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J. David McSwane

@davidmcswane.bsky.social
10K followers 173 following 173 posts

Reporter @propublica.org Author, “Pandemic, Inc.” Colorado boy. 🐏 david.mcswane@propublica.org. Signal: 202-556-3836

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J. David McSwane @davidmcswane.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Hear me out. The show “Brothers” but make it, like a gritty film noir. Even better, an episodic true crime mystery: One is a stayed man’s man with a wife and kids who checked the boxes, the other a wild yet aging genius with a death wish who pontificates to the annoyance of the other. Yet, they win.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 23/09/2026
Under-the-table deals with kids as young as 11 years old. Moneylenders preying on poor families. In its quest to find superstars like David Ortiz, Major League Baseball has allowed a shadow industry to exploit families in the Dominican Republic. Listen to the episode:
propublica.org
The Predatory Industry Behind MLB’s Dominican Superstar Pipeline
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Chris Morran @themorrancave.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Someone just referred to Taylor Swift as "moderately wealthy." tax records show that between 2013-2018 she AVERAGED $82m/yr in income. That doesn't include her non-income assets - and it was years before she raked in mountains of cash from the Eras tour. She passed moderately wealthy long ago.
projects.propublica.org
America’s Highest Earners And Their Taxes Revealed
Secret IRS files reveal the top US income-earners and how their tax rates vary more than their incomes. Tech titans, hedge fund managers and heirs dominate the list, while the likes of Taylor Swift an...
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J. David McSwane @davidmcswane.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Whoever resurrected KISS’s stupid disco song can go straight to hell. Why?
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Cassandra Jaramillo @cassandrajaramillo.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Great story by Wired. I'm also deeply appreciative they give credit to my previous investigation where I found Phillips was paying himself with the donations of a nonprofit he led. www.wired.com/story/waffle...
wired.com
Waffle House Teleporter Gregg Phillips Is Still on the Trump Administration’s Payroll
In June, a FEMA official infamous for claiming to have teleported to a Waffle House was reportedly ousted. He’s still employed by the government, though—and meeting with a Trump fixer.
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J. David McSwane @davidmcswane.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
These Local Jails Were Supposed to Detain Immigrants for Only 72 Hours. One Woman Was Held for a Total of 26 Days. www.propublica.org/article/immi...
propublica.org
These Local Jails Were Supposed to Detain Immigrants for Only 72 Hours. One Woman Was Held for a Total of 26 Days.
Rebookings of immigrants into local jails are an effort to circumvent federal rules and regulations, legal experts say. Our nationwide analysis shows that in the past year, two Florida jails had unusu...
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David Simon @audacityofdespair.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Great performer, great lady and, perhaps, when all is said and done, one of our greatest citizens.
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Melissa Sanchez @melissa-sanchez.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Awesome reporting here by @aurabogado.bsky.social on how both local police and prosecutors across Illinois (a supposedly sanctuary state) are tipping off ICE.
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Eric Umansky @ericumansky.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Also, follow gillianbrockell.com who's been doing great reporting on how Trump is banishing people to dangerous places that they know not a thing about.
gillianbrockell.com
Gillian Brockell
Time is neutral. History isn’t.
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J. David McSwane @davidmcswane.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Wooooohoooo!
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Cengiz Yar @cengizyar.com · 31/07/2026
As relations between the U.S. and Canada continue to fray, border communities are paying the price. @annaleighclark.bsky.social reports for @propublica.org from Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
propublica.org
As Trump’s Tariff War With Canada Drags On, This Border Community Suffers Without a Voice
Under an intensifying trade war, parts of northern Michigan are feeling the financial pain. But with a president intent on conflict and a congressman silent on the issue, these Michiganders see no sig...
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 17/07/2026
UPDATE: ProPublica is tracking the increase in immigrants filing claims that their detention is illegal — known as habeas cases. While new cases are being added at a somewhat slower rate, there are still far more than ever before: propub.li/4yiYGwu
A bar chart shows the number of detention challenges filed each week since January 2025. The number of cases grew somewhat slowly from almost none to just under 1,000 at the end of 2025, then it jumped rapidly to a peak of 2,291 cases per week in February of 2026. Since then, new cases have dropped a bit to 1,774 per week in July 2026.
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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Barns, Go-Karts and Strip Malls: The Wild West of Private Schools That Collect Taxpayer Dollars
propublica.org
Barns, Go-Karts and Strip Malls: The Wild West of Private Schools That Collect Taxpayer Dollars
As private schools proliferate, states are choosing a hands-off approach to regulating them. The backgrounds of school founders — sometimes with criminal histories — often don’t matter
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 16/07/2026
NEW: The number of scammers trying to capitalize on immigrants’ fears by posing as lawyers and ICE agents has surged since Trump’s reelection, ProPublica found. Now, DHS says it is seeking to identify and find these fraudsters.
propublica.org
DHS Plans “All-Out War” on Immigration Scammers as Fraud Complaints Double
The number of scammers trying to capitalize on immigrants’ fears by posing as lawyers and ICE agents has surged since Trump’s reelection, ProPublica found. Now, DHS says it is seeking to identify and ...
