Chicago has been staring down a manufactured migrant crisis for months that has entered a boiling point — leaving vulnerable asylum seekers in despair and struggling to find safe shelter.
Manny Ramos
Manny comes to Illinois Answers Project after four years at the Chicago Sun-Times where he most recently covered transportation. During his time at the Sun-Times, he covered a broad range of topics, including communities and the U.S. Census Bureau. Manny joined the Sun-Times as a Report for America corps member with a mission to strengthen the paper’s coverage of issues facing the city’s South and West Sides. Manny is a Chicago native who has a background in service and solution journalism - which was showcased during his time at City Bureau, a nonprofit civic media organization. He was part of teams that reported on dwindling community-policing initiatives, public health issues related to building demolitions and how incarcerated people struggle to seek post-conviction relief. Manny also has written for the Chicago Reader, WBEZ Chicago, The Groundtruth Project, and South Side Weekly. He graduated from DePaul University with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism.
Posted inInvestigations
Naked land grab or a boon to the environment? Proposed ‘carbon-capture’ pipelines across central Illinois trouble land owners
Carbon capture and storage is a process to clean dirty industry and reduce emissions, but environmental groups are ringing the alarm that Illinois doesn’t have the proper guardrails in place.
Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability
The Feds Are Pushing for Millions More Electric Vehicles on the Road, But Is Illinois Ready?
Gov. J. B. Pritzker’s administration says it welcomes the goal of increasing the number of electric vehicles by 2032 but is still examining the implications of a new proposed EPA standard.
Posted inSolutions
Could Lake Michigan be home to the largest lake wind farm in the country?
A bill passed in the state’s House would establish an offshore wind farm of more than 30 turbines. Is it worth it?
Posted inCriminal Justice & Public Safety
Police Officer Suicides Tripled in Two Years As CPD ‘Stalled’ on Progress With Consent Decree
Chicago Police Department efforts to bolster wellness program under the consent decree were faltered because of a lack of data and risk losing compliance in some instances
Posted inInvestigations
What’s the Cost of a Labor Peace Agreement?
Human services providers claim the new ordinance would have a financial burden, but the agreement has no associated costs
Posted inCriminal Justice & Public Safety
Chicago Police’s Foot Pursuit Policy Explained
A police officer seemingly adhered to the Chicago Police Department’s foot pursuit policy — still cost him his life
Posted inInvestigations
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Claims That Illinois and Chicago Cut Police Spending Are False
The Republican governor visited Elmhurst in what was pegged as a pro-police rally where he compared crime rates of Chicago to the whole state of Florida
Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability
A Revived Push for a Labor Peace Agreement With City Nonprofits
Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez (33rd) told the Illinois Answers Project she was disheartened by nonprofit leaders who showed their opposition for an ordinance that would bar employers from interfering in union organizing efforts.
Posted inSolutions
Would Transit Ambassadors Improve the CTA?
Transit ambassadors are being introduced in transit systems from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Cleveland and Philadelphia but evidence of its effectiveness remains limited