Thanks to @kjzz.org for having @azcir.org's @molboha.bsky.social on to discuss her recent reporting about ICE policies at Arizona's largest universities. Listen in: www.kjzz.org/the-show/202...
Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting. Statewide, nonprofit investigative journalism. Support us: http://azcir.org/donate/ Subscribe: http://bit.ly/AZCIR-Subscribe
9,124 followers 50 following 112 posts
view profile on Bluesky
Thanks to @kjzz.org for having @azcir.org's @molboha.bsky.social on to discuss her recent reporting about ICE policies at Arizona's largest universities. Listen in: www.kjzz.org/the-show/202...
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...
NEW: What would your university do if ICE agents showed up? In Arizona, the answer isn’t always clear. Experts say schools should have explicit protocols, but @azcir.org's @molboha.bsky.social found some of the state’s largest universities don’t. azcir.org/news/2025/09...
Correct
FACT BRIEF: Is there a secure process to track Arizona’s mail-in ballots? Yes. Every mail-in ballot in Arizona carries a unique barcode tied to a voter, which prevents duplication and allows secure tracking. Read more, via @tallulahanne.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2025/08...
FACT BRIEF: Have ICE arrests in Arizona more than doubled since January 2025? Read our latest fact brief, via an @azcir.org partnership w/ @gigafactproject.bsky.social, via Tallulah Anne & @allymarkovich.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2025/08...
Stay in the know by following our investigative reporters! You'll be the first to know about our latest investigations, and we'll share behind-the-scenes detail of how we do what we do. See you soon! go.bsky.app/8rPRBBR
And the Hopi Arsenic Mitigation Project has increased community access to clean water by treating naturally occurring arsenic, but the system is difficult to maintain in this remote stretch of high desert, in this companion piece, also via @clomahqu.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2025/07...
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...
Meanwhile, high levels of naturally occurring arsenic continue to plague the Hopi reservation. A federal project improved access to treated water, but the system is costly and difficult to maintain in the remote high desert. azcir.org/news/2025/07...
After decades of drought, contamination & legal battles, Hopi, Navajo & San Juan Southern Paiute tribes are closer to securing long-promised water rights. A $5B federal settlement could deliver Colorado River water after generations of exclusion, via @clomahqu.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2025/07...
Sign up for our free newsletter to follow all of our work and you'll be the first to know when our investigations publish! azcir.org/newsletter/
Also, big congrats to @mpolletta.bsky.social, AZCIR’s new managing editor! She’s been behind some of our most impactful investigations since 2021 and now she’ll help lead our newsroom and shape long-term priorities.
These positions were made possible through generous support from the Arizona Local News Foundation, @reportforamerica.bsky.social and the Scripps Howard Foundation, and mark a significant step in our newsroom’s growth. Check out our latest newsletter to read more: mailchi.mp/azcir.org/ne...
📣 Exciting news from @azcir.org — we’re welcoming three new investigative reporters: – @molboha.bsky.social: higher education – @allymarkovich.bsky.social: criminal justice – @adriana-navarro.bsky.social: gender, politics & policy Give them a follow!
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.
And out today from @azcir.org's Jasmine Demers: a hard-hitting piece detailing how Arizona's has recovered just 5% of taxpayer dollars lost in the $2.5B medicaid fraud scheme, with reporting contributions from me & @clomahqu.bsky.social. Co-published with @propublica.org azcir.org/news/2025/05...
NEW: 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 $125 million — just 5% of the funds the state estimates it paid to bad actors. With @azcir.org
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.
NEW: Under Carmen Heredia’s leadership, Arizona's Medicaid agency withheld payment to more than 300 businesses as it investigated fraud allegations. The state’s swift response left patients homeless, @propublica.org and @azcir.org found. By @maryhudetz.bsky.social
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.
