>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight.

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

>> Ensuring the integrity of elections is essential issues.

>> How a bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote could impact elections.

2 artists Chicago ties on making history with bad bunny at the Super Bowl.

I think it's really critical that we create opportunities for young women.

>> And meet the women powering their own mechanic shop.

>> First off tonight, federal officials say the massive immigration crackdown that killed 2 people in Minnesota is coming to an end.

Trump administration borders are Tom Homan is hailing it as a success.

>> There were some issues here.

We address those issues, but I'm not a anybody did anything wrong and that, you know, there are unprofessional.

I'm going to say there's there's some issues here.

We most issues.

We've had great success with this operation and we're live in Minnesota safer.

>> Home and says the 2 month operation lead to 4,000 arrests.

It's also been a flashpoint in the debate over the administration's immigration enforcement tactics which led to the deaths of Renee good.

And Alex, pretty at the hands of federal agents.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is urging continued protests and proposing a 10 million dollar aid package for businesses that lost revenue because of the operation.

The Chicago Board of Education is terminating its contract with the search firm hired to find a new schools.

Chief the move comes as 6 of the board's elected members claim the mayor's office has interfered with the search.

In a statement, those 6 members argue, quote, this blatant political interference is harmful to the entire district schools, staff, families, and most importantly, the students, every problem becomes more difficult to solve when there is leadership, instability.

Board members say the election, the selection process had been working well until last November when they claim Mayor Brandon Johnson and his handpicked allies on the board began, quote, running political interference at the time names of finalists were leaked and they say progress has since stalled.

The search has been on since former CEO Pedro Martinez left last June after the previous school board voted to fire him having.

Okay, first comes the snow then bids.

Then Chicagoans newest winter tradition.

The annual snow plow naming contest and the entry getting the most attention this year.

Abolish ICE.

It's clearly upon linking the city's snow plowing efforts to opposition of President Trump's mass deportation campaign.

Among the other top, 25 finalists are Blizzard of Oz.

Derrick froze.

Pope Frio the 14th and wow and 6 said of an inch the top 6 vote-getters win.

The honor of renaming one snowplow in each of Chicago's 6 know districts.

The deadline to cast your ballot is this Saturday.

Check out our website to learn how.

Up next efforts in Congress to overhaul elections right after this.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part why the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> Voting rights groups are sounding the alarm over the safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or the save Act.

The proposed federal legislation would require voters to display a photo ID as well as proof of citizenship either or birth certificate or passport to register to vote.

It would also impose criminal penalties on officials who register voters without proper documentation.

The bill passed out of the House yesterday but faces an uphill battle in the Senate.

Joining us to discuss the bill are Ed Yong CA Communications and public policy director of the ACLU of Illinois and state Senator Andrew Chesney.

A Republican whose district includes Freeport in Western Illinois.

Gentlemen, thanks to both for joining us.

Welcome back.

Welcome.

So, let's start let's start with how election officials in polling places verify American citizenship among voters as it is right now.

For the most part, voters present identification either through a state ID or some other kind of I D.

>> When they register to vote and they sign an affidavit saying that they are eligible to vote.

We've had that system in place for over many years.

And there is little or no evidence that there is any issue with non-citizens voting.

There are reports in almost every election cycle of a handful of people who either attempt to a vote attempt to impersonate someone to vote attempt to vote in some other way.

Those things are dealt with at the local level and those people are weeded out and punished.

What this is is an attempt from the federal level to take what are really, you know, conspiracy theories and turn them into federal policy.

Senator Szczesny, do you think the current system the way the way it's just described is that sufficient?

>> No, it's And if you ask the public, they agree that's not sufficient.

It's overwhelming Democrats, Republicans and independents support a voter ID system.

There's no evidence of jet that suggest that a voter I ID system suppresses votes.

The Democrats want to make it easy to vote, but also easy to cheat.

And we want free and fair elections.

We want people to participate in the process.

What we don't want or for non-citizens and illegal immigrants to have access 2, our ability to vote and most developed countries throughout the world have a voter ID system.

And my question to anybody that opposes it.

What is there to hide?

>> Let me let me answer that question.

The question is not only what is there to hide, but what is the problem?

We're fixing because again, there is little to no evidence that any kind that there is there is any kind of mass fraud.

The reason that there are 8 they are able to point to polls that suggest that people fear the integrity of the system is because we have had the person in this country with the loudest megaphone wine for a decade about losing elections when he loses their cheating when he went when he wins, everything's OK.

So this is just nonsense.

But the other thing if you look back to the even when the Supreme Court of the United States allowed a voter ID system in Indiana case, then Justice Scalia who wrote the majority opinion acknowledge that there were people who were going to be denied the right to vote because they didn't have access to an ID.

