Brandon Quester

@azcir.org reporter @adriana-navarro.bsky.social continues to follow Arizona's abortion-related legislation this week with a new wave of GOP-led bills that could further restrict or limit abortion access, despite a recent court ruling striking down several laws with existing restrictions.

There are still several slots available for this essential training. It's free to attend, and increasingly important in today's reporting landscape. DM if want to hear more, registration link below (deadline 1/15), for training on 1/26.

Deeply reported, data-driven take on power dynamics between citizens and the lawmakers representing them. Give our reporter, @adriana-navarro.bsky.social a follow, share your tips—her beat explores the intersection of gender and policy and we want to hear from you!

In Arizona, years of escalating battles over the initiative process, court authority and partisan primaries have created a system in which voters can pass a constitutional amendment, only to see lawmakers search for ways around it. @azcir.org's latest, via @adriana-navarro.bsky.social

Arizona voters approved in-state tuition for undocumented students. The state left implementation to chance After Arizona voters approved a 2022 ballot initiative granting in-state tuition to undocumented students, the state put no centralized system in place to track participation or ensure consistent impl...

3 years after AZ voters approved in-state tuition for undocumented students through Prop 308, it’s unclear how many have actually benefited. The state had no centralized system to oversee the law's rollout or ensure consistent implementation, AZCIR found.

Read our latest: azcir.org/news/2026/01...

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Hear directly from @azcir.org's @allymarkovich.bsky.social, in collaboration with @appalachia100.bsky.social's @pnickcurran.bsky.social about their latest dispatch from Ukraine, where drone tech and tactics are now making their way to U.S. soil.

In our latest, a dispatch from Ukraine, we trace a direct line from Ukraine’s drone war to the U.S.–Mexico border, examining a blurring between military innovation and civilian law enforcement that has fueled the rise of dual-use, military-grade technology in domestic border operations.

Five Newsroom Leaders Share Best Online Safety Practices "By better protecting their staff and freelancers, news organizations can defend press freedom in the face of intimidation and censorship."

Honored to talk about best practices to keep our staff and colleagues safer in today's escalating threat environment for journalists, with shout-outs to my esteemed colleagues and a thorough new guide from @penamerica.bsky.social & the Coalition Against Online Violence:

pen.org/newsroom-lea...

On this #GivingTuesday, or what we call #GivingNewsDay, all gifts to our newsroom are double-matched by local and national donors thanks to our participation in #NewsMatch. Triple your impact by making that donation today!

Out-of-state investors and farms have poured millions into deep industrial wells and water-intensive nut orchards, betting on Arizona’s unregulated aquifers to keep profits flowing. Today, more than 99% of cropland in the Hualapai Valley basin is owned or controlled by foreign interests.

There’s never been a more critical time to support independent journalism. This is especially true for a newsroom like @azcir.org. The accountability reporting we produce matters—to our state and to our democracy. All donations to our newsroom are now double-matched through 12/31, #NewsMatch👇

Arizona colleges face ‘devastating impact’ after Trump slashes grant funds to minority-serving institutions Ten community colleges and universities in Arizona will lose at least $13.8 million after President Donald Trump's administration cut discretionary funding to minority-serving institutions.

ICYMI: Ten colleges in Arizona are losing millions of dollars after federal cuts hit grants to minority-serving institutions. Without the additional funds, schools are reducing services that helped raise GPAs and made students feel at home, AZCIR’s @molboha.bsky.social found: bit.ly/4o1dPNF

Arizona colleges face ‘devastating impact’ after Trump slashes grant funds to minority-serving institutions Ten community colleges and universities in Arizona will lose at least $13.8 million after President Donald Trump's administration cut discretionary funding to minority-serving institutions.

When the Trump administration recently cut certain grants to minority-serving institutions, millions of dollars earmarked for student support at 10 Arizona schools disappeared—forcing some to end student support programs and reduce staff, via AZCIR’s ‪@molboha.bsky.social‬ azcir.org/news/2025/10...

Medicaid cuts could mean reduced hours, layoffs, or even clinic closures — especially in rural areas where access to care is already limited. The ripple effects could destabilize the entire system, from emergency rooms to rural hospitals, @azcir.org's latest, via @jasminedemers.bsky.social

Amid student fear and uncertainty, Arizona colleges split on clear policies for ICE on campus Arizona’s 20 higher education institutions with the largest in-person enrollments are split on providing clear policies for what to do if ICE shows up on campus.

