March 2021 Archive
Senator Says Censorship in Turkey Raises “Serious Questions” About Facebook's Commitment to Free Expression
After ProPublica reported that Facebook blocked a militia group targeted by Turkish forces, the chair of the Senate Finance Committee demanded that Mark Zuckerberg provide answers to more than a dozen questions.
As New York City Moves to Address Racialized Policing of Sex Work, Advocates and Lawyers Say It’s Not Enough
In the wake of a 2020 ProPublica investigation, Mayor Bill de Blasio has called for convening a task force to address problems with how the city polices the sex trade. “But it feels like planning to make a plan,” one attorney said.
Tinder and OkCupid Could Soon Let You Background Check Your Date — for a Price
Dogged by questions about sexual violence, Match Group — which owns Tinder, Hinge, Match.com, OkCupid, PlentyofFish and others — is investing in a company that aims to enable background checks on apps. Some legislators say it’s not enough.
For Some Transgender Asylum Seekers, Fleeing a Dangerous Migrant Camp Meant Being Left Behind
The Biden administration shuttered a migrant tent camp in Mexico that was created under a Trump policy. Immigration advocates praised the move, but the closure adds to growing confusion over which migrants are let in or left out.
Only Two NYPD Officers Face Serious Discipline From a Watchdog’s Investigations Into Abuse of Black Lives Matter Protesters
After ProPublica detailed the lack of disclosure about protest cases by New York City’s Civilian Complaint Review Board, the agency has revealed how little progress has been made on many of the investigations.
How to File Your State and Federal Taxes for Free in 2021
TurboTax and other tax prep services advertise themselves as “free,” but we found several ways that they tricked people into paying. Here’s our guide to preparing and filing your 2020 taxes without falling into that trap.
America’s Drinking Water Is Surprisingly Easy to Poison
The cyberbreach at a plant in Oldsmar, Florida, which could have resulted in a mass poisoning, was a reminder of a disturbing reality: Despite a decade of warnings, thousands of water systems around the country are still at risk.
Biden abrió el estatus legal temporal a miles de inmigrantes. Estas son las formas en que podrían quedar atrapados.
Miles de inmigrantes venezolanos y birmanos acaban de solicitar el Estatus de Protección Temporal. Sin embargo, mientras los congresistas demócratas trabajan en una trayectoria hacia la ciudadanía para inmigrantes que tienen esa calidad migratoria desde hace décadas, los nuevos beneficiarios podrían quedar fuera del proceso.
Biden Opened Temporary Legal Status to Thousands of Immigrants. Here’s How They Could End Up Trapped.
Thousands of Venezuelan and Burmese immigrants just got to apply for temporary protected status. But as congressional Democrats work on a path to citizenship for immigrants who’ve had the status for decades, new grantees could be left out.
What ProPublica Is Doing About Diversity in 2021
Here is our annual report on the breakdown of our staff and how we’re working to create a more diverse news organization and inclusive journalism community.
This Billionaire Governor’s Coal Companies Owe Millions More in Environmental Fines
The richest person in West Virginia, who is also the state’s governor, owns coal companies that routinely violate environmental laws. Latest filings say the companies owe over $3 million for not complying with a major water pollution settlement.
To Hold the Government Accountable, We Need to Know What It’s Doing. That’s Why We’re Tracking PPP Data.
When Congress earmarked hundreds of billions of dollars for the Paycheck Protection Program, ProPublica believed the public had a right to know how the money was being spent. A federal judge agreed.
6 Questions Officials Still Haven’t Answered After Weeks of Hearings on the Capitol Attack
More than 15 hours of testimony failed to answer fundamental questions about the Capitol attack. Among them: Why national security officials responded differently to BLM protesters than to Trump supporters.
Cuomo’s Nursing Home Scandal Raises Questions for One of His Senior Aides
Jim Malatras stood by a Cuomo administration report on nursing home deaths he knew undercounted the true loss of life. Today, he is chancellor of New York State’s public university system.
Over 700 Complaints About NYPD Officers Abusing Black Lives Matter Protesters, Then Silence
Emails show New York City’s Civilian Complaint Review Board leaders discouraged staff from confronting the NYPD about a lack of cooperation on abuse investigations. The agency declined to disclose how many officers are facing misconduct charges.
Texans Recovering From COVID-19 Needed Oxygen. Then the Power Went Out.
After COVID-19 hospitalizations peaked, the number of Texans dependent on home oxygen equipment was at “an all-time high” when a winter storm overwhelmed the state’s power grid in February, leaving many struggling for air.
Feds Investigating Lender That Sued Thousands of Lower-Income Latinos During Pandemic
Oportun Inc., a small-dollar loan company, disclosed to investors that it is the subject of a probe by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau following reporting by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune.
