Archive
Minnesota Set to Become “Abortion Access Island” in the Midwest, but for Whom?
Out-of-staters have long traveled to Minnesota for abortions, but as neighboring states restrict access to the procedure, data suggests patients of color may not make the trip.
As Colorado River Dries, the U.S. Teeters on the Brink of Larger Water Crisis
The megadrought gripping the western states is only part of the problem. Alternative sources of water are also imperiled, and the nation’s food along with it.
Why Outlawing Ghost Guns Didn’t Stop America’s Largest Maker of Ghost Gun Parts
Unregistered, unserialized weapons produced with Polymer80 parts have turned up at crime scenes across the country, but state-level efforts to close ghost gun loopholes continue to fall short.
A Tax Credit Was Meant to Help Marginalized Workers Get Permanent Jobs. Instead It’s Subsidizing Temp Work.
The government gives hundreds of millions of dollars in Work Opportunity Tax Credits to temp agencies, even if the jobs they offer don’t lead to permanent employment. Many top recipients of the credit have long records of labor violations.
How a Secretive Billionaire Handed His Fortune to the Architect of the Right-Wing Takeover of the Courts
In the largest known political advocacy donation in U.S. history, industrialist Barre Seid funded a new group run by Federalist Society co-chair Leonard Leo, who guided Trump’s Supreme Court picks and helped end federal abortion rights.
Visualizing Toxic Air
Making data public isn’t enough when it’s incomprehensible to the people it affects. ProPublica set out to decode a complex EPA data set to expose hot spots of industrial air pollution across the U.S.
She Didn’t Know She Still Owed Money to Her Utility. Then 25% of Her Paycheck Was Gone.
After the state’s largest utility sold consumer debt, thousands of Detroiters faced default judgments and garnished wages. The utility only reaped pennies on the dollar.
Republicans Turn Against the League of Women Voters
The league, long known for focusing on voter registration and other fundamentals, became more willing to speak boldly during the Trump era. Now, some on the right are portraying it as a tool of the radical left.
Do You Have Insights Into Dental and Health Insurance Denials? Help Us Report on the System.
Insurers deny tens of millions of claims every year. ProPublica is investigating why claims are denied, what the consequences are for patients and how the appeal process really works.
What Happened When Twitter and Other Social Media Platforms Cracked Down on Extremists
In a Q&A with ProPublica reporter A.C. Thompson, former intelligence officer and data scientist Welton Chang explains how conspiracy theorists and violent racists fled to smaller platforms. Once there, their remarks festered and spread.
Inflation Reduction Act Will Require the IRS to Study Free Tax Filing Options
TurboTax maker Intuit has long blocked efforts to create free online tax filing for all, but this sweeping domestic policy bill provides $15 million to investigate how the IRS could implement such a program.
How to Investigate Your Next New York Apartment Like a Reporter
A raccoon invasion. Human feces in the lobby. Flooding. Avoid these apartment nightmares by reading a ProPublica investigative reporter’s guide to backgrounding your next New York City rental.
He Was Accused of Sexual Assault, She of Using Drugs. The Military Dealt With Them Very Differently.
Comparing the cases of Pvt. Olivia Ochoa and Pfc. Christian Alvarado provides a striking example of Army commanders’ uneven use of pretrial confinement.
Clean Energy Lender Will Stop Making High-Interest PACE Loans in Missouri
A ProPublica investigation revealed how PACE loans hurt homeowners. Ygrene, one top Missouri lender, said reforms made after our investigation were a factor in its decision to stop making loans in the state.
Mothers Behind Book-Banning Campaign Claim Their First Amendment Rights Are Being Violated
The self-dubbed Mama Bears filed a federal lawsuit alleging that by not being allowed to read sexually explicit material aloud at school board meetings, they themselves are being censored.
A Mom’s Campaign to Ban Library Books Divided a Texas Town — and Her Own Family
Weston Brown thought he had fully come to terms with his mother's anti-LGBTQ beliefs. Then he saw the video of her speaking at a school board meeting. “I couldn’t stay quiet about that.”
In the Army, You’re More Likely to Be Detained for Drugs Than Sexual Assault
A first-of-its-kind analysis reveals that, on average, Army soldiers had to face at least eight counts of sexual offenses before their commanders jailed them ahead of trial as often as soldiers charged with drug or burglary crimes.
