Mariam Elba's Avatar

Mariam Elba

@mariamelba.bsky.social

Research Reporter at @propublica.org

8,937 Followers  |  348 Following  |  34 Posts  |  Joined: 13.11.2024
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Posts by Mariam Elba (@mariamelba.bsky.social)

1/ ProPublica collected handwritten letters in mid-January from children held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, the same facility where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was taken.

Hundreds of kids are still detained.

Weโ€™ll let the childrenโ€™s words speak for themselves. ๐Ÿงต

09.02.2026 12:25 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 11548    ๐Ÿ” 7414    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 193    ๐Ÿ“Œ 828
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The ProPublica Guild is Ready to Strike for a Fair Contract โ€” ProPublica Guild The ProPublica Guild is prepared to strike. We have shown up and compromised at the bargaining table for more than two years, but our newsroomโ€™s management has slow-walked negotiations , offering w...

1/ READY TO STRIKE: More than 80% of our members signed a pledge saying we are prepared to strike unless @propublica.org agrees to a fair contract.
www.propublicaguild.org/updates/the-...

04.02.2026 14:13 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 139    ๐Ÿ” 70    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 27
Ciji Graham, a Black woman wearing glasses, holds an infant boy wearing a black hoodie.

Ciji Graham, a Black woman wearing glasses, holds an infant boy wearing a black hoodie.

1/ Ciji Graham was the mother of 2-year-old SJ, a sister to 9 younger siblings, a beloved friend.

She's also the 7th case weโ€™ve found of a pregnant woman in a state restricting abortion who died after being unable to access standard care.

This is her story.

15.01.2026 02:00 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2534    ๐Ÿ” 1258    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 41    ๐Ÿ“Œ 58
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We Found More Than 40 Cases of Immigration Agents Using Banned Chokeholds and Other Moves That Can Cut Off Breathing Civilians have had apparent seizures. One had his eyes roll back. Another had ribs broken. โ€œI felt like I was going to pass out and die,โ€ said a 16-year-old citizen put in a chokehold. The government ...

Immigration agents are choking people in America's streets & using tactics against their own policy/training. Many LEO agencies have banned their use

A Colombian TikToker. An ICU nurse. A father holding his child.

A 16-year-old citizen

DHS calls this "utmost professionalism"

w/ @mckenziefunk.com

13.01.2026 13:38 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1256    ๐Ÿ” 648    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 30    ๐Ÿ“Œ 30
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BREAKING:

We've found 40+ cases of agents using banned chokeholds & other moves that can cut off breathing

People have had seizures. They passed out.

โ€œI felt like I was going to dieโ€ said 16-yr-old citizen

Admin won't say whether any agents have been punished

www.propublica.org/article/vide...

13.01.2026 12:06 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2827    ๐Ÿ” 1342    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 74    ๐Ÿ“Œ 75

Thanks to everyone who supports our union! You can help us by 1) Signing our petition so we can keep you updated about our campaign and, 2) Reading and supporting ProPublica. If you donate to ProPublica, add a message about your support for our union in the post-donation survey! tinyurl.com/2sxucu6c

18.12.2025 21:18 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 86    ๐Ÿ” 51    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 4

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 governmentโ€™s claims. ๐Ÿงต

13.11.2025 23:06 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1672    ๐Ÿ” 489    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 41    ๐Ÿ“Œ 24
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โ€œI Lost Everythingโ€: Venezuelans Were Rounded Up in a Dramatic Midnight Raid but Never Charged With a Crime Authorities said Tren de Aragua โ€œterroristsโ€ had taken over the building. A ProPublica investigation found little evidence to back up the governmentโ€™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...

13.11.2025 19:47 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 9    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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โ€œI Lost Everythingโ€: Venezuelans Were Rounded Up in a Dramatic Midnight Raid but Never Charged With a Crime Authorities said Tren de Aragua โ€œterroristsโ€ had taken over the building. A ProPublica investigation found little evidence to back up the governmentโ€™s claims. For the first time, the Venezuelans arres...

Check out our story here, which was a big collaborative effort from @melissa-sanchez.bsky.social, @jodiscohen.bsky.social, @tchristianmiller.bsky.social, Sebastian Rotella, & me. Data & research from Nick McMillan, @kirstenberg.bsky.social, & Gabriel Sandoval
www.propublica.org/article/chic...

13.11.2025 14:41 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 8    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Some of the detained Venezuelan immigrants have already been deported. Jhonny Manuel Caicedo Fereira, whose records show that CPD couldn't find any prior criminal history or gang affiliations, was recently deported to Venezuela after being detained in the raid. "I lost everything," he said.