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Investigative Reporters & Editors @ire.org · 19/06/2026
🏅 Congratulations to Julie K. Brown, winner of the 2026 Don Bolles Medal. Brown was honored at #IRE26 for her fearless investigative reporting that exposed the special treatment given to Jeffrey Epstein & helped reopen a case many believed would never see justice. Read more: bit.ly/4vXql45
The graphic has gold medal in the background and it says "2026 Don Bolles Medal Winner" There is also a picture of a woman posing behind a chair. A woman holds a case with a medal and poses next to a man in a blazer and collared shirt on a stage.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 04/06/2026
NEW: This church teaches that once an abuser is forgiven, anyone who speaks about the wrongdoing can be accused of having an unforgiving heart. The burden of sin would shift from the person who committed the act to the person who won’t let the matter rest. W/ @startribune.com
propublica.org
In This Church, Child Sexual Abuse Has Gone Unchecked for So Long That It Spans Generations
The church's culture of forgiving and forgetting sins has absolved abusers and silenced victims across the country.
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J. David McSwane @davidmcswane.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
A thorough, damning and upsetting speech here on how A.I. is an unprecedented heist of intellectual property that is destroying journalism. www.nytco.com/press/a-i-jo...
nytco.com
A.I., Journalism and the Uncertain Future of the Public Square
New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger warns A.I. companies are violating settled law and urges news organizations to stand up for their rights to ensure a sustainable future for reporting.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 24/05/2026
Autopsies show how hard doctors tried to save babies who died after not getting a vitamin K shot: tubes inserted in their airways, blood transfusions. They’re excruciating to read because they underscore how preventable these deaths could have been. By @deldeib.bsky.social
propublica.org
What I Can’t Forget About the Babies Who Died After Not Receiving a Vitamin K Shot
Babies have died after not receiving the vitamin K shot at birth. Their autopsy records underscore how preventable their deaths could have been.
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Annie Waldman @anniewaldman.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
I'm impressed by my @propublica.org colleagues every day, but omg the new Paper Trail podcast is so good. Amazing work from @jlussenhop.bsky.social + team. Take a listen: www.propublica.org/podcast/what...
propublica.org
What the FDA Won’t Tell You About Your Medications
For years, the FDA said generics are just as safe as brand-name medications. ProPublica found that this isn’t always true.
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Jodi Cohen @jodiscohen.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
BREAKING: Immigrants detained in the notorious Chicago apartment raid last fall have filed claims against the federal government for trauma, injuries and lost property. The 18 tenants, including children, are seeking $5 million each. www.propublica.org/article/chic...
propublica.org
Immigrants Detained in Chicago Military-Style Raid Seek Millions in Damages
New accounts from 17 men, women and children taken in a midnight raid paint a violent, terrifying portrait of the federal agents’ alleged actions. These descriptions form the basis of claims filed thi...
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Jen Fifield @jenafifield.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Exclusive: A Kansas woman was detained at the airport by Customs for voting as a noncitizen, marking an escalation of Trump’s attempts to find election fraud. CBP typically plays no part in these investigations. 🧵https://www.propublica.org/article/noncitizen-voter-detained-airport-customs
propublica.org
A Noncitizen Says She Was Told She Could Vote. Then Customs Detained Her at the Airport and Threatened to Deport Her.
The case, which hasn’t previously been reported, marks a new escalation in the Trump administration’s efforts to find and prosecute instances of noncitizen voting, despite evidence that it is rare.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 09/05/2026
A must-read thread 🧵
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Jessica Lussenhop @jlussenhop.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
👋Hi! I’m Jessica Lussenhop, and for the last 4 years, I served as ProPublica’s first Minnesota-based reporter. But now I’ve got big news: On May 14, ProPublica is launching a brand new podcast! It’s called “Paper Trail,” and I’ll be your host. Thread 🧵
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J. David McSwane @davidmcswane.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
To be in the editors’ room …
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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Autopsy reports reviewed by ProPublica, like these two from children in Minnesota and Arizona, have notes from coroners citing vitamin K deficiency as a cause of death. The refusal of the vitamin K shot often plays a role. www.propublica.org/article/more... @deldeib.bsky.social
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Duaa Eldeib @deldeib.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
This was a hard story to report. Newborns who don’t get a vitamin K shot are 81 times more likely to develop a condition where they bleed uncontrollably. But more and more families are declining the shot. And babies are dying. www.propublica.org/article/more...
propublica.org
Babies Are Bleeding to Death as Parents Reject a Vitamin Shot Given at Birth
A lifesaving injection given at birth to prevent severe bleeding has become collateral damage of the anti-vaccine movement.