Impact from my reporting with Mary Hudetz for @azcir.org and @propublica.org, and the ongoing work of so many to push for increased accountability and oversight ⤵️
🚨IMPACT alert: A new Arizona law increases oversight of sober living homes. The legislation follows a @propublica.org and @azcir.org investigation on a $2 billion Medicaid fraud scheme that targeted Native Americans seeking drug and alcohol treatment. @maryhudetz.bsky.social
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...
Last night, AZCIR’s @bquester.bsky.social joined @pressfreedom.bsky.social’s Katherine Jacobsen, media attorney David Bodney and @azagmayes.bsky.social at ASU's Cronkite School to discuss evolving threats journalists face—and the strategies needed to stay safe while uncovering the truth.
Want to help shape the future of investigative reporting in Arizona? Come join our growing team—we're seeking a development associate to help lead AZCIR’s fundraising efforts at a critical time of growth for the newsroom. azcir.org/news/2025/03...
Fueled by records obtained with the help of RCFP attorneys, @azcir.org + @propublica.org published an investigation that found dozens of Native Americans dealing with addiction in Arizona died as the state struggled to address a massive Medicaid fraud scheme.
We're grateful to @rcfp.org for securing access to critical public records for our recent collaboration with @propublica.org , via @hannahbassett.bsky.social & @maryhudetz.bsky.social. Access to public information is essential for public accountability (corrected post) www.rcfp.org/azcir-propub...
NEW: More than 2,000 Arizona children have been waitlisted for state child care assistance, according to the Department of Economic Security, and that number is likely to climb as the agency reviews pending applications, w/ @mpolletta.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2025/02...
Welcome to our new followers! We're building our following on this platform, but you can also get our investigations and newsroom updates delivered straight into your inbox by subscribing to our free newsletter: azcir.org/newsletter/
There's still time to apply!
Can't get this story out of my mind. It's like crashing a small airplane when you knew in advance it had a major defect. Dozens of People Died in Arizona Sober Living Homes as State Officials Fumbled Medicaid Fraud Response @maryhudetz.bsky.social @hannahbassett.bsky.social @azcir.org
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...
Arizona’s Medicaid agency acknowledged that a fraud scheme targeting Indigenous people with addictions cost taxpayers at least $2.5 billion. But the state hasn’t accounted publicly for the number of deaths caused by the crisis. W/ @propublica.org we found at least 40 azcir.org/news/2025/01...
Dozens of Native American residents of sober living homes and addiction recovery facilities in Arizona died as state Medicaid officials struggled to respond to a massive fraud scheme that targeted Indigenous people w/@hannahbassett.bsky.social & @maryhudetz.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2025/01...
We're beyond excited to welcome @jasminedemers.bsky.social to our growing team of investigative reporters. A Tucson native, she'll help our newsroom expand statewide reporting on health. Give her a follow and send her your tips! Read more below: mailchi.mp/azcir.org/az...
We're thrilled to welcome @clomahqu.bsky.social to our team of investigative reporters. Give him a follow and send him your tips! Read more about him below mailchi.mp/azcir.org/az...
Higher Education Position: This data-driven accountability beat focuses not just on the students and the university employees tasked with educating them but also on the broader community impacts of these institutions’ financing and influence. www.reportforamerica.org/newsrooms/ar...
Criminal Justice Position: This data-driven accountability beat seeks to expose the systemic inequities within Arizona’s criminal justice system, with a specific focus on key agencies responsible for both protecting and prosecuting state residents. www.reportforamerica.org/newsrooms/ar...
Want to work with a growing team of investigative reporters covering Arizona? We've got two openings for experienced reporters to cover higher education and criminal justice, thanks to a partnership through Report for America. Applications are due in a few weeks! See the thread below to apply:
After a nearly 30-year career, he retired from police work in 2016. Then, alongside an increasing number of former cops and federal agents, he sought stardom as a right-wing influencer while cultivating ties with Donald Trump. It worked.
In this latest installment of Seeds of Distrust, @francescadnunz.bsky.social, @mdelbosque.bsky.social & @mc2x.bsky.social show how an ex-DPS captain is reaching millions via NewsMax, with the backing of border czar Tom Homan. w/ @texasobserver.org @lhreports.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2025/01...