13.11.2025 14:41 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 8    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

We found little to support the government's claims that the building was a "Tren de Aragua" complex. We found no convictions for 18 of the 21 Venezuelans we identified. We found 3 that had convictions for theft, battery, & marijuana possession. But no evidence that anyone had gang affiliations.

13.11.2025 14:41 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

We at @propublica.org looked into the immigration raid that happened in Chicago's South Shore in late September. We found many of the Venezuelans detained in that raid, looked into them, and spoke to several of them.

13.11.2025 14:41 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 22    ๐Ÿ” 6    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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โ€œI Lost Everythingโ€: Venezuelans Were Rounded Up in a Dramatic Midnight Raid but Never Charged With a Crime Authorities said Tren de Aragua โ€œterroristsโ€ had taken over the building. A ProPublica investigation found little evidence to back up the governmentโ€™s claims. For the first time, the Venezuelans arres...

You probably saw videos of a nighttime raid in Chicago. Agents rappelling from a helicopter, bursting down doors, questioning brown-skinned immigrants.

We investigated -- and found little evidence to support the governmentโ€™s claims about Tren de Aragua.

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

13.11.2025 13:28 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2502    ๐Ÿ” 1217    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 46    ๐Ÿ“Œ 94
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She Begged for Help. This Stateโ€™s Probation Gap May Have Put Her in Danger. Tennessee probation officers pause in-person visits and home searches for offenders facing an arrest warrant. That reduced supervision can last for months. Temptress Peebles was one of six mothers who...

ICYMI: She Begged for Help. This Stateโ€™s Probation Gap May Have Put Her in Danger. @paigepfleger.bsky.social @wpln.bsky.social @mariamelba.bsky.social

12.11.2025 21:12 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 17    ๐Ÿ” 4    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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How a Gap in Tennesseeโ€™s Probation System Leaves Domestic Violence Victims in Danger Probation officers pause in-person visits and home searches for offenders facing an arrest warrant. That reduced supervision can last for months โ€” in one case it was over a year. Six mothers died duri...

Shocking story. How a Gap in Tennesseeโ€™s Probation System Leaves Domestic Violence Victims in Danger, by @paigepfleger.bsky.social @wpln.bsky.social @mariamelba.bsky.social

11.11.2025 13:23 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 35    ๐Ÿ” 13    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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โ€œI Donโ€™t Want to Be Here Anymoreโ€: They Tried to Self-Deport, Then Got Stranded in Trumpโ€™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...

Trump has called his CBP Home app a safe and easy way for immigrants to leave the country. There's only one problem: It hasn't worked for some who are trying to self deport. by @melissa-sanchez.bsky.social @mariamelba.bsky.social

10.10.2025 14:39 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 22    ๐Ÿ” 10    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Help Our Family Trapped In Gaza Last year, I helped raise money to help writer and journalist Mohammed Mhawish, his wife Asmaa, their child, and much of their family escape the genocide in Gaza. Thanks to your incredible support, we...

A friend from Gaza is raising funds for their family there, who are doing all they can to survive the ongoing genocide. Please consider pitching in if you can, or if you canโ€™t, please share widely: chuffed.org/project/1308...

23.09.2025 13:43 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Help Our Family Trapped In Gaza Last year, I helped raise money to help writer and journalist Mohammed Mhawish, his wife Asmaa, their child, and much of their family escape the genocide in Gaza. Thanks to your incredible support, we...

A friend from Gaza is raising funds for their family there, who are doing all they can to survive the ongoing genocide. Please consider pitching in if you can, or if you canโ€™t, please share widely: chuffed.org/project/1308...

23.09.2025 13:43 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Fair Contract Now for ProPublica Guild We, the workers of ProPublica, provide our readers with deeply researched, unbiased news that holds power to account. This work is more important now than ever, but our staff canโ€™t properly contribute...

We canโ€™t produce fearless investigative journalism without job security and a fair contract. After almost two years of bargaining, we need your help.

Show your support for @propublica.org workers by adding your name to our petition: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...

15.09.2025 22:00 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 156    ๐Ÿ” 91    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2    ๐Ÿ“Œ 4
People wearing union shirts stand outside a red carpet at the entrance of an event as people walk in.

People wearing union shirts stand outside a red carpet at the entrance of an event as people walk in.

People wearing union shirts and stickers smile and hand out ProPublica Guild buttons.

People wearing union shirts and stickers smile and hand out ProPublica Guild buttons.

