Richard is joined Kate Lincoln Goldfinch, immigration attorney and CEO of Lincoln-Goldfinch Law in Austin, Texas, who offered an update on the Trump administration's immigration policies.  

"Certainly we're seeing the border closure," she said. "All asylum processing has been closed; all refugee processing has been closed, except for, by order of the Trump administration, white Afrikaners from South Africa. So if anyone's looking for racism in their policies, there's a pretty glaring example. And then on the interior enforcement front, of course we're seeing heightened enforcement actions. People are getting picked up. Families are getting torn apart here in the U.S. The detention beds that we have are at capacity."

She added: "The strongest thing I want people to know is that if you've been here for longer than two years, or you have a fear of returning to your country, there's a way to stop a fast-track deportation. They can only deport someone who's been here for less than two years and if that person is not claiming asylum. So anyone who is undocumented, just remember that if you get picked up, you have the right to remain silent under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution and you should not sign any documents without first reviewing them with an attorney. And if you've been here for longer than two years, you can pause the deportation and fight your case."

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

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Richard is joined by Mike Nellis, founder and CEO of Authentic, a Chicago-based political fundraising and consulting firm.

They discussed Donald Trump's recent Oval Office meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with Nellis criticizing Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance for their "completely classless" conduct which, he said, did "not have America's best interest at heart." 

When the conversation shifted to the impact of these events on voters, Nellis emphasized the need for better Democratic communication on Ukraine's importance in the defense of democracy and the rules-based international order. They also discussed the potential of town halls to engage disengaged voters and the importance of reaching out to disappointed Trump supporters with inclusive messaging, in order to rebuild trust and unity.

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

And find the "Chew's Views" Full Episodes podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn.

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Representative Kam Buckner, a Chicago Democrat representing the 26th House District of Illinois, discussed his role as assistant majority leader and talked about challenges facing the state of Illinois. He emphasized Illinois' potential to lead on issues like school funding, climate justice, and criminal legal reform and highlighted the need for vigilance against restrictive voter ID laws and other voter suppression tactics. He also stressed the importance of Democrats maintaining a supermajority in the state legislature and engaging with constituents on issues like rising costs and Real ID compliance. Buckner underscored the need for state legislatures to act as laboratories for democracy, especially at a time when democracy is under severe threat from Republicans.

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

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Representative Harry Benton, a Plainfield Democrat representing the 97th House District of Illinois, joined Richard Chew to discuss his legislative priorities, including union support, Medicaid funding, early childhood education, and energy policy. Benton emphasized the need for affordable health care and prescription drugs and stressed the importance of local engagement.

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

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Richard is joined by Brian Lemek, executive director of Defend The Vote. He discussed the organization's mission to preserve the right to vote and its efforts to support the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. He criticized the SAVE Act for its voter suppression measures, noting that it could cost Americans more than $19 billion and disenfranchise millions, particularly impacting military service members, Native Americans, and low-income Americans.

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

And find the "Chew's Views" Full Episodes podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Amazon and TuneIn. 

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Richard is joined by Rebecca Shi, CEO at the American Business Immigration Coalition, discussed the organization's mission to fix the broken U.S. immigration system, which she says has "been outdated for the last 40 years." The coalition -- "a bipartisan group of 1,700 employers and CEOs from around the country, representing agriculture, manufacturing, health care, technology" -- emphasizes the need for "solutions that can both secure the border and also secure America's workforce," Shi said. She also highlighted the critical role of immigrants in sectors like construction and agriculture, noting that 72 percent of farm workers are foreign-born, and that removing them could increase food costs significantly. She called for a balanced approach that addresses both border security and workforce needs, advocating for a legal pathway for long-term, law-abiding immigrants.

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

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Richard is joined by Derek Black, an expert on education law and the director of the University of South Carolina’s Constitutional Law Center. He discussed the historical federal role in education, tracing it back to the Northwest Ordinances and the post-Civil War origins of the original Department of Education. Black emphasized the disparity in funding between states, noting that poorer states like Mississippi rely heavily on federal dollars, while wealthier states like Massachusetts can afford to fund education independently. He also criticized Trump's plan to eliminate the Department of Education, arguing that it's unconstitutional and detrimental to public services. 

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

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Richard is joined by P.J. Powers, artistic director of TimeLine Theatre, whose production of DEBATE: BALDWIN VS. BUCKLEY runs through March 2nd at Cortelyou Commons, DePaul University.

From TimeLine's advance promotion: 

“Is the American Dream at the expense of the American Negro?” This was the topic on February 18, 1965 when an overflow crowd packed the Cambridge Union in Cambridge, England, to bear witness to a historic televised debate between James Baldwin, the leading literary voice of the civil rights movement, and William F. Buckley Jr., a fierce critic of the movement and America’s most influential conservative intellectual. The stage was set for an epic confrontation that pitted Baldwin’s call for a moral revolution in race relations against Buckley’s unabashed elitism and implicit commitment to white supremacy. This historic clash reveals the deep roots and lasting legacy of racial conflict that continues to haunt America.

TimeLine is thrilled to partner with the internationally acclaimed company the american vicarious and The Theatre School at DePaul University—the Midwest’s leading theatre conservatory and the alma mater of TimeLine’s founders—to present this theatrical event at DePaul’s Cortelyou Commons, which replicates the Cambridge Union where the original debate was held. It will be an immersive, site-specific production tailor-made for Chicago.

Debate: Baldwin vs. Buckley will feature Teagle F. Bougere as Baldwin and Eric T. Miller as Buckley in the cast.

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

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Richard is joined by Elizabeth Beavers, Congress Watch director at Public Citizen. She discussed the organization's role in advocating for public interest, resisting corporate power, and actively litigating against the Trump administration's actions, including lawsuits to protect sensitive information, foreign assistance funding, and agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Beavers also highlighted the importance of public involvement and the use of tools like ethics complaints and public letters to hold the administration accountable. 

Catch "Chew's Views with Richard Chew” weekdays from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/chews-views).

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Richard is joined by Susana Mendoza, who discussed her role and record as Illinois comptroller. She also spoke to the importance of federal funding for Illinois, telling WCPT that 2025 "is a year where we have to be super tight, where we truly do have to look at potentially trimming down, trying to find efficiencies where we can -- not nuking the system but definitely looking at, can we go a little tighter here? 

"And the reason for that is not just because we are pretty much flat with our revenues, so we don't have room for mistakes, but also because we have to consider what still lies ahead and what we don't know when it comes to the federal cuts that are likely going to be on the horizon. And so to pretend that we are in a normal year with a normal president with a normal Congress is really just to deny reality. And so we have to be super, super cautious and conservative when it comes to how we craft this year's budget," Mendoza said. 

She also discussed her opposition to Chicago Mayor Brandon's plan to issue $830 million in bonds to fund infrastructure projects, which City Council delayed a final vote on the day before. 

"Unfortunately, this thing is not completely dead, and it should be. I'm very, very much opposed to this bond deal, principally because of how it's structured," adding that the city of Chicago "has shown absolute negligence in managing their funds under this administration."

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