WATCH: Trump ‘not gonna pay’ child care fraud; Immigration enforcement costs; Moving out

WATCH: Trump ‘not gonna pay’ child care fraud; Immigration enforcement costs; Moving out

January 6, 2026/Newspaper Staff/

By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – In today’s edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop shares the latest in the ongoing scrutiny of taxpayer spending on child care subsidies with President Donald Trump saying he’s not going to pay states like Illinois for child care fraud.

Bishop also shares reaction from Illinois state Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, to a recently published Chicago Tribune report about the estimated taxpayer cost of immigration enforcement in Illinois coming to around $59 million and counting. Halbrook says the taxpayer cost of illegal immigration is much higher than that.

Finally, Bishop shares some reaction from Illinois state Rep. Martin McLaughlin, R-Barrington Hills, to the ongoing trend of Illinois seeing more people move out of the state that are moving in.

Subscribe to Illinois in Focus Daily with The Center Square on YouTube. You can also subscribe to the Illinois in Focus podcast to get the entire show uninterrupted.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Election 2026: Cooper social post is now you see it, now you don’t

Election 2026: Cooper social post is now you see it, now you don’t

By Alan WootenThe Center Square Roy Cooper vetoed mandatory requirement of photo identification in 2018. Thursday, the U.S. Senate candidate vetoed a photo of himself presenting photo ID to cast...
Illinois Quick Hits: Chicago mugging captured on video

Illinois Quick Hits: Chicago mugging captured on video

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A video capturing an armed assault and robbery Thursday afternoon in Chicago has drawn millions of views...
January inflation cools to 2.4%, lowest since May

January inflation cools to 2.4%, lowest since May

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Consumer prices rose by 0.2% overall in January, according to recent data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Overall, the inflation rose to...
McCuskey praises federal rollback of Endangerment Finding

McCuskey praises federal rollback of Endangerment Finding

By Chris Dickerson | Legal NewslineThe Center Square West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey is praising the federal government’s decision to repeal an Obama-era scientific finding on climate change. On...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Litchfield City Council for February 5, 2026

Litchfield City Council Meeting | February 5, 2026 The Litchfield City Council met on Thursday to address a variety of infrastructure and public safety issues. In addition to passing a...
Water Main Repair

Watermain Repairs

Crews worked on water main repairs on State Street this week as part of the Water Main Replacement Project.
California attorney general sues over alleged FERPA violation

California attorney general sues over alleged FERPA violation

By Esther WickhamThe Center Square California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit this week against the U.S. Department of Education, disputing its claim that the California Department of Education...
California attorney general, Homeland Security debate mask ban

California attorney general, Homeland Security debate mask ban

By Dave MasonThe Center Square If ultimately upheld in court, California’s ban on masks for federal immigration officers will be enforced by all law enforcement agencies despite doubts by the...
TVA to keep two coal-fired power plants operating indefinitely

TVA to keep two coal-fired power plants operating indefinitely

By Alton WallaceThe Center Square Two coal-fired power plants in Tennessee that had been scheduled for closure in 2026 and 2028 will be kept open for the “foreseeable future” after...
Lawmakers probe nationwide child care fraud

Lawmakers probe nationwide child care fraud

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square A bipartisan group of senators probed allegations of fraud in the child care industry on Thursday. The lawmakers called for greater transparency and more rigorous...
Cornyn files Defeat Sharia Law in America Act, another Texas-led effort

Cornyn files Defeat Sharia Law in America Act, another Texas-led effort

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, has filed a bill to ban Sharia law in the U.S., another act in a Texas-led effort addressing Islamic ideology....
WATCH: Attorney cites positive impact of corruption trials 1 year after Madigan conviction

WATCH: Attorney cites positive impact of corruption trials 1 year after Madigan conviction

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – One year after a federal jury convicted former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan of bribery, conspiracy, wire...
Illinois Quick Hits: $10M scheme alleged in heath care fraud case

Illinois Quick Hits: $10M scheme alleged in heath care fraud case

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Two Pakistani nationals have been charged in Chicago with participating in a $10-million scheme to fraudulently bill...

WATCH: Trump terminates Obama-era climate change policy

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square The Trump administration on Thursday terminated the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Endangerment Finding,” a landmark policy that led to sweeping climate change regulations and higher costs...
Democrats tank DHS bill again, likely triggering partial govt shutdown

Democrats tank DHS bill again, likely triggering partial govt shutdown

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Democrats in the U.S. Senate tanked the Homeland Security full-year funding bill in a last-ditch vote Thursday, all but guaranteeing a partial government shutdown starting...