Benjamin Hulac
@bhulac.bsky.social
reporter roaming the halls of Congress for NJ Spotlight News Westerner, Shoupista, defender of democracy contact: hulacb(at)njspotlightnews(dot)org OR Signal @bhulac.17
NEW: Two top federal lawyer probing New Jersey's voter registration errors have ties to election conspiracy theorists. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/07/trum...
Trump attorneys in NJ voting probe hold ties to election deniers | NJ Spotlight News
One lawyer on the team defended president, staffers after Jan. 6 attack, while another represented a prominent Biden foe
njspotlightnews.org
NEWS: The Department of Justice is investigating New Jersey over an elections voter glitch. “This is a real oversight issue," said a New Jersey Republican. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/07/fede... @njspotlightnews.org #NJ
Federal investigators launch probe in NJ voter registration errors | NJ Spotlight News
House members say they plan hearings into system that allowed thousands of noncitizens to register, even if they opted out
njspotlightnews.org
The Department of Justice opened an investigation into the voting system problem that registered more than 6,000 noncitizens to vote in New Jersey, according to Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-2nd).
U.S. FORECLOSURE ACTIVITY HITS 7-YEAR HIGH U.S. HOUSING STRESS BUILDS AS FORECLOSURES SURGE
NEW: A bipartisan housing bill was about to become federal law. Then Donald Trump got involved. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/06/bipa... @njspotlightnews.org #NJ #housing🏡🏠
Bipartisan housing effort in limbo after Trump sinks popular bill | NJ Spotlight News
President insists that Congress must give him voter-restriction legislation that Senate and House are unlikely to pass
njspotlightnews.org
NEWS: Congress scrapped all earmarks last year, a move that cost New Jersey more than $200 million. Now, earmarks are back, and New Jersey is poised to reap the benefits. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/06/afte... @njspotlightnews.org #NJ #Congress
After a year without, more than $250 million in earmarks for NJ | NJ Spotlight News
From military aircraft control tower design to 'not real sexy' recycling bins for Camden, lawmakers in Congress hail federal funding
njspotlightnews.org
The Trump administration bought a Morris County warehouse for $130 million dollars -- double the market value. They wanted to make it an ICE detention center. Now, they are backpedalling... www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/06/trum... @njspotlightnews.org #ICE #NJ
Trump administration looks to back off Roxbury detention center | NJ Spotlight News
ICE warehouse planned for Morris County among several to be sold or transferred, report says
njspotlightnews.org
NEWS: New Jersey's missing congressman may soon be missing no more. BUT...we still have no idea why Tom Kean Jr. has been out for more than 3 months. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/06/kean... @njspotlightnews.org
Kean returning to Congress on June 30 after treatment for illnessNJ Spotlight News
Republican congressman from New Jersey's 7th District, running for reelection, will talk about nature of his absence, spokesman says
njspotlightnews.org
The ICE site in Roxbury, New Jersey, is on this list, according to the NYT. The U.S. government -- in other words, the public -- paid nearly double the market rate for that site in Morris County. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/03/prev... @njspotlightnews.org #ICE #NJ
‘Prevent public contact’: ICE deportation network comes into focus | NJ Spotlight News
Immigration enforcement expanding in Jersey and elsewhere on East Coast, adding holding sites, guards with guns
njspotlightnews.org
Hamed Aleaziz@haleaziz.bsky.social · 2mo agoSCOOP: ICE is planning to offload seven warehouses purchased for more than $700 million by either giving them to other federal agencies or selling them outright, according to documents obtained by The New York Times. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/18/u...
