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Chicago’s transit system is in crisis after a horrific attack that should never have happened, and Washington has finally put real pressure on city leaders to fix it. The Federal Transit Administration has told the Chicago Transit Authority that its safety plan is “materially deficient” and warned it could withhold up to $50 million in federal funding unless the agency submits a stronger, verifiable plan.
Let’s be clear about the ugly facts: a 26-year-old woman, Bethany MaGee, was doused in gasoline and set on fire while riding a CTA train on November 17, 2025, and the suspect, Lawrence Reed, has been charged by federal authorities, including on terrorism-related counts. This wasn’t a random accident — reporting shows the accused had a lengthy criminal history and was out on electronic monitoring at the time, a failure that exposes the soft-on-crime policies that endanger everyday commuters.
Chicago officials scrambled to roll out a so-called “security surge,” boosting off-duty CPD patrols from an average of 77 officers a day to about 120 and adding more K-9 units, but federal officials say those steps don’t go far enough or commit to measurable reductions in assaults. The FTA has given CTA 90 days to produce a plan that actually reduces violent incidents, or it will withhold as much as $50 million in Urbanized Area Formula funding. This is the kind of federal accountability that should have come sooner from city leaders who have long prioritized optics over results.
For hard-working Chicagoans who ride the trains to work, this is not an abstract policy debate — it’s a matter of survival and decency. The blame falls at the feet of weak prosecutors, permissive bail policies, and a political class more interested in virtue signaling than protecting victims; when repeat offenders keep returning to the streets, commuters pay the price. If the city won’t act, the federal government’s leverage is appropriate and necessary to force meaningful change and to keep Americans safe on public transit.
Now is the time for tough, common-sense measures: sustained police presence during high-risk hours, stricter oversight of electronic monitoring programs, expedited prosecution for violent subway and bus crimes, and accountability for officials who constantly promise reform but deliver little. Conservatives should applaud the FTA for holding the line and demand that every dollar of federal support be conditional on actual safety outcomes, not empty promises. Chicago must choose whether it will protect its citizens or continue to excuse lawlessness — hardworking Americans deserve a city that keeps its trains and transit riders safe.