There's still time to TRIPLE your impact by donating to AZCIR before midnight: all monthly, yearly and one-time gifts are double-matched by local and national donors. Help AZCIR continue holding powerful people and institutions accountable! azcir.org/ways-to-give
Read PART I: Perinatal mental health conditions are among the leading causes of maternal deaths in AZ. A lack of training among maternal health providers (plus pervasive barriers to care in rural areas) is preventing many women from getting help in time: azcir.org/news/2024/12...
PART II: Despite a flurry of recs from maternal health advocates & policymakers, a lack of strategic oversight & coordination—exacerbated by budget & staffing constraints—has hindered comprehensive reforms aimed at combating AZ’s maternal mortality crisis: azcir.org/news/2024/12...
Thanks to our partnership w/ @Report4America our newsroom is seeking an investigative reporter to cover Arizona's criminal justice system. This is an essential beat for our state, especially in the year ahead. Got questions, let @bquester.bsky.social know: www.reportforamerica.org/newsrooms/ar...
NEW: Perinatal mental health conditions are among the leading causes of maternal deaths in AZ. A lack of specialized training among maternal health care providers, compounded by pervasive barriers to care in rural areas, is preventing many women from getting help in time: azcir.org/news/2024/12...
More members of the public and the press are showing interest in the possible role of border militias in Trump's mass deportation scheme. I've reported extensively on border militias this year and I have some thoughts and anecdotes to share. 🧵
It's #GivingTuesday, or what we call #GivingNewsDay, and we have a goal to raise $5,000 in direct support of our investigative reporting. Thanks to local and national donors, each gift is double-matched! azcir.fundjournalism.org/newsmatch-20...
Our nonprofit newsroom doesn't sell advertising and we don't paywall access to our content—for readers or other newsrooms who publish our work. Help keep our newsroom strong by supporting our work. Through 12/31 all donations are double-matched! azcir.fundjournalism.org/newsmatch-20...
Tune in to Native American Calling at 11 a.m. to hear @azcir.bsky.social's @hannahbassett.bsky.social (w/ reporting from @propublica.org' @maryhudetz.bsky.social) discuss Arizona's sprawling Medicaid fraud crisis and its disproportionate impact on Indigenous communities. Link below
🧵Stoked that my series on a radicalization pipeline — people flowing from the Sedona alt-wellness world into far-right, anti-government movements — took second place at the Arizona Press Club awards! As always, a huge shoutout to @bquester.bsky.social and @azcir.bsky.social for making it possible!
As our newsroom @azcir.bsky.social builds our audience and followers on this platform, we'd love to hear more from you. What investigative coverage is lacking in our state? What areas of our existing coverage would you like us to explore further? Let us know!
Welcome to all of our new followers! We always post our stories here, but if you want to get notifications about our reporting and new about our organization, sign up for our free newsletter to have the delivered straight in to your inbox! azcir.org/newsletter/
Tom Homan, a key subject of a multinewsroom investigation, was selected as the next "Border Czar." Read more about Homan and his group, Border911:
To access our full, frequently updated list of fact briefs (election-related and otherwise): azcir.org/azcir-gigafa...
This work isn’t about political opinions or clickbait. It's about providing fact-based analyses to help clarify topics important to our state & nation. If you find our journalism valuable, consider a donation to our 2024 campaign (it'll be double-matched!) azcir.fundjournalism.org/newsmatch-20...
15. Did a deceased Arizona resident ‘vote’ for Joe Biden in 2020? Verdict: NO azcir.org/news/2024/07...
14. Did 10,000 undocumented immigrants cast votes using the same social security number in Arizona’s 2020 election? Verdict: NO azcir.org/news/2024/07...
13. Can vote counts differ among races in the same election? Verdict: YES azcir.org/news/2024/08...
12. Is it illegal for noncitizens to volunteer with U.S. campaigns? Verdict: NO azcir.org/news/2024/10...
11. Are undocumented immigrants being recruited to harvest ballots in swing states like Arizona? Verdict: NO azcir.org/news/2024/07...
