Tag Archives: Mayor Brandon Johnson

TikTok Activist Rachel Cohen Goes Viral as ICE Raids Chicago Loom

📌 Story Highlights

Rachel Cohen, Harvard Law graduate, left Skadden law firm in protest of Trump’s legal deals.
TikTok videos go viral, showing Chicagoans how to resist ICE raids and support detainees.
ICE raids Chicago expected to begin soon with more than 200 federal agents.
Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson vow no cooperation with ICE enforcement.
Fear spreads as festivals canceled, courthouse arrests spark unease in immigrant communities.

From Skadden to Street Protests

Cohen, originally from Ohio, graduated from Harvard Law School in 2022. Not long after, she joined the high-profile firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. But when the firm pledged millions in free legal services to causes backed by Trump, she walked away.

“As soon as the first firm offered what I would consider hush money to the Trump administration to get an order withdrawn, I resigned,” she explained in an interview with Block Club Chicago.

That public resignation letter, posted on LinkedIn, quickly went viral. She later circulated an open letter with other associates criticizing top firms for staying silent while Trump attacked them.

Instead of jumping back into corporate law, Cohen shifted gears. She took contract jobs, spoke at law schools and conferences, and devoted more time to activism.

“When I came back to Chicago, I told my best friend I wanted to spend the summer plugged into mutual aid and organizing,” she said.

Turning TikTok Into a Resistance Guide

Her new platform is unconventional: TikTok. But Cohen uses it strategically, producing videos that function as step-by-step guides for Chicagoans wondering how to resist ICE raids.

Instead of the familiar social media trend of “get ready with me for work,” her tagline is different:

“Come with me to get arrested.”

In one video, she walks viewers through ICE Court Watch in Chicago, showing them how to observe hearings at the ICE Field Office and Immigration Court, take notes, and report sightings of agents to community organizers.

In another, she recounts being arrested after blocking a deportation van in Broadview. She explains in plain terms what happens during an arrest, how risks differ depending on whether protesters are on city or federal property, and how groups like the National Lawyers Guild provide legal support.

Cohen is also clear about privilege.

“My best friend Andrea and I look a lot like early 30s, white, former sorority girls — because we are,” she said. “I’m better equipped to take that risk as a Harvard Law-educated, well-connected, visible white woman. But it’s still a risk to pull the curtain back on these processes.”

She emphasizes that not everyone needs to get arrested to contribute.

“Other people aren’t always able to do that because of the risks,” Cohen said. “Maybe they’re in mixed-status families, maybe they’re not white, maybe they can’t risk arrest. That doesn’t mean they can’t be part of this work.”

Chicago on Edge as Federal Agents Prepare Raids

Cohen’s videos are going viral at the same moment officials brace for the arrival of more than 200 federal immigration agents. Broadview’s detention facility is expected to serve as a central hub. Troops and agents are also slated for Great Lakes Naval Base in North Chicago.

Gov. JB Pritzker has warned that agents will be fully assembled by week’s end, though the exact start date of enforcement actions remains unclear.

“Chicago police will not cooperate with ICE,” Pritzker said, a promise echoed by Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Still, unease is spreading quickly.

This week, ICE agents were spotted at Cook County’s domestic violence courthouse, where two people were detained. Organizers of El Grito Chicago — a major Mexican Independence Day festival — canceled their event, citing the threat of raids. In Little Village, leaders of the 26th Street parade are considering whether to proceed.

A Community Looking for Direction

For many Chicagoans, the question is simple: what can we do? Cohen’s answer is equally direct.

“The easiest way is to show up,” she said. “The biggest barrier is just knowing where to start. Once you meet a few people, you realize you’re not powerless.”

She points to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, which runs a hotline and needs volunteers, many of whom can contribute remotely. She also highlights Chicago Community Jail Support as an entry point for those who want to engage in mutual aid without the risk of arrest.

Cohen’s TikTok series, blending activism with accessibility, has become a tool for mobilizing a city at a crossroads. As ICE raids in Chicago approach, her message continues to spread: there are ways for everyone — from frontline protesters to behind-the-scenes supporters — to take part.

As federal agents prepare to launch ICE raids in Chicago, the city stands divided between fear and resistance. For Rachel Cohen, the fight is not only about opposing detention vans or courtroom arrests — it is about showing ordinary people that they have a role to play. Her TikTok videos, blending activism with practical guidance, are helping Chicagoans navigate a moment of uncertainty with concrete steps to support immigrant neighbors. Whether through direct protest, legal observation, or mutual aid, Cohen’s message is clear: in the face of sweeping enforcement, community action can create strength where fear once lived.

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CPS Budget Crisis: Will $379M TIF Surplus Save Chicago Schools?