ICYMI: What happens if ICE shows up on campus? At some of Arizona’s biggest universities—including ASU and UA—there’s no clear public policy, @azcir.org’s @molboha.bsky.social found:

azcir.org/news/2025/09...

At some of Arizona's biggest universities—including ASU & UA—there's no clear public policy for students or faculty to respond if ICE shows up on campus. @azcir.org's latest, via @molboha.bsky.social

Want to keep updated on @azcir.org's latest investigations, including the reporters who make this work possible? Follow our team, share your tips!

Tribal water settlement aims to repair generations of exclusion The Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act would repair decades of legal disputes and devote $5 billion to delivering Colorado River water to tribes in northeastern Arizona.

ICYMI: A tribal water settlement reintroduced in Congress this year could help repair decades of exclusion from major water allocations for Hopi, Navajo and San Juan Southern Paiute communities. Our latest, via @clomahqu.bsky.social

azcir.org/news/2025/07...

Take some time to read through @clomahqu.bsky.social's latest two stories for @azcir.org. It's an important, nuanced look at a critical water settlement for three tribal communities in northeastern Arizona

And, of course, a big shout-out to @mpolletta.bsky.social, our new Managing Editor, who will help steward our editorial team moving forward.

Thrilled to welcome three new investigative reporters to our @azcir.org team, @molboha.bsky.social, @allymarkovich.bsky.social & @adriana-navarro.bsky.social. Give them a follow—and share your story ideas and tips!

Arizona has recovered 5% of taxpayer dollars lost in $2.5 billion Medicaid fraud scheme The state has so far indicted more than 100 individuals and recouped $125 million. But despite state and federal efforts, it’s likely that most of the stolen taxpayer money won’t be recovered, officia...

ICYMI: Arizona’s Medicaid agency says its efforts to unravel the $2.5 billion fraud scheme could take many years. Even then, it’s likely that most of the stolen taxpayer money won’t be recovered.

Arizona has recovered 5% of taxpayer dollars lost in $2.5 billion Medicaid fraud scheme The state has so far indicted more than 100 individuals and recouped $125 million. But despite state and federal efforts, it’s likely that most of the stolen taxpayer money won’t be recovered, officia...

Two years after Arizona officials uncovered a $2.5 billion Medicaid fraud scheme that targeted Native Americans seeking treatment for addictions, the state has recouped just a fraction of the taxpayer funds lost to fraud.

With @propublica.org.

Director of Arizona Medicaid agency resigns following fraud scheme response Under Carmen Heredia’s leadership, the agency withheld payment to more than 300 businesses as it investigated fraud allegations. The state’s swift response left patients homeless, AZCIR and ProPublica...

Our investigation with @propublica.org found that Arizona’s response to a massive Medicaid fraud scheme left patients without access to the drug and alcohol treatment they needed. This week, the director of the state’s Medicaid agency resigned.

New law increases oversight of Arizona sober living homes The legislation follows an AZCIR and ProPublica investigation on a $2 billion Medicaid fraud scheme that targeted Native Americans seeking drug and alcohol treatment.

In January, AZCIR and @propublica.org reported on how former Arizona Medicaid officials had failed for years to stem a $2 billion fraud scheme targeting Native Americans, despite repeated warnings. A new law aims to add oversight. azcir.org/news/2025/04...

🚨JOB ALERT🚨 We have an ambitious vision for growth as Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative journalism, and we're looking for a development associate to help shape our newsroom's future. DM for questions, details below

The waitlist counts, quietly added to the DES website after weeks of inquiries from @azcir.org's @mpolletta.bsky.social, quantify for the first time the impact of state lawmakers’ failure to fill a massive budget shortfall left by expiring federal pandemic funds last year.

Dozens died in sober living homes as Arizona fumbled fraud response Arizona officials acknowledged that a fraud scheme targeting Indigenous people with addictions cost taxpayers $2.5 billion, but haven't accounted publicly for the deaths tied to the scheme.

ICYMI: Many of the deaths in sober living homes reviewed by @azcir.org & @propublica.org happened as officials—in at least five instances across Republican and Democratic administrations—failed to act on evidence that rampant fraud was imperiling Native Americans.

azcir.org/news/2025/01...