Five people sit at a table for an event wearing stickers and buttons supporting the ProPublica Guild.

Five people sit at a table for an event wearing stickers and buttons supporting the ProPublica Guild.

Two people walking into an event wear stickers in support of the ProPublica Guild.

Two people walking into an event wear stickers in support of the ProPublica Guild.

We โค๏ธ @ire.org! @propublica.org employees wore buttons & flyered at the IRE gala to rally support for our fight for a fair contract.

The future of investigative journalism depends on protecting the workers who make it possible.

You can help by signing our petition: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...

15.09.2025 23:45 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 55    ๐Ÿ” 25    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 4
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late to this, but hugely honored @propublica.org's immigration stories were named finalists in the Loeb Awards for business journalism in the explanatory category.

Stories still worth a read, imho, even a year later:
Mine & @mariamelba.bsky.social's contribution:
www.propublica.org/article/immi...

05.09.2025 13:25 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 119    ๐Ÿ” 16    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Multiple journalists killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza hospital A hospital strike in southern Gaza has killed at least eight people, including four journalists. The attack happened on Monday.

Four journalists were killed by an Israeli strike on a Gaza hospital today, including Mariam Dagga, a freelancer with the @apnews.com. She has a 12-year-old son, who was evacuated from Gaza earlier in the war.

She was a true hero, like all of our Palestinian colleagues in Gaza.
tinyurl.com/3cn5c9vb

25.08.2025 09:41 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2512    ๐Ÿ” 1320    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 61    ๐Ÿ“Œ 88
In March, the Trump administration announced a massive purge of workers at the nation's health agencies.

We asked them how many workers were laid off, pushed out or left, and the admin refused to give us numbers.

So we conducted our own analysis, a thread...

In March, the Trump administration announced a massive purge of workers at the nation's health agencies. We asked them how many workers were laid off, pushed out or left, and the admin refused to give us numbers. So we conducted our own analysis, a thread...

NEW: In March, the Trump administration announced a massive purge of workers at the nation's health agencies.

We asked them how many workers were laid off, pushed out or left.

They refused to give us numbers.

So we conducted our own analysis... ๐Ÿงต

projects.propublica.org/federal-heal...

21.08.2025 11:39 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 751    ๐Ÿ” 380    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 14    ๐Ÿ“Œ 29
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Urgent Ideas for Defending Press Freedom in Gaza Letters, condemnations, and Israeli court cases have failed to change the worldโ€™s deadliest place for journalists. Weโ€™ve cast out for a new approach.

There's a great guide in the @columjournreview.bsky.social today on how to support the most urgent issue in our time as journalists: press freedom in Gaza & protecting Palestinian journalists www.cjr.org/feature/urge...

18.08.2025 13:43 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 15    ๐Ÿ” 7    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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Western journalists are failing to stand up for their colleagues in Gaza | Mohamad Bazzi This hypocrisy of western media has been laid bare by Israelโ€™s targeting of journalists since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack

โ€œPalestinian journalists like Anas al-Sharif have been able to tell their own peopleโ€™s story directly to the world. And Israel is methodically killing them for it, while many of their Western colleagues and international journalistic institutions remain shamefully silentโ€โ€” my latest @theguardian.com

16.08.2025 14:17 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 78    ๐Ÿ” 47    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 4    ๐Ÿ“Œ 3

As a @propublica.org subscriber, I couldnโ€™t be more disappointed. To think that they do such great work and treat their employees so carelessly. Iโ€™ve asked about this frequently but never get a response from management. Practice what you preach, folks!

12.08.2025 16:27 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 11    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Iโ€™m a Teenager In Gaza. And I Am Starving. What hits you first is the exhaustion carved into every face. The sickly pallor. The terrifying weight loss ravaging everyoneโ€”yes, including me.

Over the past 16 months, @thenation.com has published regular dispatches from Lujayn, a teenager in the Gaza Strip. Lujayn has endured huge loss and trauma. Now she, along with the rest of Gaza, is starving. But she is still writing.

This is her latest. www.thenation.com/article/worl...

14.08.2025 14:18 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 271    ๐Ÿ” 219    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 4    ๐Ÿ“Œ 6
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We Left Gaza. But Our Pain Came With Us. Palestinians who escaped the horrors of Gaza face a new trauma: the dislocation of exile from our homeland.

Don't miss any of @mohamhawish.bsky.social's work, most especially this moving, heavy feature: www.thenation.com/article/worl...

14.08.2025 13:30 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 10    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0