10. Does Kamala Harris plan to close all Pregnancy Resource Centers if she is elected president? Verdict: NO azcir.org/news/2024/09...
9. Does Donald Trump have outstanding invoices from Arizona campaign events? Verdict: YES azcir.org/news/2024/08...
8. Would Arizona’s Prop. 139 allow individuals who are not medical professionals to perform abortions? Verdict: NO azcir.org/news/2024/09...
7. Does Arizona have federal-only ballots for residents who ‘can’t prove’ citizenship at the time of registration? Verdict: YES azcir.org/news/2024/08...
6. Are Democrats fast-tracking citizenship for immigrants so they can vote in swing states? Verdict: NO azcir.org/news/2024/10...
5. Can a third-party group submit thousands of new voter registration forms on the last day to register? Verdict: YES azcir.org/news/2024/10...
4. Have Arizona election officials refused to remove noncitizens from voter rolls? Verdict: NO azcir.org/news/2024/09...
3. Does the Arizona Secretary of State’s Unique URL Program allow noncitizens to register to vote? Verdict: NO azcir.org/news/2024/10...
2. Was delivery of mail ballots delayed in Maricopa County this year? Verdict: NO azcir.org/news/2024/10...
1. Could it take weeks to count all Arizona ballots in the 2024 general election? Verdict: YES. azcir.org/news/2024/11...
For months, @azcir.bsky.social—in partnership with @gigafact.bsky.social—has worked to analyze Arizona-based claims to push back on mis- and disinformation circulating online. Today, we're recapping 15 election-related claims we've tackled, with documentation to back up our calls.
Democracy can’t survive without high-quality, independent journalism. From today through 12/31, all donations made to our nonprofit newsroom are double-matched by local and national donors #NewsMatch Democracy needs news. News needs you. azcir.fundjournalism.org/newsmatch-20...
NEW: Texas Sheriff Arvin West was a leading border hard-liner. Now, though, weary of divisive politics, he's shifting his perspective, via Alfredo Corchado w/Puente News Collaborative, with @azcir.bsky.social, @PalabraNAHJ, @texasobserver.org, @lhreports.bsky.social: azcir.org/news/2024/10...
NEW: Dark money and charity orgs led by former intelligence officers and ex-feds have been spreading propaganda and laying the groundwork for presidential election challenges. A new @azcir.bsky.social collab w/ @lhreports.bsky.social, @texasobserver.org, @palabranahj azcir.org/news/2024/10...
NEW: AZ rejects thousands of mail ballots for mismatched signatures, and flaws in the process could disproportionately affect young, new and unaffiliated voters. Our latest, a collaboration w/ Votebeat: azcir.org/news/2024/10...
After a fraud scheme lured people into fake substance abuse treatment programs, Arizona health officials suspended hundreds of facilities while they investigated. It left Native American patients without treatment, w/ @propublica.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2024/09...
ICYMI: Crisis pregnancy centers have emerged as the latest frontier in the battle over reproductive rights since Roe was overturned. A surge in taxpayer funding for CPCs has followed, even as state leaders warn about the centers’ "deceptive practices." azcir.org/news/2024/09...
In Arizona and across the nation, crisis pregnancy centers have emerged as the latest frontier in the increasingly fraught battle over reproductive rights following the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Our latest: azcir.org/news/2024/09...
NEW: AZ will reinstate a waitlist for families seeking state child care aid, effective today. With the exception of those the state can't legally turn away, new applicants are locked out of the subsidy program indefinitely, via @azcir.bsky.social's @mpolletta.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2024/08...
We're excited to share that @azcir.bsky.social is partnering with Gigafact to combat mis- and disinformation by producing timely, research-driven fact checks, or "Fact Briefs," that are responsive to online claims. azcir.org/azcir-gigafa...