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Budget Vote: Thursday’s decision could reshape CPS’s financial strategy.
Deficit Challenge: CPS faces a $734 million budget gap.
TIF Funding: District expects $379 million from TIF surpluses, the largest amount in history.
Pension Payment Fight: CPS promises $175 million only if extra funds arrive from the city or state.
Loan Debate: Mayor’s team wants a backup borrowing plan; CPS warns of credit downgrades.
Political Split: Most board members appear to favor the mayor’s position.

Why TIF Surplus is the Flashpoint

The Chicago Public Schools budget plan leans heavily on revenue from TIF districts — areas where a portion of property taxes is earmarked for development projects. Surplus funds can be redirected, but this requires City Council approval during the fall budget season, which is often politically sensitive.

Jason Lee, senior advisor to Mayor Brandon Johnson, called the district’s approach “a dangerous gamble.”

“Obviously [CPS officials are] taking extreme measures just so they can say they have a balanced budget on paper,” Lee said on Wednesday. “But in reality, by their own historical budget practices, this budget wouldn’t even be considered balanced. We’re highly concerned that this will leave a significant shortfall if these surpluses aren’t approved.”

Lee argued that CPS has never relied on such a large TIF surplus before and warned that uncertainty could create chaos if the funds fail to materialize.

CPS Defends Its Strategy

CPS officials reject the notion that the plan is risky, insisting that TIF funding at this level is realistic. They point to last year’s surplus, which also reached hundreds of millions.

A CPS financial officer noted in a memo obtained by WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times that opening the door to loans could backfire.

“Leaving the loan option on the table would put CPS in peril,” the memo stated, warning that credit agencies could downgrade the district’s rating, making refinancing more expensive now and in the future.

The Pension Payment Dispute

Adding fuel to the fire is a $175 million pension payment for non-teacher CPS employees, which the city expects but CPS considers outside its responsibility. CPS has said it will only make the payment if additional funds from the city or state come through — a condition that City Hall finds unacceptable.

“The city needs this payment to balance its own books,” Lee emphasized, while CPS maintains that borrowing to meet the demand would be financially reckless.

City Council Joins the Debate

Twenty-six City Council members entered the fray with a letter to the school board urging them to reject any borrowing plan, despite the city’s budget assuming the pension payment. While the letter expressed support for allocating a TIF surplus, it stopped short of committing to the full $379 million CPS expects.

Housing Committee Chair Byron Sigcho-Lopez, a key Johnson ally, said:
“The level of TIF funding, we’ll have to determine during the budget season. We cannot say yet what that will be.”

Far North Side Ald. Maria Hadden echoed that uncertainty, noting that decisions will depend on the mayor’s three-year budget forecast. “I won’t know what level of TIF surplus I can support until we see the full picture,” she said.

Both aldermen emphasized that the real solution lies in sustainable revenue, whether through increased state funding or a dedicated city tax for CPS.

Board Members Divided

The split extends to the Chicago Board of Education, where members differ on whether the district should take a calculated risk or plan for a fallback option.

Jessica Biggs, representing District 6, supports the CPS proposal, citing the need to avoid debt.
“Every City Council member we’ve spoken to has assured us this surplus assumption is reasonable, including members of the finance committee,” Biggs said.

Ellen Rosenfeld, another board member, called the plan “responsible” and the “right thing to do.”

But Jitu Brown, who represents the West Side, disagreed. He argues that failing to plan for contingencies could result in harmful classroom cuts.
“The budget was not truly balanced, and then it was also not cut-proof,” Brown said. “If TIF surpluses don’t come through, schools serving Black and Latino communities will take the hit. That’s why leaving the loan option open is smart.”

What Happens Next?

The Thursday vote will decide whether CPS moves forward with a budget that bets big on TIF surpluses or revises its strategy to include a backup borrowing option. With at least 11 board members reportedly leaning toward the mayor’s stance, the outcome will likely shape Chicago’s education funding battles for years to come.

The upcoming vote on the Chicago Public Schools budget is more than just a financial decision — it is a defining moment for the city’s education system and its political leadership. At the heart of the debate is whether CPS can safely depend on a record TIF surplus or if it should prepare for the worst by keeping a loan option on the table.

While CPS officials argue that borrowing would damage the district’s long-term stability, the mayor’s team warns that relying on uncertain revenue could lead to devastating classroom cuts later in the year. With deep divisions among board members, City Council, and City Hall, Thursday’s decision will determine whether CPS chooses financial caution or takes a calculated risk.

What remains clear is that Chicago needs a sustainable revenue solution for its schools — one that goes beyond one-time fixes and political battles. Until then, the struggle over funding, pensions, and debt will likely remain a recurring fight in the city’s education landscape.