ADDITIONAL STORY TODAY: What the Trump administration’s videos from the midnight Chicago raid *didn’t* show:

www.propublica.org/article/chic...

1/ I’d like to share what’s happened since Sept. 30, the night of the most dramatic raid of the Trump administration’s Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago. Under the cover of darkness, 37 immigrants were taken from an apartment complex …🧵

Remember the immigration raid on the apartment complex in Chicago almost two months ago? The one with the Black Hawk helicopter and federal agents rappelling on ropes? @ProPublica decided to take a deeper look. We found little evidence to support the government’s claims. 🧵

“I Lost Everything”: Venezuelans Were Rounded Up in a Dramatic Midnight Raid but Never Charged With a Crime Authorities said Tren de Aragua “terrorists” had taken over the building. A ProPublica investigation found little evidence to back up the government’s claims. For the first time, the Venezuelans arres...

In Sept, @homelandgov.bsky.social raided a Chicago complex and took dozens of immigrants — under the cover of darkness.

Officials called it a victory against terrorism.

A team @propublica.org set out to check the claims, and find and talk with the Venezuelans:
www.propublica.org/article/chic...

“I Lost Everything”: Venezuelans Were Rounded Up in a Dramatic Midnight Raid but Never Charged With a Crime Authorities said Tren de Aragua “terrorists” had taken over the building. A ProPublica investigation found little evidence to back up the government’s claims. For the first time, the Venezuelans arres...

Hey, remember that Chicago apartment building raid where children were zip-tied together? Guess what: www.propublica.org/article/chic...

“I Lost Everything”: Venezuelans Were Rounded Up in a Dramatic Midnight Raid but Never Charged With a Crime Authorities said Tren de Aragua “terrorists” had taken over the building. A ProPublica investigation found little evidence to back up the government’s claims. For the first time, the Venezuelans arres...

NEW: What happened to the Venezuelans after a raid at a Chicago apartment. From an amazing @propublica.org team: @melissa-sanchez.bsky.social, @jodiscohen.bsky.social, Sebastian Rotella, @tchristianmiller.bsky.social, @mariamelba.bsky.social and so many others.

www.propublica.org/article/chic...

How Trump Has Exploited Pardons and Clemency to Reward Allies and Supporters The president’s second term has brought a flood of clemency for allies and donors — as well as felons, like him, who were convicted of financial wrongdoing.

NEW: Trump had a chance to fix the presidential clemency system. Instead, he's exploiting it to help political allies. Smart story from reporter @jeremykohler.bsky.social of @propublica.org.

www.propublica.org/article/trum...

“I Don’t Want to Be Here Anymore”: They Tried to Self-Deport, Then Got Stranded in Trump’s America Venezuelan immigrants signed up for a Trump-promoted app called CBP Home, which promised a safe and easy way to leave the country, and prepared to leave on their given departure dates. Those dates hav...

NEW: The Trump administration wants immigrants, especially from Venezuela, to self-deport. But it doesn't always make it easy. Powerfully told and deeply reported story from @melissa-sanchez.bsky.social and @mariamelba.bsky.social of @propublica.org.

www.propublica.org/article/trum...

This Little-Known Appeal Could Force Your Insurer to Pay for Lifesaving Care. Here’s How to File It. When a health insurer refuses to pay for your treatment, you may have the right to have the denial reviewed — and potentially overturned — by an independent provider. Here are six steps experts sugges...

NEW: If you've ever fought with your health insurer -- and, let's be honest, who hasn't? -- then this explainer on external reviews from @deldeib.bsky.social of @propublica.org will surely help you.

www.propublica.org/article/heal...

ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network Selects Five New Partners for Its 50 State Initiative ProPublica is an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.

Everything's coming up Philly...

The Birds are undefeated, the Phillies are in the playoffs, HBO's love affair with the Delco accent blazes on, and now @inquirer.com is a partner in the @propublica.org Local Reporting Network!

Reporter, Midwest Regions

JOB ALERT: We're hiring an experienced reporter to join our wonderful @propublica.org team in the Midwest. If you want to do accountability journalism, please apply. And please reach out if you have questions.

job-boards.greenhouse.io/propublica/j...

Programs for Students With Hearing and Vision Loss Harmed by Trump’s Anti-Diversity Push Citing concerns about DEI, the U.S. Department of Education has halted funding for programs that support students with combined hearing and vision loss in eight states. “How low can you go?” one advoc...

NEW: The Trump administration is going after funding for students who are both deaf and blind. Said one advocate: "How low can you go?" Powerful reporting from the team of @jodiscohen.bsky.social and @jsmithrichards.bsky.social of @propublica.org.

www.propublica.org/article/trum...

