Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot says local officials have the right to investigate possible unlawful acts by federal agents, despite the supremacy clause protections afforded to federal agents while conducting official duties.

The latest: Yesterday, the State of Illinois and Chicago sued the Trump administration, accusing it of an "organized bombardment" in the state disguised as immigration enforcement.

• The suit charges immigration agents with multiple unlawful activities, including altering and swapping license plates on their vehicles.
• Officials are wrangling over the issue in Minneapolis, where state authorities are fighting to participate in the investigation of the fatal shooting of Renee Good by a federal agent.

Why it matters: No federal immigration officers have faced charges in Chicago despite numerous high-profile complaints of unlawful shootings, tear-gassing, detentions and trespassing.

What they're saying: "Federal immigration officers do not have blanket immunity," Lightfoot tells Axios.

• "While federal authorities may take control of an investigation, that does not prevent state or local officials from conducting their own investigations, gathering evidence, or holding accountable those agents who have allegedly engaged in criminal conduct or used excessive force."

Driving the news: Lightfoot says her new ICE Accountability Project, launched last week, "exists to make sure those facts are documented and visible so accountability can occur at every level of government."

Context: The project joins other state and city efforts to gather data, this time through an independent non-government body using non-U.S. computer servers to protect it from federal interference.

What's next: The site has already published several accounts with photos and video vetted by Lightfoot's team of lawyers and former federal agents for journalists, nonprofits and citizens to use.

• But she says her ultimate goal is to hand over these packages of evidence to "somebody with a grand jury subpoena."

Read more updates on CPD, media

From steakhouses to cultural landmarks, 2026 is already following the brutal path of 2025.

Here are some notable closings to start the year:

Steakhouse craze no more: 2025 continued the trend of new steakhouses popping up around town, but the year started by losing one of its mainstays: McCormick & Shmick's.

• The high-priced Wacker Drive chain restaurant was the only outpost in the city limits. However, its parent company, Landry's Restaurant Group, owns several sister restaurants, including Morton's, Mastro's, and The Palm.

It's not just steak: You only have about a month to book a table at one of Wicker Park's biggest restaurants, Bloom Plant-Based Kitchen.

• The vegan spot announced it will close its doors after Valentine's Day. Ownership says it'll transform into a new concept, but Bloom follows an alarming trend of vegetarian and vegan restaurant closings in 2025.

Hip Hop history: The Chicago Hip Hop Heritage Museum has closed after nearly five years in Bronzeville, but management says it has secured a lead on a new space a few blocks away.

• The shrine to Chicago's rap history was located in a greystone on Indiana Avenue, but the new location would bring much-needed space (5,000 square feet) for the exhibits.

More closings

If you thought last weekend's Soldier Field ticket prices were outrageous, get ready for another playoff round of record-setting prices.

The latest: The Bears will play the Rams this Sunday at 5:30pm on NBC.

The big picture: Tickets for the Bears-Rams NFC Divisional Playoff game are on track to break last week's record as the most expensive in team history, according to the ticket site TickPick.

• It is also the most expensive in NFC Divisional Round history, according to the ticket site.

By the numbers: As of Monday, the average purchase price for Sunday's game is $975, a 58% hike from the Packers' Wild Card game last Saturday, which was a record-setting $617.

• Prices for Verified Presale Tickets on Ticketmaster tell the same story: Nosebleed seats go for over $600 while United Club tickets are over $2,500.

Zoom in: TickPick points out that prices for playoff games tend to cool off as the game approaches, but that didn't happen last week versus the Packers.

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The body of Chicago Public Schools teacher Linda Brown was pulled from Lake Michigan yesterday morning, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. Brown had been missing for over a week. (ABC 7)

🛣️ In 2025, Illinois marked the first year in a decade without a fatal interstate shooting, according to State Police. (Sun-Times)

🎄A Skokie woman and her friend are suing the Chicago Botanic Garden after they say they were struck by falling equipment during the Lightscape holiday lights show. (Tribune)

🚧 The building that once housed the legendary Danny's Tavern in Bucktown is being demolished. (Block Club)

Protein is having a moment — and it's getting bigger. Now shorthand for "better-for-you" eating, it's reshaping menus as consumers dine out less, scrutinize value more and increasingly use GLP-1 drugs.

Why it matters: The push reflects growing consumer demand for high-protein menu options, fueled in part by drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound that encourage smaller, protein-forward meals.

State of play: Protein-heavy additions at restaurant chains include:

• Chipotle rolled out its first-ever High Protein Menu last month, featuring a High Protein Cup of 4 ounces of Adobo Chicken or Steak. The chain explicitly called out certain bowls, salads and snacks as "GLP-1 friendly."
• Dunkin' added Protein Milk to the menu, allowing customers to add protein to coffees, lattes, matcha and Refreshers with 15 grams of protein in a medium. It also adds a line of Protein Refreshers and drinks.
• Blaze Pizza launches a limited-time "Protein-zza" last week, a cauliflower-crust pizza topped with double chicken and marketed as GLP-1-friendly.

More protein packed options