More in Accountability
Debunked Arson Science Keeps Mother Imprisoned for Nearly 30 Years, Attorneys Say
Maria Montalvo was convicted of murder in 1996 after her children’s deaths in a fire, based on testimony from arson experts. In a petition for a new trial, her attorneys argue that the conviction rests on ‘outdated beliefs and junk science.’
New Mexico Becomes the Latest State to End Cooperation With ICE Under New Law
Activists say ending local and state cooperation with ICE is a key way to obstruct Trump’s mass deportation machine.
Judge Compares Federal Bureau of Prisons to “Soviet Gulag”
In a ruling earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton blasted the federal prison agency for a pattern of medical neglect after officials ignored his order to schedule an appointment with a specialist for a woman at high risk of breast cancer.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Strikes Down Mandatory Life Sentences for Felony Murder
Last week, Pennsylvania’s highest court ruled that automatic sentences of life without parole for people charged under the felony murder doctrine constitute “cruel punishments” under the state constitution.
ICE Raids and Medicaid Cuts Put Both Caregivers and Their Patients at Risk
ICE raids and cutbacks to personal care services are leaving seniors and disabled adults scrambling for in-home aid.
People With Type 1 Diabetes Denied Basic Medical Care in Pennsylvania Prisons, Lawsuit Alleges
A lawsuit filed by Disability Rights Pennsylvania says that the state’s prison system restricts access to insulin pumps and glucose monitors, putting people with Type 1 diabetes at risk of death or serious injuries.
ICE Jails Have Repeatedly Denied Muslims the Right to Fully Observe Ramadan
The infringement of Muslims’ religious rights has intensified in ICE jails under Trump 2.0, civil rights advocates say.
Prison Dining Giant Aramark Serves Inedible Food to Drive Commissary Sales, Lawsuit Alleges
Incarcerated people in West Virginia filed a federal lawsuit arguing that the largest prison food provider in the country fails to offer adequate meals in the cafeteria while charging high prices for fresh produce and snacks in the commissary.
California Spends $300 Million Each Year Incarcerating Senior Citizens in Women’s Prisons
California’s incarcerated population has aged rapidly over the past 30 years. A new report recommends creating new pathways for senior citizens to seek release.
He Almost Died From A Burst Appendix. A For-Profit Jail Medical Provider Dismissed It As Heartburn.
A new lawsuit in York County, Pennsylvania, highlights a pattern of allegations of medical neglect by for-profit correctional healthcare company PrimeCare.
ICE Wants to Buy Warehouses for Mass Detention. Communities Are Fighting Back.
People across the political spectrum are realizing these federal detention warehouses will harm their communities.
Unsatisfied With Record Profits, Private Prison Investors Want ICE to Escalate
Investors on CoreCivic and GEO Group’s quarterly earnings calls expressed frustration that ICE’s record immigration detention numbers aren’t high enough.
ICE-Cold Cash: Private Prison Companies and Executives Have Donated Millions to Members of Congress
Find out if your representatives have taken cash from the companies fueling ICE’s mass deportation efforts.
Secrecy, Inaccurate Records Stymie Families’ Search for Truth in Missouri Prison Deaths
Families are asking questions about their loved ones’ deaths in custody. The state isn’t answering them.
ICE Was Warned About Conditions at Fort Bliss Migrant Jail. Then 2 Men Died.
Immigrant rights activists and elected officials are calling to shut down Camp East Montana.
After Exposing Prison Horrors, Incarcerated Whistleblowers Are Moved to Solitary
Subjects of The Alabama Solution have led protests for years, using cell phones to expose brutality and forced labor.
York County Leads Pennsylvania in Restraint Chair Use, Despite Deadly History
Everett Palmer, Jr.’s 2018 death in a York County restraint chair prompted a $1.5 million legal settlement, but the jail used restraint chairs more than 1,000 times in the years after his death.
Pepper-Sprayed for Praying
A 2021 incident in a Missouri prison illustrates the barriers Muslims face practicing their religion behind bars.
