Has Islamophobia become mainstream for Americans? Playwright, Nicole Anderson-Cobb addresses this issue in her new play, Campus Jihad.

Historically, Illinois has been a leading state in refugee resettlement, but lately it seems less welcoming to some.

President Barack Obama is returning to Illinois' capital at the twilight of his political career.  White House aides say Obama wanted to return to the place his career started to discuss how the U.S. can "build a better politics'' in which Americans aren't so starkly divided by race, religion or political party.

Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin says the country needs to wait until early March, after few caucuses and primaries, to get a true sense of who the Republican nominee will be for president.  He says early February's Iowa Caucuses and New Hampshire primary aren't enough to gain a complete picture.

As the front-running GOP presidential candidate's controversial pronouncements multiply, the reporting, commentary and editorials from major news outlets have taken on more urgency.