Topics Reporting
Three NYSIC gang member identification documents appear scattered on a desk.
The New York State Police Are Feeding ICE a Gang Database

For 20 years, the state police have been quietly building a database of suspected gang members — and they’re feeding it to Donald Trump’s administration.

Chris Gelardi   ·   April 23, 2025
Thousands Wait for Long-Term Help While Hochul Pushes Involuntary Commitment

In some counties, the waitlist for state-funded mental health treatment programs can exceed two years.

Julia Rock and Chris Gelardi   ·   April 22, 2025
Prison Agency Is Considering Invoking Bogus Emergencies to Skirt Solitary Reforms, Lawsuit Alleges

The lawsuit reveals that DOCCS is considering pausing solitary confinement law on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and any other day designated by the commissioner.

Chris Gelardi   ·   April 18, 2025
Trump’s China Tariffs Hit New York’s Clean Heat Experiment

The country’s biggest public housing authority is counting on a Chinese company to supply thousands of new energy-saving window heat pumps.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   April 15, 2025
Who Do Prosecutors Blame for Wrongful Convictions? Apparently Not Themselves.

Here are the key findings from the second installment of our investigation into New York’s conviction integrity units.

Ryan Kost   ·   April 14, 2025
Phantom Bill Targeting Education Rules Triggers Sharp Backlash in Statehouse

No lawmaker will take credit for the proposal, but its quiet circulation has sparked fierce debate over state control of religious education.

Bianca Fortis   ·   April 10, 2025
Hundreds of New Yorkers’ Lives Could Be Saved Each Year Under New Program

Following New York Focus’s reporting, the state health department is moving to implement a law meant to boost kidney donations.

Sam Mellins   ·   April 10, 2025
Trump Targets New York Climate Laws. But Is It Just for Show?

“There’s no legal basis for what they’re trying to do,” said one legal expert.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   April 9, 2025
‘An Open Secret’: Sackets Harbor ICE Raid Shows the ‘Reality’ of New York Dairy Country

The detention of three children and their mother shocked the town. It also highlighted just how much the region’s key industries depend on immigrant workers.

Julia Rock   ·   April 9, 2025
Top New York Judge’s Son, and His Boss, At Center of Ethics Dispute

A Queens court’s failure to reveal a romance has sparked accusations of bias.

Chris Bragg   ·   April 9, 2025
Court Records Undercut Bronx DA’s Testimony on Discovery Rollbacks

Hochul’s proposed rollbacks are one of the major sticking points in this year’s budget negotiations. One prosecutor’s support rested on a faulty anecdote.

Ryan Kost   ·   April 8, 2025
Trump Cuts Imperil Heating and Cooling Assistance in New York

Drastic cutbacks coupled with skyrocketing utility costs put seniors and other vulnerable households at greater risk for severe illness and death.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   April 8, 2025
Bill to Loosen Education Standards Quietly Circulates in Albany

Yeshivas and other nonpublic schools face a looming deadline to prove they offer an education similar to the state’s public schools. A proposed bill would loosen those rules and potentially delay the deadline.

Bianca Fortis   ·   April 3, 2025
NYPD Stop-and-Frisks Soared in 2024

Officers recorded over 25,000 stops last year, a 50 percent increase over the previous year. Nine in 10 people stopped by the NYPD last year were Black or Latino.

Surina Venkat   ·   April 2, 2025
Trump’s Anti-Trans Order Clashes With New York Law

New York law mandates gender-affirming care — but some hospitals are backing down anyway.

Nathan Porceng   ·   April 2, 2025
Climate Groups Sue Hochul Administration Over Climate Law Backtracking

Environmentalists have long charged that New York is falling short of its climate mandates. Now, they’re taking the state to court.

Colin Kinniburgh   ·   March 31, 2025
Trump’s Federal Cuts Push New York Mental Health Programs to Brink of Collapse

Mental health providers are scrambling to prevent mass layoffs and program closures, leaving advocates urging state leaders to step in before it’s too late.

Jie Jenny Zou   ·   March 31, 2025
NYC’s Employee Health Fund Has Hit Zero — What It Means for Public Workers

Longstanding perks like premium-free insurance could be at risk due to a city budget crunch.

Sam Mellins   ·   March 31, 2025
St. Regis Mohawk School at Risk as State Funding Falls Short

Governor Hochul’s budget allocates only a fraction of what the state Board of Regents suggested for three state-owned Indigenous schools.

Bianca Fortis   ·   March 30, 2025
As Deaths Mount in New York Jails and Prisons, Advocates Rally for Oversight

They want to beef up the powerful but little-known State Commission of Correction.

Chris Gelardi   ·   March 29, 2025