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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 06/05/2026
horrible. this country’s turn away from science based medicine in the name of “wellness” is killing children and will kill a lot more. www.propublica.org/article/more...
propublica.org
Babies Are Bleeding to Death as Parents Reject a Vitamin Shot Given at Birth
A lifesaving injection given at birth to prevent severe bleeding has become collateral damage of the anti-vaccine movement.
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Investigative Reporters & Editors @ire.org · 05/05/2026
Congratulations to the winners and finalists of the 2025 IRE Awards! Awards will be presented at the 2026 IRE Conference in National Harbor, MD on Friday, June 19, during the Awards Luncheon. Full list of winners and finalists: bit.ly/4cS2qfN
The image features the text "2025 IRE Awards" and "Congratulations Winners & Finalists" over a dark background. A partial view of a gold investigative reporting medal is visible at the bottom.The image contains text about the 2025 IRE Awards, focusing on journalistic efforts amidst shrinking newsrooms and press freedom threats. It praises winners and finalists for their impactful reporting. Walter Smith Randolph, Chair of the IRE Awards contest committee, is mentioned with a small circular photo.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 05/05/2026
NEW: You may have noticed things look a little different on our website and social media. We’ve updated our logo and our typefaces, and we made improvements to the design and functionality of our homepage and how we present our work. Here’s why.
propublica.org
A New Look for ProPublica
We’ve updated our logo, typefaces and homepage design. Here’s what changed and why.
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Kim Lyons @kimly.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
A detail I didn’t know: “The Herald entered the Epstein series for a Pulitzer Prize that year, but it was not a finalist. Alan Dershowitz … who helped broker Epstein’s original deal, wrote a letter to the Pulitzer committee that year, urging them not to honor Brown’s work.” share.inquirer.com/THMiUZ
share.inquirer.com
Julie K. Brown receives Pulitzer Prize special citation for her work on Jeffrey Epstein case
Brown's 2017 and 2018 reporting was cited at the awards ceremony. “Her work, and the government’s release of the Epstein files, continue to reverberate around the world.”
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Lomi Kriel @lomikriel.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
The first known ICE death wasn't Renée Good. It was Ruben Martinez in March 2025 & ICE's involvement remained unknown until this year. This is a story of how an unreported ICE killing shattered two American families and changed their politics. www.texastribune.org/2026/05/04/r...
texastribune.org
An unreported ICE killing of an American shattered 2 Texas families
Josh Orta was the sole witness of Ruben Martinez’s death to dispute the government’s account. Months later, he died in a crash after learning an ICE agent killed his friend. Their mothers blame the go...
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J. David McSwane @davidmcswane.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Some great work here —> ‘We Know You Live Right Here’: No Secrets in America’s New Surveillance Dragnet www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
wsj.com
‘We Know You Live Right Here’: No Secrets in America’s New Surveillance Dragnet
Technical wizardry used to combat illegal immigration also funnels the personal data and whereabouts of U.S. citizens to federal agents.
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 30/04/2026
Bruce Springsteen continued to believe in songwriting as a tool to hold his bruised, beloved country accountable, even in times when it would have been easier for him to look away. He’s on our list of the 30 greatest living American songwriters. nyti.ms/48xEf3J
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J. David McSwane @davidmcswane.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
From 2021 through the election in fall of 2024, the FTC fielded about 960 immigration complaints per year, such as reports of fake attorneys offering services or people impersonating federal officers. In 2025, the commission received nearly 2,000 complaints.
propublica.org
Immigration Scams Surged as Trump’s Sweeps Lured Desperate People to Eager Defrauders
Con artists posing as ICE agents and immigration officers are using WhatsApp and fake court hearings to bilk vulnerable people out of their savings with empty promises to fix immigration problems. As ...
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Jessica Lussenhop @jlussenhop.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
"Nearly two dozen were held in custody for more than 20 days...Teens who were detained alone were sent to Christian youth shelters in Michigan, which made it hard for their families to find them. And nearly half of the children detained have since left the country." sahanjournal.com/immigration/...
sahanjournal.com
ICE detained more than 70 Minnesota children, data reveals
Immigration officials detained more than 70 Minnesota children between Dec. 1 and March 10, a Sahan analysis of court records and federal deportation data shows.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 19/04/2026
These agents "don't know how to operate in these situations,” said former DOJ attorney Christy Lopez. Their behavior “is on par with the worst protest policing and just law enforcement that I've seen from any department, even in their worst days." With @frontlinepbs.bsky.social
propublica.org
Caught in the Crackdown: As Arrests at Anti-ICE Protests Piled Up, Prosecutions Crumbled
ProPublica and FRONTLINE found more than 300 protesters and bystanders who were arrested on charges like assaulting an immigration agent or interfering with law enforcement. Over and over, the accusat...