You can't say you're for free and fair elections for people to be included and then say, oh, yes, but we want to cut people out.

It just doesn't work.

And proponents of the save act.

They say it would prevent illegal immigrants and it from voting in American elections.

Right?

>> That doesn't happen That doesn't happen and say that.

>> I would say that 72% of Democrats support voter ID and that's certainly not people that support the president and also voter ID is simply common sense.

You have to do this to transact into function in civilized society.

You need this to bank.

You need this to to access government services.

And so if if this is if this hill is so high to climb, then why do we require this for virtually every function in life?

With the exception of one of our greatest responsibilities, which is the opportunity and the right to vote.

one reason it's to make it easy to cheat.

>> first of all, if that were true, then at some point, some would be to be able to prove the cheating in a court of law.

They can.

Number 2, we keep hearing about polls and who supports what I just say.

I keep reading the polls about the number of people who don't support the president's mass deportation program.

I presume he's going to drop back tomorrow as a result.

If we're doing things by poll, OK?

So senator, according to the University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement, nearly 4 million Americans, though, lack any form of citizenship, documentation.

>> Could the save act make it harder for those people to vote?

>> Well, I can only speak for Illinois and they provide everything for free.

And if you need an ID, you can get it for free.

If you need a birth certificate there, $15 and I'd be happy to support legislation for those that can afford it.

That out would make that at low cost or no cost as well.

Let's be clear.

These are not fight financial barriers that Democrats and progressives have an issue with.

These are voting outcomes and they the Democrats only support policies were voting outcomes are going to improve their chances of winning.

That's all this is.

That's why 72% of Democrats and 95% of Republicans supported the system.

That is why Canada, the UK, Denmark, all have a voter ID system that's not to suppress the vote.

That's to make certain that in our case U.S.

citizens or legal citizens are voting no different than every other country in the industrialized world wants to make certain that their citizens are the only people voting.

And so this is about voting.

Now comes this isn't about barriers or it Clear at Let's be clear.

>> The save act is not about voter ID.

It is about proof of citizenship, including a document that matches your current name.

There are 5 million Illinoisans who don't have access to a passport.

There are 2.5 million Illinoisans mostly women whose birth certificate does not match their current name on their voting registration because they have been they change their name when they are married.

Those folks would all be at risk of being not from the rolls being challenge and voting officials who are would be threatened with criminal penalties if they allowed those people to vote, which would discourage more participation.

This is not a voter ID law or this is not a voter integrity law.

This is a voter suppression law, pure and simple.

So Senator, you mentioned, you know, getting an ID in Illinois that can be free for some folks on but getting a passport book.

>> Costs $130 newser.

Federal documents, of course, getting a passport card $30.

It is.

I mean, should American citizens have to pay to vote if they need a passport to prove their citizenship and vote?

>> It's not controversial to suggest that we want to know Who you say you are is who you are, that it's only controversial to Democrats and prevent progressive, which is why most moderate countries have adopted voter ID.

Voter ID laws.

You need birth certificates to function.

You need ID's to function.

These are not these are not radical ideas that you should have to prove.

You are who you say you are.

It is only because Democrats want to manipulate the outcomes within our elections and they don't want you to prove it.

So what the in the state of Illinois is we're not going to ask for your ID or not going to purge voter rolls and then show us where the fraud is.

we just say, hey, if you want to vote to shows you are we are.

What's controversial about that, Denmark, Sweden, UK, Canada.

They all figured it out there.

They're not exactly some conservative right-wing countries.

The reason Democrats are pushing back so far on this is because they know they have a problem.

If we have to ask people to identify who they are prior to them or during the voting process.

And the Democrats don't want don't want look under the hood on this issue.

And this will bill, the short comings of our current system, but also tightened up.

Here's the deal.

Everybody in this country should know when they vote.

Their vote is counted.

Their vote accurate.

And then there is no interference in our elections.

So turn personal presented great filibuster.

>> But with political talking points about Democrats that just say that we have a president in the White House who is scared to death, that there will be a Congress that will hold him accountable and he intends to medal and he intends to cheat and he intends to do anything that he can to ensure that that doesn't happen.

This process as part of it.

15 seconds left to DC any room for compromise between the 2 groups.

One calling for stricter voter.

Right.

voter ID laws and one that is I think think there are 2 things that we could look at.

I think a long-term analysis of what is actually happening in our voting system.

And I think looking at how we would provide people with ideas and access for free, I think are things people could discuss.

But but that's it really basically you've got some research.

That's where we'll have to leave it, though.

A state Senator Chesney, a young Thanks to both.

Thanks.

Up next, inside a new mechanic shop that searing women towards that read.