NEW: AZ’s child care system got a temporary reprieve when lawmakers filled a portion of a budget shortfall from expiring pandemic funds. But it's not enough to avoid a likely return of a waitlist for families seeking child care assistance, via @mpolletta.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2024/06...
Have you struggled to get OB-GYN services in a rural area, dealt with a postpartum mental health condition or experienced inadequate or discriminatory health care treatment during or after your pregnancy? We want to hear from you. Help us keep reporting by contacting us in the story below 👇
The rate of Arizonans who died during and after pregnancy nearly tripled from 1999 to 2019, w/the most dramatic increases among AZ’s minority populations. State officials don't appear to be tracking progress to address the issue, via @natashawroteit.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2024/06...
Armed vigilantes in AZ & TX have forged relationships with local and federal law enforcement—ties that appear to elevate risks of violence in already volatile border regions, a collaboration between @azcir.bsky.social & @texasobserver.org has found: azcir.org/news/2024/05...
In 2022, @azcir.bsky.social & @hechingerreport.org revealed that AZ schools often suspend students for tardiness and truancy. A new Hechinger review of a dozen other states shows the controversial disciplinary tactic is pervasive throughout the country: azcir.org/news/2024/05...
A thread worth your time, via @azcir.bsky.social's @hannahbassett.bsky.social
Short of meaningful intervention by the AZ Legislature, experts and residents worry the same regulatory shortfalls seen in the Douglas groundwater basin will play out across the state, with large-scale agriculture exploiting existing policies at the cost of locals: azcir.org/news/2024/04...
NEW: Over the past 15 years, even with groundwater restrictions in effect that limit new irrigated land, at least several thousand acres of dormant farmland have again started siphoning groundwater to sustain new crops in Arizona’s Douglas basin. azcir.org/news/2024/04...
ICYMI: Medicaid fraud extended beyond a small share of AHCCCS, contradicting agency claims to date. The revelations came to light after @azcir.bsky.social pressed the agency about its waiver of key provider screenings during the pandemic, via @hannahbassett.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2024/03...
NEW: State leaders misled the public about the scope of a sweeping Medicaid fraud crisis, raising questions about the agency's transparency and its effectiveness in addressing the root causes of the scandal. Read our latest, via @hannahbassett.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2024/03...
SB1262 could return AZ's social equity licenses for marijuana dispensaries to the original recipients, wresting control from those who overtook the program. The bill comes nearly a year after extensive reporting by @azcir.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2024/02...
We’re partnering with the International Women's Media Foundation for a FREE, hands-on newsroom safety training to AZ journalists next month as part of a national initiative focused on reporters in battleground states. Learn more (and sign up for a one-day session): docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
NEW: The state agency at the center of AZ’s ongoing behavioral health crisis knew its proposed billing reforms could trigger a surge in homelessness 9 months before implementing the changes, yet failed to adequately prepare for the fallout, via @hannahbassett.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2023/12...
We hope you've found great value in our reporting over the past year. Help us keep doing this important work by making a year's end donation today! For the next five days, all donations are double-matched! azcir.fundjournalism.org/newsmatch-2023
ICYMI: When groundwater regulation talks occur in Arizona, surges of well applications follow—many deeper and with higher capacity pumps. The tactic risks cutting off the supply to nearby homes and smaller farms. azcir.org/news/2023/12...
When groundwater regulation talks occur throughout Arizona, a surge of well applications follows—many with deeper wells and higher capacity pumps than exist now. And as state regulation stalls, the tactic risks cutting off the supply to nearby homes and smaller farms. azcir.org/news/2023/12...
Our newsroom still needs to raise more than $5,000 by year's end to trigger another $50,000 in matching funds, and we need your help to get there! Thanks to local and national philanthropists, all donations are double-matched! azcir.fundjournalism.org/newsmatch-2023
NEW—Strings attached to AZ's School Safety Program funding has led to 100s of requests for mental health staff getting rejected this year as the state instead prioritized campus police, via @mpolletta.bsky.social azcir.org/news/2023/12...