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J. David McSwane @davidmcswane.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Is this a proxy war with Vance? Cuz what?
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Mike Baker @mikebaker.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
46 minutes after attacking Pope Leo, the president has posted an AI image of himself healing someone in the style of Jesus Christ. (The heavens, meanwhile, feature a war plane, bald eagles and a somewhat demonic-looking figure)
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ProPublica Guild @propublicaguild.org · 09/04/2026
Yesterday, our members in New York, D.C., Chicago and across the country walked out to demand a fair contract. We deserve job security. We deserve to know AI won’t be used to replace us. We know that @propublica.org can and must do better.
A large group of people holding signs pose for a photo.Seven people hold blue signs that say "ProPublica workers on strike for a fair contract."A group of 10 people pose for a photo while holding signs that say "ProPublica workers on strike for a fair contract."A screenshot of 25 people on a Zoom meeting.
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J. David McSwane @davidmcswane.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
“Outside ProPublica’s Washington bureau on Wednesday, a few blocks from the White House, about a dozen ProPublica staffers braved brisk spring temperatures to protest the protracted negotiations, which have lasted 28 months since the outlet first unionized in 2023.”
washingtonpost.com
Why ProPublica’s union is striking against AI
Newsrooms around the country have struggled to set rules for AI. At ProPublica, which specializes in investigative journalism, the issue is especially fraught.
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 08/04/2026
Journalists at ProPublica, one of the largest nonprofit newsrooms in the U.S., walked off the job on Wednesday after more than two years of negotiations that failed to yield a deal for a union contract. The core disagreements were over wage increases, layoff protections and the use of A.I.
nyti.ms
ProPublica Journalists Strike for a Day, Partly Over A.I.
Other sticking points for journalists at the investigative nonprofit included demands for wage increases and layoff protections.
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Derek Willis @dwillis.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
A good time to say that when I worked at ProPublica, we did not have a fair & transparent disciplinary system. I know because I got a negative performance review NOT written by my supervisor. The person who wrote it then avoided talking to me for months, isolating me w/ no real options. Bad stuff!
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Ken Vogel @kenvogel.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
NEW: Trump accepted $37m worth of donated steel for his WH ballroom project from the Luxembourg-based company ArcelorMittal. Days later, the WH made adjustments to Trump's tariffs that could benefit ArcelorMittal.
nytimes.com
White House Secures Foreign Steel for Ballroom Project
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ProPublica Guild @propublicaguild.org · 08/04/2026
“We're not asking for the moon here, despite what management keeps trying to tell us. We need a fair and transparent disciplinary system that we can trust so that we can keep speaking truth to power, whether in the Oval Office or inside our newsroom.” — Jeff Ernsthausen, senior data reporter
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Andrea Suozzo @andreasuozzo.com · 08/04/2026
We're on strike for a fair contract today (April 8), so please honor our digital picket line and don't visit ProPublica's website. Here are some things you can do instead: Sign our petition: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te... Donate to our strike fund: www.gofundme.com/f/support-pr...
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ProPublica Guild @propublicaguild.org · 08/04/2026
Our members are on the picket line today demanding a fair contract now! We want a fair disciplinary process, layoff protections & guardrails on artificial intelligence. Support us by donating to our strike fund: www.gofundme.com/f/support-pr...
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ProPublica Guild @propublicaguild.org · 08/04/2026
We’re on strike today! Support our fight for a fair contract by NOT visiting the @propublica.org website or engaging with ProPublica stories today. Tell ProPublica’s management you won’t cross the picket line: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...
We're on strike! Don't visit propublica.org on April 8
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Peter DiCampo @peterdicampo.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
The news has moved on, but ICE is still in Minneapolis. My neighbors are still patrolling streets, driving strangers to work, and providing aid. As a photojournalist at @propublica.org, I wanted to know: What do they look like in their daily lives? So I picked up my camera 👇
Four portraits of Minnesota residents inside and outside their homes. From left to right: A woman in a hijab, an older woman wearing a red whistle, an elderly couple in winter coats standing in the snow, and a woman wearing a buttoned-up cardigan and dark blue jeans.
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Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
Jaw-dropping admission by DOJ to court. DOJ admits to having repeatedly made "material mistaken" representations to judge - ICE never had authority (under 2025 Guidance) to conduct arrests at immigration courthouses! DOJ admits court "relied on...prior misrepresentations." DOJ blames ICE (page 2)
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Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
NEW: Minnesota Kicks Off Legal Battle With Trump Administration to Hold ICE Shooters Accountable
propublica.org
Minnesota Kicks Off Legal Battle With Trump Administration to Hold ICE Shooters Accountable
With the Trump administration refusing to identify agents or share evidence, the case is a game of constitutional chicken: states’ rights versus federal immunity.
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