>> In Ravenswood a new kind of mechanic shop is breaking the mold.

Reporter Joanna Hernandez shows us how a garage opening its doors to drive more women into the industry.

>> Ever pop the hood of your car and have no idea what you're looking at.

>> For some drivers walking into a mechanic shop can feel intimidating.

>> It is not a safe really included space.

When so many kind of talks and vehicle jargon and makes a way over complicated when it's actually really simple.

Do you need this or do you not?

>> Meet Ray Chapin.

She's a lead mechanic at Megan Estep, a nonprofit repair stop aimed at making auto care more inclusive for women and non-binary folks.

>> The whole time in the military, I was only female.

It wasn't until right before actually retired out the I got to train my first female in job.

To pull out check in with >> This is actually looks pretty new chief and spent nearly a decade.

And the Air Force has a heavy mobile equipment.

Mechanic said she knows her way around cars I was.

I was working on my hands hours, probably handed some >> tool at the age of 2 and was like, go play with this outside.

Take it apart.

But it put it back together.

And then.

While you're checking level.

Also check in the fluid, making sure the it's looks clean is not burn.

2% of all mechanics are women and it's a problem because we have all these openings everywhere.

>> Lisa Thompson is the founder of Mecca.

Nice to and idea.

She says came after research in conversation with people in the industry.

That's when she first heard about the 2% problem.

And so I said, oh, what are you doing?

Like, what are some of the things that people are doing to try to solve this 2% problem?

And he said >> I really think that doing anything about it.

So I Rachel, my husband, I was like I think I have to do this.

I think I have to start a program for this.

>> And the garage doesn't look like an ordinary mechanic shop.

>> I wanted the space to look like some place.

I would feel comfortable.

Curling up with a book in a cup of coffee.

>> The auto shop has plenty of space for parents to bring their kids or anyone wanting to get some work done while their cars being serviced.

>> I want them to walk out feeling like, wow, that was fun.

That was a pleasant hour and I know what's going on with my car.

It could possibly just beer bill.

If it's getting more like that.

>> Besides offering car services, Thompson says they're developing a 12 Week Apprentice program for ages 16 to 24 a chance for girls and non binary people to jump into a career in the automotive industry.

I think it's really critical.

>> That we create opportunities for our young women to work in a garage and to learn in a place that they feel safe, that they feel included, that they feel is equitable because otherwise they may not stay in the field and you never want to open that when a car just pulled in here because pressurize and very So I'm getting an opportunity to create that safe space and that.

>> Opportunity to.

Give people the confidence and show them that we can do this.

We are so capable as a human being.

He's got absolutely as women women plus.

>> For Chicago tonight, I'm joined on this.

>> Reckon is also hosting car care workshops, including a Valentine's Day event where people can learn how to jump-start their car and get a tour under the hood for how to make an appointment.

You can visit our website.

Up next, meet 2 of the locals who helped bad bunny bring his Super Bowl vision to life.

Latin culture was on full display on Super Bowl Sunday as bad bunny made history as the first Latin solo artist to headline the halftime show.

The performance almost entirely in Spanish averaged more than 128 million viewers and was praised by fans for highlighting and celebrating Puerto Rican culture but also received pushback with 2 Republican Congress members calling for an investigation into the performance, calling it, quote, Pierce much 2 local artists that were among bad bunny's hundreds 100's of performers at the stadium that day.

Joining us, our work crews dancer, choreographer, and creative director.

>> And Jean Carlo Guerrero, 6 time Grammy Award-winning conductor in the artistic director and principal conductor of Chicago's Grant Park Music Festival.

Welcome to you both.

Congratulations.

Think you think you imagine you're still riding high lyrics.

Tell me what the last few days have been like since Sunday's performance.

Well, you don't happen to be exhausted home, but, you know, writing the high, you know, packing a lot of emotion.

>> You know, being a homegrown Puerto Rican from Chicago being able to represent my neighborhood of Humble Park and Chicago Lawn.

The rules are just age is something I didn't see.

was going to be possible at this point in my career.

So, you know, the emotions are still going and running on the excitement.

Happily exhausted.

I'm John Carlos, same question to you.

What the last few days been like for you?

>> It's been very exciting electric.

I was so proud to be part of this incredible project with so many people from so many different backgrounds, everybody coming together for one beautiful coming purpose, which is to put the best show possible.

And I can tell you all through the rehearsals and performances of the joy on the field with probable everybody was so proud to be part of it.

And honestly, this is something that will never forget in my life.

I'm sure.

>> Dzhokhar, let's go back to to sort of getting books.

It sounds like you were handpicked by the man himself.

>> Yeah.

