A Lakeview homeowner is suing the U.S. government after Customs and Border Protection agents entered his property without a warrant, assaulted workers installing windows and took one away last October, his lawsuit says.

Why it matters: This marks one of the few formal legal actions a Chicagoan has taken following Operation Midway Blitz.

Zoom in: Represented by the Institute for Justice, Leo Feler filed the suit for unspecified damages in the Northern District of Illinois on Tuesday based on the Federal Tort Claims Act, which covers damage by federal employees in the course of their duties.

Catch up quick: The incident occurred on Oct. 24, 2025, when Department of Homeland Security agents were also apprehending lawn care workers and roofers in the Chicago area.

• Feler was out of town, but he watched the events through multiple security cameras, which he also used to tell the agents to leave, video shows.
• Agents apprehended one of the four workers, who had no criminal record and was released by a judge three weeks later, Feler says.

What they're saying: "I'm bringing this case out of respect, admiration, and duty to my country," Feler said yesterday.

The other side: DHS did not respond to Axios requests for comment on the suit.

State of play: Earlier this month, the Chicago Police Department and Mayor Brandon Johnson urged Chicagoans to come forward and file police reports about violations by federal agents during Midway Blitz.

• After meeting initial resistance, Feler found a CPD officer who agreed to file his report, but he then got a call from a sergeant saying the case couldn't continue "because higher-ups told him not to pursue it," he said.

The latest: On Tuesday, CPD officials told Axios that Feler's report had been "suspended."

• "That can happen for a variety of reasons, including detectives exhausting all leads currently available. It is not a permanent status, and it can be changed if and when more information becomes available," CPD wrote.

What's next

A new federal immigration rule could make it harder for Illinois universities to attract and keep international students.

Why it matters: International students make up a significant portion of the population at Chicago and Illinois schools, and they generally pay higher tuition and fees than domestic students.

Catch up quick: International students — known as F-1 visa recipients — were admitted to the U.S. for the period of time needed to complete their studies, known as duration of status (D/S).

• Under a new rule issued this month by the Department of Homeland Security, students will be admitted for a fixed time, generally four years for undergraduate studies, and have limited ability to change majors.

By the numbers: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks second in the nation among public universities for international students.

What they're saying: The new rule "will ultimately deter international students, researchers, and scholars from choosing the United States," Zuzana C. Wootson from the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration said in a statement.

The other side: "For nearly half a century, the outdated 'duration of status' system has compromised national security and created an environment ripe for immigration fraud," DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said of the rule.

• Axios asked DHS officials if they had examples of international students committing immigration fraud, but they did not answer that question.

What's next: The new rule takes effect Sept. 15.

Keep reading

Illinois won't be among the Democratic Party's early presidential primary states in 2028, despite an aggressive lobbying effort by Gov. JB Pritzker and state Democrats to move the state to the front of the nominating calendar.

Why it matters: Illinois missing the cut means Pritzker, if he runs for president, won't have the potential advantage of an early home-state primary.

The latest: The DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee tentatively approved South Carolina, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia as the states with the first six Democratic contests of 2028.

• The primary election in Illinois is slated for March 21, 2028.

Flashback: Illinois mounted an aggressive campaign to be included, with Pritzker and state Democratic leaders arguing the state better reflected the party's coalition.

Between the lines: An Illinois primary later in the calendar doesn't doom a Pritzker candidacy.

What's next: The full DNC still has to approve the calendar, and states can still challenge or negotiate their positions.

Go deeper

🧾 The Illinois Federation of Teachers has sued Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, seeking to force her office to mail delayed property tax bills and distribute overdue tax revenue to school districts. (Tribune)

🌪️ The National Weather Service says four tornadoes touched down Monday, mostly in the south suburbs. (Sun-Times)

• Rescue workers recovered the body of a contractor who was swept into a Downers Grove storm sewer.

🤕 The Bears begin training camp today without star defensive end Montez Sweat, who was placed on the non-football illness list. The team expects him back within a few days. (NBC)

This week's "History Mystery" features a 1940 photo of Chicago's Loop that looks like a painting that belongs in a museum.

The big picture: The photo shows a streetcar stopped at the intersection of Dearborn and Van Buren, right under the "L" tracks.

Flashback: Little did anyone know, the streetcar's days were numbered. In 1947, the CTA began phasing them out in favor of buses and trolleys.

The intrigue: The biggest clue in the photo is the Maple Leaf Restaurant and Candies at 53 W. Van Buren Street.

• The popular spot billed itself as the "Smartest Shop in the Loop," selling fine foods and hand-dipped chocolates. It opened in 1910 and closed in 1967.

Fun fact: At the turn of the 20th century, the corner of Van Buren and Dearborn was one of Chicago's best-known intersections.

• Before Maple Leaf, the storefront housed Manuso Brothers, a popular lunchroom and ice cream parlor.

The bottom line: The restaurant's building was replaced by a modern office tower in 1971.

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