents factual information, quotes from an official involved in the program, and mentions bipartisan support, indicating a neutral tone. The language is straightforward and descriptive, focusing on the mechanics and benefits of the program rather than advocating for or against any political ideology. Thus, it adheres to neutral, factual reporting by describing the ideological positions and actions of policymakers without contributing a discernible bias itself.

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News from the South - Texas News Feed

Appeals court reverses ruling, allows restraining orders against O’Rourke | Texas

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square – ) 2025-09-05 09:21:00


The Fifteenth Court of Appeals has reinstated restraining orders against former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, his group Powered by People, and partners like ActBlue, preventing them from moving funds out of Texas. The case involves fundraising for Texas House Democrats who fled the state opposing a redistricting law. Initially, O’Rourke ignored the orders, prompting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to seek contempt charges. After a controversial appellate ruling paused the contempt hearing, the court reversed itself to allow full review, keeping the orders active. O’Rourke denies wrongdoing, faces criminal contempt and bribery accusations, and urges supporters to continue fundraising.

(The Center Square) – In yet another reversal in an ongoing case against former U.S. Rep. Robert (Beto) O’Rourke, D-El Paso, the Fifteenth Court of Appeals has ordered that existing restraining orders already issued against him, his organization, Powered by People, and other groups remain in effect.

The case stems from O’Rourke, his group, and others raising millions of dollars for Texas House Democrats who left the state in opposition to a redistricting bill that passed the legislature and has now been signed into law.

The case was filed in Tarrant County District Court, 348th Judicial District, then appealed to the Fifteenth Court of Appeals, then an emergency filing was made with the Texas Supreme Court. Initially, Tarrant County Judge Megan Fahey issued a restraining order against O’Rourke and Powered by People, The Center Square reported. She later expanded it to include Act Blue, a Democratic Party online fundraising platform, and any other platforms or organizations they were working with that are transferring funds.

However, O’Rourke ignored the orders and continued to fundraise, prompting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to file a motion for contempt against O’Rourke, The Center Square reported.

Prior to a Sept. 2 hearing on the contempt motion, O’Rourke filed a mandamus petition with the Fifteenth Court of Appeals challenging Fahey’s orders.

In response, the appellate court halted the contempt hearing, effectively allowing Fahey’s orders to expire in an “historically unprecedented decision,” Paxton said. He then appealed to the Texas Supreme Court to reverse its decision.

In his appeal, Paxton points out that the appellate court requested his office respond to a 75-page petition in less than 24 hours, an “impossible deadline.” After his office filed a mandamus petition with the court, the appellate court issued an administrative stay of the Sept. 2 hearing “without providing the State an opportunity to respond,” he argued.

The court’s actions would have enabled O’Rourke to continue fundraising, “without even allowing the State to respond and prove to the court how he’s hurting Texans,” Paxton said. The appellate court’s ruling was an “insult to the people of Texas, an affront to our judicial system, and a disastrous precedent if allowed to continue without being reversed,” he added.

A week later, the appellate court reversed its ruling “to preserve this court’s ability to fully review” the original proceedings, it said in a one paragraph order. It also put back into effect Fahey’s orders issued against O’Rourke, Powered by People and ActBlue. It said her temporary restraining order and emergency temporary restraining order “shall remain in effect” until the appellate court reaches a decision.

Paxton said the reversal was “a welcome development.”

He also said House Democrats who left the state “abandoned Texas at the behest of financial backers who promised them money for fleeing the state and abdicating their responsibilities. Texas is not for sale, and Beto must face justice for his illegal bribery scheme.” 

The appellate court’s order prevents O’Rourke, Powered by People, and any of its institutional partners, including ActBlue, from removing any property or funds out of Texas.

O’Rourke said in a social media post that he faces criminal contempt charges, bribery accusations, his Texas-based assets have been frozen, and he and his organization have “racked up over $300,000 in legal fees” in the last two weeks of August.

He denies that he has broken any laws after he continued to fundraise and post videos of him doing so, including posting links to fundraising appeals.

