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President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Hall of Heroes at the Department of Defense on Friday in Arlington, Va.
Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images

News Local/State

Arrivals To U.S. Blocked And Detained As Trump’s Immigration Freeze Sets In

President Trump's executive order on immigration is sending shockwaves across the U.S. and the globe.

Just one day after he enacted a ban on the admittance of all refugees to the United States, temporarily freezing immigration from seven mostly Muslim countries, confusion, chaos and fear are roiling international airports. Refugees are being barred from boarding U.S.-bound flights. Immigrants are being detained at U.S. airports.

The Alma Mater statue on the University of Illinois campus
University of Illinois Public Affairs

News Local/State

U Of I: Not Clear How AG’s Filing Impacts University Workers

A court filing by Illinois’ Attorney General seeks to halt state worker paychecks by the end of February, and not let them resume until there’s agreement on a state budget. But it’s not yet clear if Thursday’s action would extend to University of Illinois employees. 

U of I spokesperson Tom Hardy says the system’s legal office is reviewing Lisa Madigan’s motion.

Joe Muskin with the University of Illinois College of Engineering looks up from an array of Lego Mindstorms components.
Jim Meadows / Illinois Public Media

News Local/State

Middle-School Contestants Take On Real-World Problems With Lego Robots

On Saturday, January 28, 64 teams of kids in fourth through eighth grade will gather on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus and compete in solving practical problems using programmable toy robots.

The event is called a “Lego League” tournament, one of many around the world.  It’s being held at the ARC --- the Activities and Recreation Center on Peabody Drive on the U of I campus.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan
M. Spencer Green/AP

News Local/State

IL Attorney General Asks Court To Stop State Worker Pay

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is seeking to stop state worker pay until legislators and Gov. Bruce Rauner approve a spending plan.

A motion by Madigan filed Thursday in St. Clair County Circuit Court seeks to dissolve a preliminary injunction which allowed state workers to be paid during the budget impasse. 

Senate President John Cullerton and Republican Leader Christine Radogno speak to reporters earlier this month.
Brian Mackey/NPR Illinois

News Local/State

Senate Leaders: Not Backing Off ‘Grand Bargain’

The Illinois Senate left Springfield Thursday without voting on a bipartisan effort to end Illinois' budget stalemate. But hope springs eternal. The so-called grand bargain - devised earlier this month by the Senate's top leadership - was like a chili recipe where the cooks keep swapping ingredients. The latest version would increase the income tax by one-and-a-quarter percentage points, and further decrease government pensions.