So about a week before the Saturday, the weekend before I got a call from my manager apparently Bunny's manager called him there was going to be the stream orchestra involved in the halftime show and Benito.

he an actual string orchestra and he wanted an actual conduct are leading and somewhere in along the lines he had me have you in my career and what I was up to as a conductor.

I think if any conduct maybe the Grammys had a connection there, the fact that we both have 6 Grammys now, maybe that had something to do with it.

So I would they reached out to me and for it on his sleeve.

That was a part of me that I this is maybe a joke.

didn't see the connection by by the NFL halftime show But very quickly, very quickly, I realized this was not a joke.

then but going to keep it a secret.

Well, that is the other part that, you know, I could tell by 2 daughters, though, because they're huge, bad bunny and I did tell them and also like myself, think that it was a joke and him for a while they've got and we're getting angry.

But finally, they realized this is actually happening.

>> Lyric, what about you?

I imagine you probably have lot of friends or have a lot of friends who are bad bunny fans as well.

Couldn't tell him.

Could you when you found out of this was the hardest you know, because you get one hero.

That's like congratulations.

You're being booked for Super Bowl 16.

>> And the next e-mail is here's the NDA, but you know, I think we all understood the gravity of the project.

And I think that we wanted to protect it to, you know, so it was tough, you know, but I definitely have to tell mom right away.

According what did it mean for you to be a part of a performance like this?

And also at a time like this when so many in the Latino community feel like they're under attack by this administration.

Yeah.

So brand is for me.

This my Puerto Rican.

This is not a fad.

This is something that has been instilled in me since I was a kid again, growing up in the neighborhood like Humble Park.

You grow up with so much pride.

So knowing that I was going take the world's largest speech with the biggest artist planet right now, everybody knows you are on stage for the wedding.

Yes, got on the waiting That was another like huge surprise that we did not find out until we were doing tech rehearsal inside Levi's Stadium.

But, you know, knowing that I was going to be able to be part of showing the world 15 minutes of Puerto Rico.

Was this the greatest on and that I could have ever had in this career.

John Carlo, tell me a little bit more about the sort of the different parts of culture that the performance, the Latino culture, not just Puerto Rican culture, but the Latino culture that was celebrated.

>> In those 13, 15 minutes.

>> Well, you can see that there different stages within the show and with every stage was a different style of music was shot, shows you the but stabbing.

And when I spent some time with them will be for the show.

I became an even bigger fan of because he's got so much curiosity beyond what we think of performer and that he's actually quite something that he said to me that maybe really respect him was the fact that he said to me, I want an extra 3 one of the conductor because they have too respect what you guys do.

You guys need to be put in the actual be in the best light possible.

And you know what?

To me that the message was clear.

The most important part is the music and the music making.

And from that point, I realized is a guy that is serious about what he does.

And you could see it every different stage that he was exploring different physical languages.

>> We're tell me a little bit about your dance background and how humble park sort of sheets you as a performer.

>> Well, you know, coming from a single parent home, I didn't you know, my mother was a single mom of 3 boys.

So, you know, having money for dance classes wasn't really a thing.

But, you know, I grew up in the community that offered it.

And I'm a kid that was raised by the village.

So, you know, I started taking dance classes at a home park field house, which, you know, with the Chicago Park District and you know it just, you know, I was a super ambitious, energetic boy so that, you know, once I found this outlet, I knew that this was what my energy was.

4.

And, you know, by the time I was 17, I started my own dance company, my senior year of high school.

And the rest has been they've been dancing for wild briefly before we let you go, tell me about how the production was inclusive for all kinds of cancers.

kinds of performers.

Yeah.

So you know, >> piggyback on foot.

He said, you know, that money is a very intentional artist.

And when you get to work with a very intentional artist, you feel so honored and you feel so seen and being in part of a cast that was so inclusive and I'm talking about from the demographic of age to the different beautiful body shapes that were there from every of black brown.

was so beautiful, you know.

And so it was such a celebration of us.

John Carlo, a briefly before we let you go as well.

Where can folks see you next?

>> Well, I am going to be at the ground for music festival.

You, Joe leading this year festival, which is going to be very, very special.

I'm looking forward to my return to Chicago this summer.

>> All right.

I look forward to seeing if you can figure out how to work any bad bunny style music into the festival this that that comes up every All right.

Thanks to the 2 of you for joining us.

Congrats again.

Looking forward to seeing winds measuring both where crews and Giancarlo good.

thank you.

And we're back with more right after this.

>> Reflecting the people perspectives that make a pass This story is part of Chicago tonight.

Not the >> And that's our show for this Thursday night.

Join us tomorrow night at 5.37, for the week in review.

Now for all of us here at Chicago Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> Closed captioning is made possible by Robert a and Clifford law offices, a Chicago personal injury and wrongful and sponsor program.