He is also encouraging his followers and supporters to “continue the fight by whatever means necessary.”

The post Appeals court reverses ruling, allows restraining orders against O’Rourke | Texas appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

The article primarily reports on the legal actions involving Robert (Beto) O’Rourke and Texas officials without explicitly endorsing a particular viewpoint. However, the language and framing lean toward a Center-Right perspective by emphasizing the criticisms and accusations from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, and highlighting O’Rourke’s alleged legal troubles and fundraising activities in a negative light. The article quotes Paxton’s strong condemnations and uses phrases like “illegal bribery scheme” and “abandoned Texas,” which convey a critical tone toward O’Rourke and his allies. While it includes O’Rourke’s denials, the overall framing and selection of details suggest a subtle bias favoring the state’s legal actions and skepticism of O’Rourke’s conduct, aligning the piece more with a Center-Right viewpoint rather than neutral reporting.

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News from the South - North Carolina News Feed

Hanig will vie for 1st Congressional District seat of Davis | North Carolina

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-09-05 09:01:00


State Sen. Bobby Hanig announced his Republican primary candidacy for North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, aiming to challenge Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson and incumbent Democrat Rep. Don Davis. Hanig filed with the Federal Elections Commission, while Roberson plans to run. Hanig emphasizes conservative leadership aligned with the America First agenda. The district, covering 22 northeastern counties, was highly competitive in 2024, with Davis narrowly winning. Hanig, an Army veteran and former state representative, chairs key legislative committees and runs two Outer Banks businesses. He supports tax cuts, border control, pro-life policies, and Second Amendment rights, aligning with former President Trump’s agenda.

(The Center Square) – State Sen. Bobby Hanig will enter the Republican primary for North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, hoping to defeat Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson and eventually second-term incumbent Democratic Rep. Don Davis.



Rep. Bobby Hanig, R-Currituck




Filing with the State Board of Elections is in December. Hanig has filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission. Roberson said he would run in April.

“I’m running because northeastern North Carolina deserves true conservative leadership that will fight for our community and the America first agenda,” he said in a release.

The seat was the most competitive between Democrats and Republicans in 2024 and figures to again be so in the 2026 midterms. Davis outlasted Republican Laurie Buckhout 49.52%-47.84%, winning by 6,307 votes of more than 376,000 cast.

Twenty-two counties are touched in the northeastern part of the state.

Hanig, R-Currituck, is a veteran of the Army. He has served the Board of Commissioners in Currituck County, and was in the state House of Representatives for two terms. By trade, he began as “the pool guy” and operates two businesses serving nearly 400 properties across the Outer Banks.

He’s chairman of the State and Local Government Committee, and serves as chairman within the Committee on Appropriations for General Government and Information Technology. He’s vice chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee on Local Government.

Four other assignments are Agriculture, Energy and Environment; Education/Higher Education; Regulatory Reform; and Transportation.

“I believe in President Trump’s America First Agenda and my record in the Legislature backs it up,” Hanig said. “I’ve cut taxes for North Carolina families, toughened border control in the state, stood up for life, and defended our Second Amendment rights.”

The post Hanig will vie for 1st Congressional District seat of Davis | North Carolina appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

The article largely reports factual information about the candidates entering the North Carolina 1st Congressional District race, including their backgrounds, election filing status, and statements of political positions. It mainly quotes Sen. Bobby Hanig’s own words and campaign messaging, especially his alignment with “America First” and conservative values. The coverage uses neutral language without editorializing or explicitly endorsing any viewpoint. However, the focus on Hanig’s quoted statements about tax cuts, border control, pro-life stance, and Second Amendment rights, along with an absence of equivalent direct quotes from the Democratic incumbent or the other Republican candidate, subtly frames the narrative from a conservative perspective. This leads to a slight center-right tilt, as the piece highlights Hanig’s positions without presenting counterpoints or Democratic viewpoints in comparable detail. Overall, it functions as informational content about the race rather than overt advocacy, but the emphasis on conservative policy references indicates a modest center-right leaning.

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