“Just Let Me Die”: After Insurance Repeatedly Denied a Couple’s Claims, One Psychiatrist Was Their Last Hope After a North Carolina man attempted suicide twice, his wife tried to get him help at an inpatient clinic. But their insurance provider refused to cover the treatment, deeming it “not medically necess...

NEW: When an insurance company denied mental health treatment for a man who attempted suicide twice, a psychiatrist had the power to make things right. See what happened in this powerful story from @deldeib.bsky.social of @propublica.org.

www.propublica.org/article/ment...

Trump’s Pick to Help Run the FBI Has a History of Prosecuting Influential Democrats Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s targeting of Democrats is legally questionable, experts say, but it’s helped to further his career nationally: “The more outrageous you are, the more you are ...

NEW: How did Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey get picked for a top post at the FBI? In part by bringing criminal cases against local and state Democrats. Smart story from @jeremykohler.bsky.social of @propublica.org.

www.propublica.org/article/miss...

Trump’s Rollback of Rules for Mental Health Coverage Could Lead More Americans to Go Without Care The president, who has framed mental health as a national crisis, paused rules to hold insurers accountable for unlawfully denying coverage. And Congress cut funding to the agency that enforces insure...

NEW: In his first term, Trump talked like he wanted to improve mental health care in the U.S. and how the insurance industry covered it. In his second term, not so much. Smart story from @mayatmiller.bsky.social and @jeremykohler.bsky.social of @propublica.org.

www.propublica.org/article/ment...

The Trump Administration Is Promoting Its Anti-Trans Agenda Globally at the United Nations U.S. delegates have objected to use of the word “gender” in U.N. documents during forums on topics as varied as women’s rights, science and technology, global health, toxic pollution and chemical wast...

NEW: The Trump administration is promoting anti-transgender views at forums around the globe where officials speak, even when the issue has nothing to do with gender. Smart story by @lisalsong.bsky.social of @propublica.org.

www.propublica.org/article/trum...

Bloodied Faces, Sobbing Children: Immigration Officers Smash Car Windows to Speed Up Arrests We’ve documented nearly 50 incidents of immigration officers shattering car windows to make arrests — a tactic experts say was rarely used before Trump took office. ICE claims its officers use a “mini...

NEW: Smart story about how ICE agents are smashing windows as they make arrests, presumably to sow fear among immigrants. From @nicolefoy.bsky.social and @mckenziefunk.com of @propublica.org.

projects.propublica.org/trump-ice-sm...

Now That They’re Free, Venezuelan Men Want the World to Know What They Endured in CECOT Venezuelan men deported by the Trump administration say they endured months of physical and mental abuse inside a Salvadoran prison. Though happy to be home, they say the fact that they were released ...

NEW: If you want to know what happened to the men Trump sent to a Salvadoran prison, we have their accounts. From an amazing @propublica.org team that included @perla-trevizo.bsky.social, @melissa-sanchez.bsky.social, @micarosenberg.bsky.social and so many others.

www.propublica.org/article/vene...

Texas Governor’s Office Says Its Emails With Elon Musk May Be, in Part, Too “Embarrassing” to Release to the Public We asked Abbott for his and his staff’s emails with Elon Musk and Musk’s companies. The governor’s office won’t turn them over, saying some contain “intimate and embarrassing” information that is “not...

NEW: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott won't release emails with Elon Musk or his companies because they contain information that's "intimate and embarrassing." Boy oh boy, they must really be good. Smart story from @lmcgaughy.bsky.social of the Texas Newsroom.

www.propublica.org/article/texa...

Utah Sen. Mike Lee Says Selling Off Public Lands Will Solve the West’s Housing Crisis. Past Sales Show Otherwise. Last month, Lee introduced a now-removed amendment to Trump’s policy megabill that mandated the sale of up to 3 million acres. It did little to address the challenges of building affordable housing on...

NEW: Politicians like Utah Sen. Mike Lee say selling off public land in the West will help solve the housing crisis. The facts say otherwise. Smart story from @abestreep.bsky.social of @propublica.org.

www.propublica.org/article/utah...

Kristi Noem Secretly Took a Cut of Political Donations A dark money group paid $80,000 to Noem’s personal company when she was governor of South Dakota. She did not include this income on her federal disclosure forms, a likely violation of ethics requirem...

NEW: Big political story: Kristi Noem took a cut of political contributions -- and she did it secretly. Great reporting from @justinelliott.bsky.social, @josh-kaplan.bsky.social and @amierjeski.bsky.social of @propublica.org.

www.propublica.org/article/kris...

