ACCOUNTABILITY
Illinois SNAP Error Rate Rises to 14.67%, Fifth Highest in the Nation
Illinois now has the fifth-highest error rate in the nation for improper payments to recipients of federal food subsidies, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker is blaming the Trump administration.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on Wednesday that the nation’s states and territories made a collective $10 billion in improper Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments during fiscal year 2025.
Illinois’ error rate of 14.67% is up from 11.56% last year and ranks fifth highest among states.
Starting Oct. 1, states with average error rates more than 6% will pay more for administrative costs, potentially costing Illinois taxpayers more than $800 million a year. […]
State Representative said the main drivers behind the high unemployment rate in Illinois is lack of accountability and poor oversight.
“The Illinois Democrats are wasting taxpayer dollars on individuals who don’t need food assistance,” said Miller. “The problem is there is zero accountability from state agencies to protect the most vulnerable people who need it. The Pritzker administration does not believe in oversight, because if they did our state and residents would be much better off.”
TOLLWAY
Tollway Board Pushes Largest Toll Tax Hike in Illinois History
When Democrats passed their Chicago Mass Transit Bailout, House Republicans warned that the move would raise tolls significantly on Illinois families, truckers, and local businesses. Now, as expected, the tollway board is pushing the largest toll tax hike in Illinois history.
The Illinois Tollway is now pursuing the largest passenger toll hike in Illinois history, which would raise both the cost of travel and goods transported in the northern part of the state.
The tollway board on June 18 proposed its first passenger toll hike since 2012. It would be the largest passenger toll hike in state history.
Passenger drivers would see an increase of 45 cents per toll, driving the average up to $1.24, based on the most recent data. Commercial tolls could rise 30% from an already all-time high. […]
According to the legislation which allows for the proposed toll tax hikes, it would also introduce “a biennial escalator tied to the Consumer Price Index-U, capped at 4% per year, beginning on January 1, 2029, to fund the 2026 capital plan.”
The tollway board, which will vote on the hike, was appointed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker who himself an ex-officio member, as is his appointed state secretary of transportation.
By law, before voting the board must hold public meetings in each county the proposed toll hikes would take effect.
The toll hike, estimated to bring in up to $1 billion more a year, is being considered to help fund the 15-year, $26.5 billion Driving Connections capital plan, according to a press release. […]
This is all for a tollway system that was supposed to become free more than 50 years ago. From then until 2024, drivers paid at least $27 billion in Illinois tolls.
Read more from the Illinois Policy Institute.
IMMIGRATION
Ex-Illinois teacher awaiting deportation linked to Tren de Aragua mass shooting in Chicago: DHS
A former Illinois teacher living in the United States illegally, who was allegedly involved in a 2024 Tren de Aragua mass shooting that killed three people at a Chicago house party, was arrested by federal authorities, officials said Monday.
Rep. Miller slammed the governor over prioritizing illegal immigrants over citizens.
“At this point, I’m convinced the governor is more concerned about pandering votes from illegals rather than protecting the people of Illinois,” Miller said. “Illinois residents deserve better. They deserve to live in their communities without fear, but JB Pritzker has destroyed safety and security across the state.”
Giovanna Mercedes Moreno Occhipinti, 32, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela with dual citizenship in Italy, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on May 13, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.
Occhipinti entered the U.S. in October 2021 under the Visa Waiver Program and was supposed to leave by Jan. 2, 2022. She overstayed her visa, DHS said.
On the night of the Dec. 2, 2024, shooting, she allegedly drove the two gunmen—Ricardo Granadillo Padilla and Edward Martinez Cermeno—to the scene of the crime, where five people were injured in addition to the three fatalities, authorities said.
“Although Chicago police arrested this illegal alien shortly after the shooting, sanctuary politicians released her from jail without notifying ICE,” DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement. “Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, DHS is doing the job that sanctuary politicians in Illinois refuse to do: putting the American people first and removing these dangerous criminals from our communities.”
Headlines in Illinois about Illegal Immigrants
- Katie Abraham, and her friend Chloe Polzin, were killed in January 2025 in Urbana when a drunk driver who was an undocumented immigrant struck their car.
- Baltazar Perez-Estrada was charged with first-degree murder after prosecutors said he stabbed Maricela Simon Franco, dozens of times, killing her in front of their children.
- Edwin Pacheco-Meza was charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI after Illinois State Police said a crash killed an Illinois couple.
- ABC7 reported Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, described by DHS as living in the U.S. illegally, was charged with concealment of a death, abuse of a corpse, and obstructing justice after Megan Bos, 37, was found dead in a container on his property.