After the Biden administration clamped down on the flow of illegal guns, Trump has referred fewer ATF trafficking charges for prosecution, eased up on irresponsible gun shops and shifted hundreds of ATF agents to immigration work. @alecmac.bsky.social

“No One Is Watching”: How Trump Reversed Biden’s Crackdown on Gun Trafficking

After Biden clamped down on the flow of illegal guns, Trump has referred fewer ATF trafficking charges for prosecution, eased up on irresponsible gun shops and shifted hundreds of ATF agents to immigr...

propublica.org

Worth reading. Another undoing of actual progress.

Alec MacGillis@alecmac.bsky.social · 2mo ago

One factor in the recent homicide decline was the Biden admin's clampdown on gun trafficking. Now, the Trump admin is pulling back on several fronts, raising odds that the flow of illegal guns will rise, with ill effects down the line. My latest @propublica.org: www.propublica.org/article/how-...

One factor in the recent homicide decline was the Biden admin's clampdown on gun trafficking. Now, the Trump admin is pulling back on several fronts, raising odds that the flow of illegal guns will rise, with ill effects down the line. My latest @propublica.org: www.propublica.org/article/how-...

“No One Is Watching”: How Trump Reversed Biden’s Crackdown on Gun Trafficking

After Biden clamped down on the flow of illegal guns, Trump has referred fewer ATF trafficking charges for prosecution, eased up on irresponsible gun shops and shifted hundreds of ATF agents to immigr...

propublica.org

I don’t think this is a particularly hot take. As we keep telling a particular federal agency, wearing a mask generally indicates cognizance of guilt and an intent to do something illegal. Protest works best when done confidently and unashamedly

Vibecession Forever@ghazelleberner.bsky.social · 6mo ago

An entire generation of people raised on social media simply do not have an understanding of how the media, protests, and surveillance work. My hottest take is that masks at protests are cowardly and have done absolutely nothing but make all protests themselves look unserious to neutral parties.

What I actually did was allow credentialed press from mainstream outlets sit in my car on the condition that they identify no one but myself, something dozens of observers have done, but it’s fascinating how paranoiac mania over that imagined offense has evolved into vast crimes in 24 hours

Great reporting by @alecmac.bsky.social and another example of how policy implementation diverges from policy intent. Obviously the answer here is more legal pathways (and higher/no caps) for people to permanent residency and citizenship.

ProPublica@propublica.org · last yr.

NEW: Every Sunday, newspapers are full of ads for tech jobs that aren't really looking for applicants. They reveal an aspect of U.S. immigration law that hurts both domestic and foreign workers — yet has endured for decades.

this is so dystopian

Alec MacGillis@alecmac.bsky.social · last yr.

Every Sunday, the print classifieds in metro newspapers are full of listings for tech jobs that aren't actually open. It's a window into a deeply flawed corner of US immigration law that hurts both US and foreign workers, yet has endured for decades. I decided to explore further:

An informative read. Some remarkably candid quotes, a bit of history, a broken system, congressional negligence, and lobbyists.

Alec MacGillis@alecmac.bsky.social · last yr.

www.propublica.org/article/trum...

Great @alecmac.bsky.social story on the weird pretend job listings (and classified ads) that keep the H1B visa system running www.propublica.org/article/trum...

The Tech Recruitment Ruse That Has Avoided Trump’s Crackdown on Immigration

Every Sunday, newspapers are full of ads for tech jobs that aren't really looking for applicants. They reveal an aspect of U.S. immigration law that hurts both domestic and foreign workers — yet has e...

propublica.org

Used to work for a company that did this—they kept ALL their positions open on their website to “fill the bench” just in case someone left, and regularly interviewed for roles they weren’t actually hiring for. When I questioned the tactic, I was told I wasn’t being a “team player.” 🙃

Alec MacGillis@alecmac.bsky.social · last yr.

Every Sunday, the print classifieds in metro newspapers are full of listings for tech jobs that aren't actually open. It's a window into a deeply flawed corner of US immigration law that hurts both US and foreign workers, yet has endured for decades. I decided to explore further:

Propublica's reporting, as always, is exceptional. I hope it leads to further discussion of the harm H1-B visas cause hundreds of thousands of young Indians—mostly men—trapping them in underpaid, exploitive positions, at a time recent (mostly male) college tech grads experience high unemployment.

Charles Ornstein@charlesornstein.bsky.social · last yr.

Every Sunday, newspapers are full of ads for tech jobs that aren't really looking for applicants. They reveal an aspect of U.S. immigration law that hurts both domestic and foreign workers — yet has endured for decades. @alecmac.bsky.social is on the case.

Every Sunday, the print classifieds in metro newspapers are full of listings for tech jobs that aren't actually open. It's a window into a deeply flawed corner of US immigration law that hurts both US and foreign workers, yet has endured for decades. I decided to explore further:

Some more examples of disappearing data, via @alecmac.bsky.social: www.propublica.org/article/trum...

They’re obeying in advance is what they’re doing.

The New York Times@nytimes.com · last yr.

In @nytopinion.nytimes.com Three Yale professors who have written extensively on authoritarianism are leaving the U.S. “We’re like people on the Titanic saying our ship can’t sink,” Marci Shore said. “And what you know as a historian is that there is no such thing as a ship that can’t sink.”

Fascinating: Ozempic has totally disrupted the dynamic of group dinners out, when many people in the group barely feel like eating.

As Congressional Republicans push for Medicaid work requirements, here’s how it’s going in Georgia: Deloitte Consulting is taking in tens of millions in tax dollars to manage the country’s only Medicaid work requirement program — and sell it to the public. Only 3% of those eligible have enrolled.

The Firm Running Georgia’s Struggling Medicaid Experiment Was Also Paid Millions to Sell It to the Public

Deloitte Consulting is taking in tens of millions in tax dollars to build, manage and market Georgia’s Medicaid work requirement program. Yet only 3% of eligible residents have enrolled.

propublica.org

NEW from @propublica.org: Records show that Chris Young is simultaneously working as a political adviser to Elon Musk while helping DOGE gut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which regulates Musk's businesses. www.propublica.org/article/doge...

Musk Adviser May Make as Much as $1 Million a Year While Helping to Dismantle Agency that Regulates Tesla and X

Records show that Chris Young is simultaneously working as a political adviser to Musk while serving in the Department of Government Efficiency, helping to gut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau...

propublica.org