The Daily Northwestern — May 6, 2026 by The Daily Northwestern

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Wednesday, May 6, 2026

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Transgender students frustrated, NU researchers make plasma discovery

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Pro-Palestinian activists reflect Students describe fear after federal funding agreement By XUAN DAY TRAN

assistant illustrations editor

On April 29, 2024, Northwestern reached the Deering Meadow Agreement in response to encampments on campus by pro-Palestinian student groups. Today, pro-Palestinian student activists are preparing for the future of their advocacy following the University’s termination of the Deering Meadow Agreement as part of the Nov. 28 deal with the Trump administration to restore federal funding. The November agreement states the University will “not use personal statements, diversity narratives, or any applicant reference to racial identity as a means to introduce or justify discrimination.” “If I personally had known Northwestern would make a deal with the Trump administration, I never would have applied here in the first place,” said a student participant in the Deering Meadow encampment. The student participant, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation from University and federal authorities, said they felt

the deal opposed NU’s values of equality and justice. They added that the deal reversed the progress achieved by equality initiatives and programs. “I think that the deal has taken away a lot of the ability of students to speak out and speak freely,” the student participant said. “There is a constant fear of being doxxed, being attacked or being criminalized for speaking out on an issue they feel passionate about.” However, they said they believe there is still a future for pro-Palestinian student activism. The student participant said their experiences from the encampment, along with those of other activists, will help them face future obstacles the deal may introduce. “Part of the future of activism is building strong communities, remaining connected and practicing empathy,” the student participant said. Another student activist, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation from University and federal authorities, said that due to increased surveillance from NU and federal authorities, they felt that students could not voice certain views in the current political climate.

» See ACTIVISM, page 14

Daily file photo by Anavi Prakash

Illinois House Bill 5024 won’t retroactively affect the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Illinois.

Illinois bill would restrict ICE facilities Critics say the proposal should affect existing detention centers By EMILY DISSANAYAKE

the daily northwestern

As federal immigration enforcement activity intensified in the fall, United Church

of Rogers Park Pastor Hannah Kardon visited the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Illinois, to protest ICE activity. Since then, she said she has visited the facility a few dozen

times. She said she “saw how devastating (the facility) was for the city of Broadview,” adding that children, neighboring daycares and houses of worship were at times exposed to tear gas deployed by federal agents.

“It’s not safe to be near a torture facility that is set up to deny human rights,” Kardon said. “So, there is a safety issue, and I don’t know if the

» See ICE, page 14

UChicago students canvass at Arch D65 considers For Our Future activists peel back history of decades-old onion law childcare cuts By MAX TURETZKY

assistant city editor

Northwestern students experienced an unconventional political awakening Friday afternoon as a student delegation from the University of Chicago descended on campus with bags of raw onions and a singular mission: to overturn the Onion Futures Act of 1958. The four UChicago student activists belong to a club called For Our Futures, which seeks to overturn a decades-old law that bans the trading of onion futures — contracts that lock in a price for onions to be delivered at a later date. The group collected

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signatures for a petition to legalize onion futures at The Arch, informing passersby about what they view as the law’s negative effects on onion farmers and offering them free onions in exchange for signatures. The Onion Futures Act was passed after two traders cornered the Chicago onion futures market in 1955, then crashed prices by flooding the market with onions, which led bankrupt farmers to dump their worthless onions into the Chicago River. “It was intended to reduce price volatility, but that has not occurred,” said UChicago student Adam Ash, the selfdescribed “generalissimo” of For Our Futures, who led the delegation. “Especially at a time when

District eyes $6.3 million budget reduction in 2027 By SOPHIE BAKER and ELIZA MARTIN

the daily northwestern

Max Turetzky/The Daily Northwestern

Four University of Chicago students, three of whom identified themselves only as “concerned citizens,” informed passersby about what they view as the Onion Futures Act’s negative effects on onion farmers

our politicians are only talking about visions of utopia, we think the option you’re looking at is

marginally better public policy.”

» See ONIONS, page 15

The Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Board of Education assessed alternative spending cuts at its Monday meeting. Board members are currently looking to complete Phase 3 of the district’s Structural Deficit Reduction Plan, which aims to cut $16 million to $18 million from the

district’s budget by fiscal year 2030. The district is targeting a $6.3 million budget reduction for the 2027 fiscal year. Superintendent Angel Turner said the board must decide where to cut an additional $635,077 of spending before the next fiscal year to meet that goal. In the past few weeks, the district has moved to eliminate several student-facing positions, including some counselors and middle school librarians. This has drawn significant pushback from parents, teachers and students,

» See D65 BOARD, page 15