A safety complaint drew OSHA inspectors to an ICE detention site in New Jersey. It's unclear at this point what inspectors found. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/06/safe... @njspotlightnews.org #ICE #NJ #DelaneyHall
Safety complaint draws federal inspectors to Delaney Hall | NJ Spotlight News
Any of eight conditions can lead to on-site review by U.S. regulators, and case of Newark detention center remains open
njspotlightnews.org
An immigrant detention site in New Jersey has become a Republican tool. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/06/repu... @njspotlightnews.org #DelaneyHall #Newark #ICE
Republicans use Delaney Hall protests as Exhibit A for ICE funding | NJ Spotlight News
'These men and women are running out of money,' U.S. senator says as he presses for $70 billion for immigration forces
njspotlightnews.org
NEW: To push their hardline immigration bill, national Republicans are looking to New Jersey. Just not in the way you might think. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/06/repu... @njspotlightnews.org
Republicans use Delaney Hall protests as Exhibit A for ICE funding | NJ Spotlight News
'These men and women are running out of money,' U.S. senator says as he presses for $70 billion for immigration forces
njspotlightnews.org
NEW: If you're missing from Congress, can you still give a speech in the House chamber? Weirdly, yes. Sort of... www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/06/the-... @njspotlightnews.org #Kean #NewJersey
The missing Rep. Tom Kean Jr. finally speaks … sort of | NJ Spotlight News
The Republican congressman hasn't been seen in months -- though his office has found multiple ways to puff up his public 'presence'
njspotlightnews.org
A Penn State photojournalism student has been documenting the ICE-created chaos at the Delaney Hall protests. @njspotlightnews.org is publishing his work. “I’ve covered hard news before, but this is the first time I’ve ever had tear gas and pepper spray directed toward me.”
Clashing night and day: a tense 24 hours outside Delaney HallNJ Spotlight News
A photojournalism student knows how to shoot hard news. This was something else. 'It was definitely scary,' he says
njspotlightnews.org
Delaney Hall, an ICE detention center in New Jersey, has been on the national radar this week. Great new great photos here of the protesters, ICE agents & violent clashes ---> www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/05/clas... @njspotlightnews.org #DelaneyHall #ICE #Newark
Clashing night and day: a tense 24 hours outside Delaney HallNJ Spotlight News
A photojournalism student knows how to shoot hard news. This was something else. 'It was definitely scary,' he says
njspotlightnews.org
Trump is bulldozing buildings, planning archways and slapping his name on buildings in the nation's capital city. The latest victim of the Trump-led push to remake Washington? A women's museum. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/05/wome... @njspotlightnews.org
Women's museum is latest divide in Trump bid to mold capital | NJ Spotlight News
NJ Democrats vote against bill to build a Smithsonian space Republicans add an amendment to block inclusion of transgender people
njspotlightnews.org
The clearout of Delaney Hall in New Jersey continues. Detainees are on food and labor strike inside. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/05/fres... @njspotlightnews.org @eliseondeadline.bsky.social #Delaney #ICE
Fresh funding round set to supercharge ICE as Delaney Hall erupts | NJ Spotlight News
'We are being tortured physically and psychologically due to the poor food resources provided,' say those held in Newark
njspotlightnews.org
Gillian Brockell@gillianbrockell.com · 2mo agoThere is an ICE plane on the ground in Newark right now. ICE might be trying move some of the strikers to Louisiana.
Sure looks like ICE is moving out detainees from Delaney Hall, where there is an ongoing hunger strike. The next location logged for this plane is Alexandria, La., a massive ICE deportation hub. www.flightaware.com/live/flight/...
N966AD Flight Tracking and History - FlightAware
Flight status, tracking, and historical data for N966AD including scheduled, estimated, and actual departure and arrival times.
flightaware.com
JJ in DC@jjindc.bsky.social · 2mo ago🧊✈️ HEADS UP NEW JERSEY 😲 ⚠️ Delaney Hall Clearout⁉️ ICE Air inbound to Newark GlobalX A321 – Tail: N966AD ETA: 1:40pm 👀
NEW: During the Biden administration, Congress created a national broadband program. New Jersey has yet to see a single new internet connection because of it. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/05/trum... @njspotlightnews.org
Trump broadband delays stall $264 million in NJ internet funding | NJ Spotlight News
The state gets high marks for digital network, though communities of color -- particularly in Newark, Trenton and Camden -- lack same access
njspotlightnews.org
On Thursday, the nonpartisan election analysis newsletter Inside Elections shifted its outlook for NJ's 7th District race from Rep. Tom Kean Jr. and toward Democrats. The Cook Political Report, another nonpartisan handicapper, moved Kean’s race in November to “toss up.” via @bhulac.bsky.social
Campaign edge shifts toward Democrats in Kean's 7th District | NJ Spotlight News
Congressman will return to Washington in June, national Republican official says, as two political reports call the race a toss-up
njspotlightnews.org
US House votes to launch process to provide billions for Trump mass deportations www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-h...