Deaths in Detention Warn of Horrors Behind ICE’s Prison Walls
At least 32 people died in ICE jails in 2025, and six more have already died in ICE custody this year.
Seattle Investigated a Cop for Attending Trump’s Rally on Jan. 6. Phoenix Hired Him.
As Phoenix PD rushed to fill open positions, the department may have overlooked red flags in recruits’ backgrounds.
Incarcerated Californians Express Cautious Optimism About New Clemency Proposal
The change has brought hope to those who fear dying in prison, while others worry it won’t save them from such a fate.
New Jersey Supreme Court Rejects ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’
The first ruling of its kind in the country could give people convicted based on SBS testimony a new shot at freedom.
Police in Many “Sanctuary Cities” Have Repeatedly Collaborated With ICE
Police face allegations of violating laws meant to protect immigrants from DC to Oregon to Colorado and beyond.
ICE Wants to Reopen Notorious California Prison. Locals Are Fighting Back.
FCI Dublin was shut down in 2024 after revelations of abuse against prisoners. Residents want it to stay closed.
Tim Ballard’s Reputation is in Shambles. The Americans He Helped Arrest Want Answers.
Tim Ballard, the disgraced “anti-sex-trafficking” expert, was the subject of a hit 2023 biographical film and serial sexual misconduct allegations in the same year. After Ballard’s fall, the people he helped arrest in Washington want to know why no one seems willing to take a second look at their cases.
Jail Support for Immigrants Held in Missouri Offers Resistance in a Red State
Local communities resist ICE by reaching inside jails and building networks of support.
Lockdowns, Violence, and “Barbaric Conditions” in a Federal Jail Known for its Famous Detainees
Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center often makes news for the celebrities detained there, but hundreds of other people at the jail face inhumane conditions.
A 68-year-old Grandfather Died in ICE’s Custody. His Family Seeks Answers.
Abelardo Avellaneda-Delgado was healthy when he entered Lowndes County Jail. He died while en route to ICE’s Stewart Detention Center less than four weeks later, leaving his family in shock.
How Will New Jersey’s Next Governor Protect Immigrants?
New Jersey has one of the largest immigrant populations in the country. We asked candidates in the Democratic primary what they’ll do to keep immigrants safe.
His Name Was Tyré Nichols
The Appeal—and much of the media—has been misspelling Tyré Nichols’ name for years.
Trump’s War on Trans People: A Legal Survival Guide
State and federal governments have moved to criminalize trans people, parents of trans children, and healthcare providers.
“If You Want to Live, Don’t Drink the Water”
After mystery illnesses and toxic reports, prisoners at California’s Mule Creek State Prison worry their water is killing them.
Social Worker or AR-15? Portland Struggles Over How to Respond to People in Mental Health Crisis
As Portland weighs expansion of an alternative crisis-response program, new data from a MindSite News-Medill investigation shows police often deploy force on residents who are unhoused or grappling with mental illness.
CoreCivic CEO: Trump Administration Plans Will ‘Supercharge’ the Private Prison Industry
In a quarterly earnings call, the private prison company told investors that it plans to expand its operations across the country.
Private Prison Company GEO Group “Excited” About Mass Deportation
CEO tells investors the Trump administration represents an “unprecedented opportunity.”
No Exit: Death and Despair in Texas’s “Double-Cell” Solitary Units
Texas state prisons incarcerate more than 4,500 people in two-person cells the size of a parking space for nearly 24 hours a day.
Trans Prisoners Say Trump’s Ban on Gender-Affirming Care Could Be Deadly
“I’d rather not live than be forced to live as a man,” a trans woman in a federal prison in New Jersey said in a sworn statement.
Palestinian Activist Detained at Louisiana ICE Facility With History of Deaths and Abuse
Inspections have found repeated violations of federal standards at GEO Group’s Central Louisiana ICE Processing Facility.
Private Prison Exec Calls Mass Deportation Plans ‘Unprecedented Opportunity’
GEO Group Chairman George Zoley said the company stands to gain up to $1 billion in additional revenue from detaining and surveilling undocumented immigrants.