A Doctor Challenged the Opinion of a Powerful Child Abuse Specialist. Then He Lost His Job. A Minneapolis pediatrician said he felt pressured to “fall in line” with child abuse specialist Dr. Nancy Harper and her team. Then he was given a choice: resign or be fired.

NEW: A Twin Cities doctor challenged a powerful child abuse pediatrician whose diagnoses had been questioned. Reporter @jlussenhop.bsky.social of @propublica.org reveals what happened next in this terrific but troubling medical investigation.

www.propublica.org/article/chil...

North Dakota Ethics Commission Has No Authority to Punish Officials Violating Ethics Laws, State Leaders Argue Voters created an ethics watchdog agency seven years ago. But officials keep pushing to weaken it, even as North Dakotans are filing a record number of complaints.

NEW: North Dakota lawmakers wanted an ethics commission but then they made it essentially toothless. Very good story from Jacob Orledge and Mary Steurer of the @northdakotamonitor.com, with editing from @propublica.org's @jodiscohen.bsky.social.

www.propublica.org/article/nort...

“The Intern in Charge”: Meet the 22-Year-Old Trump’s Team Picked to Lead Terrorism Prevention One year out of college and with no apparent national security expertise, Thomas Fugate is the Department of Homeland Security official tasked with overseeing the government’s main hub for combating v...

NEW: A recent college grad now leads the Trump admin's terrorism prevention efforts. If I drank coffee, I would've spit it out reading this amazing story from @propublica.org's @hannahallam.bsky.social.

www.propublica.org/article/trum...

Trump Administration Knew Vast Majority of Venezuelans Sent to Salvadoran Prison Had Not Been Convicted of U.S. Crimes Homeland Security records reveal that officials knew that more than half of the 238 deportees were labeled as having no criminal record in the U.S. and had only violated immigration laws.

NEW: The Trump admin knew the men sent to El Salvador weren't criminals when it sent them, internal data shows. From an amazing team of @micarosenberg.bsky.social, @melissa-sanchez.bsky.social, @perla-trevizo.bsky.social and Gabriel Sandoval of @propublica.org.

www.propublica.org/article/trum...

Red State Voters Approved Progressive Measures. GOP Lawmakers Are Trying to Undermine Them. In the wake of ballot measures that increased abortion access and improved sick leave for workers, a coordinated effort is unfolding across the country to restrict direct democracy — and shift power t...

NEW: When red state voters support progressive issues, GOP lawmakers try to undermine their votes -- and democracy. Smart, important story from @jeremykohler.bsky.social of @propublica.org.

www.propublica.org/article/red-...

Illinois Lawmakers Ban Police From Ticketing and Fining Students for Minor Infractions in School The legislation comes after a ProPublica-Chicago Tribune investigation revealed that even though state law bans schools from fining students directly, districts skirt the law by calling on police to i...

NEW: Illinois lawmakers ban schools from using police to ticket and fine students for minor misbehavior. This does not happen without the amazing reporting from @jodiscohen.bsky.social and @jsmithrichards.bsky.social of @propublica.org and @chicagotribune.com.

www.propublica.org/article/illi...

Help Us Report on Sexual Assault and Misconduct by the Chicago Police Department We want to talk to people who have experienced sexual assault or sexual misconduct — which includes sexual harassment and unwanted, inappropriate touching or comments — by Chicago police officers, on ...

Help Us Report on Sexual Assault and Misconduct by the Chicago Police Department

We want to talk to people who have experienced sexual assault or sexual misconduct — which includes sexual harassment and unwanted, inappropriate touching or comments — by Chicago police officers, on or off duty.

Chicago cops dismissed recruit’s claim a colleague sexually assaulted her. Then, he was accused again and again. The Chicago Police Department repeatedly has downplayed or ignored accusations that officers committed sexual assault and misconduct, enabling officers to become repeat offenders, the Invisible Instit...

Thanks to our good friends at the @suntimes.bsky.social, especially @angelarozasotoole.bsky.social, for posting this collaboration between @propublica.org and @invisible.institute.

chicago.suntimes.com/police-refor...

More Than a Dozen U.S. Officials Sold Stocks Before Trump’s Tariffs Sent the Market Plunging Records show well-timed trades by executive branch employees and congressional aides. Even if they had no insider information, ethics experts say such trading undermines faith in government and the ma...

NEW: Trump admin officials sold stocks -- and avoided big losses -- just before tariff actions sank the stock market. Smart story from @robert-faturechi.bsky.social, @pratheekrebala.bsky.social and @bxroberts.org of @propublica.org.

www.propublica.org/article/us-o...