US House votes to launch process to provide billions for Trump mass deportations
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans adopted their budget resolution Wednesday night, clearing the way for the party to pass a bill in the coming weeks that will provide tens of billions in additional ...
newsfromthestates.com
The Pentagon is asking Congress to codify the Department of War name. A Defense Dept. legislative proposal sent to Capitol Hill estimates the name change to date has cost about $50 million. But the CBO estimated the change could cost as much as $125 million: www.stripes.com/theaters/us/... #Flashes
NEW: A massive week awaits in Congress: Farm Bill, budget bill, vote on spying law and more. One New Jersey lawmaker remains missing and we do not know why. www.njspotlightnews.org/podcast/wher... @njspotlightnews.org @maddiference.bsky.social
Where’s Tom Kean Jr. — and what’s going on with NJ’s missing congressman? - NJ Spotlight News
Washington correspondent Benjamin J. Hulac breaks down what we know
njspotlightnews.org
NEWS: A New Jersey congressman has gone off the radar during a busy stretch on Capitol Hill. “They’re keeping this really tight-lipped," said one lawmaker. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/04/radi... @njspotlightnews.org @genesisobando.bsky.social
Concerns over congressman’s health during lengthy absence | NJ Spotlight News
Calls and text messages to a missing New Jersey congressman have gone unanswered
njspotlightnews.org
This is what Sen. Kim is talking about: Republicans yesterday started a process that could lead to tens of billions more in funding for ICE & CBP. There is a lot that could change. But for starters, I wrote about it here at @njspotlightnews.org www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/04/immi... #ICE #CBP
Immigration agencies have funding for years; GOP seeks more | NJ Spotlight News
Infusion of $140 billion in budget outline would be enough to 'carry us through the Trump presidency,' Graham says
njspotlightnews.org
Senator Andy Kim@kim.senate.gov · 3mo agoChecking in from the Capitol as Senate Republicans try to give tens of billions to ICE. I'll keep you updated throughout the night.
NEWS: Members of Congress are worried about Tom Kean. He is not replying to texts or calls and has not voted in the House since early March. "We just haven’t heard a word." www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/04/radi... @njspotlightnews.org @genesisobando.bsky.social @maddiference.bsky.social
Concerns over congressman’s health during lengthy absence | NJ Spotlight News
Calls and text messages to a missing New Jersey congressman have gone unanswered
njspotlightnews.org
NEW: ICE and CBP have tens of billions of dollars in reserve. Republicans in Congress want to give them more money -- enough at least to "carry us through the Trump presidency." www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/04/immi... @njspotlightnews.org #ICE #CBP
Immigration agencies have funding for years; GOP seeks more | NJ Spotlight News
Infusion of $140 billion in budget outline would be enough to 'carry us through the Trump presidency,' Graham says
njspotlightnews.org
NEW: Tom Kean has not voted in Congress since March 5. Why has he been out of Washington? His office has offered zero specifics. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/04/kean... @njspotlightnews.org
Kean out with ‘health matter’ on eve of busy season in Congress | NJ Spotlight News
Outcomes of crucial bills sometimes rest on NJ representatives , and Republican from 7th District hasn't cast one in more than a month
njspotlightnews.org
Inflation is straining the personal finances of many government retirees living in New Jersey. Gov. Sherrill wants the state to make another full pension contribution in FY2027. But COLAs for retirees would stay frozen for at least another year. @njspotlightnews.org
Sherrill wants full pension funding, with retiree COLAs still on hold | NJ Spotlight News
Treasurer cites $6 billion 'penalty' -- roughly one-tenth of the proposed state budget -- for past skimping on retirement payments
njspotlightnews.org
we're back and allegedly better than ever: www.njspotlightnews.org/podcast/deco...
Decoding New Jersey's $60.7B budget: Politics, property taxes and the 'deficit' | Hey, NJ - NJ Spotlight News
Budget and finance writer John Reitmeyer joins to discuss the political process behind budget negotiations
njspotlightnews.org