Breaking Down 2020’s High Early Voting Numbers
More than ten million people have already cast their ballots in the 2020 election, roughly ten times the number who had voted at this point in the 2016 election.
Georgia Has Record Braking Turnout and Long Lines on First Day of Early Voting
Some voters in Georgia reported waiting in line for nearly eight hours to cast their ballot.
Why Motherhood is Central at Supreme Court’s Confirmation Hearings
Judge Barrett has been especially praised by Republicans for her role as a mother to seven children and how she’s been able to balance that with her professional ambition.
Justice Delayed: How Children are Hurting from Delays in Child Support and Custody Cases
With the pandemic, child support and child custody cases have also been placed on the back burner.
Reckoning with Race in Public Media
In the midst of a nationwide push for racial justice, public media is having a reckoning of its own.
What Does the Latest SCOTUS Decision Mean for Birth Control Access?
In a 7-2 decision, the court upheld a Trump administration regulation allowing employers to deny contraceptive coverage to workers based on religious or moral grounds.
What is the Business Side of Developing a Vaccine?
The world is waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine and the US government is spending billions of dollars to develop one.
‘Much Mucho Amor’ Director on the Life of Legendary Astrologer Walter Mercado
Cristina Costantini, co-director of a new documentary about Walter Mercado, joins The Takeaway to discuss the famed astrologer’s life and legacy.
What Will COVID-19 Mean for Higher Education in the Fall?
Colleges and universities across the U.S. are grappling with when and how to reopen in the upcoming school year, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Judges Around the Country Have Troubling Records, Yet They Still Serve on the Bench
A new Reuters investigation looks at the lack of accountability judges face for misconduct.
How Has Social Media Become So Divisive?
Shoshana Zuboff, author of “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism,” joined the Takeaway to discuss the role of social media in society and how it became the juggernaut it is today.
Will Coronavirus Put a Stop to the 2020 Baseball Season?
Major League Baseball’s opening day is fast approaching but will the virus keep that from happening?
COVID-19 Presents Major Economic Burden for Domestic Workers
In recent months, even as some industries have gradually reopened, many domestic workers are still losing jobs and wages due to the pandemic.
A Look at the U.S. Labor Market as Emergency Unemployment Benefits Are Set to Expire
Halfway through the year and more than three months into the coronavirus pandemic, The Takeaway looks into how the US labor market is faring.
Restrictions on Beach and Pool Access Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic
Places of public recreation, including pools and beaches, have long been flashpoints of race and class conflict.
Judge Orders Shut Down of the Dakota Access Pipeline in a Major Blow to the Trump Administration
The Trump administration was dealt a major blow on Monday when a district court said the Dakota Access Pipeline must shut down by August 5th.
The Power of Fiction By and About Black People
Best-selling author Jasmine Guillory joined The Takeaway to discuss the sudden interest in antiracism texts, the power of fiction, celebrating about Black lives, and more.
The Challenges of Parenting During a Pandemic
Parents are feeling a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety from having to manage working from home while also homeschooling and entertaining their children.
Jackson, Mississippi Mayor on Reopening and Suspending Open Carry
Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba joined us to talk about Jackson’s approach to reopening and why he made an executive order to suspend the open carry of firearms in the city.
Ohio Voters Head to the Mailbox Instead of Ballot Box
In the first election of its kind, almost everyone in the state was required to vote-by-mail.
Federal Court Rules Detroit Students Were Denied Constitutional Right to Basic Education
Last week, a federal court ruled that Detroit public school students had their constitutional rights violated when they were denied access to basic education.
Remembering Richard Hake: Longtime WNYC Host, Colleague and Friend
On Friday, the Takeaway and WNYC family lost a friend and beloved co-worker, Richard Hake. He died in his home from natural causes at age 51.
A Look at the Toxic Company Culture at Away
The luggage and lifestyle brand is just the latest millennial tech company to be called out for its cutthroat work culture.
Racial Discrimination in the World of Banking
The New York Times has published audio recordings of a former NFL player being discriminated against at a JPMorgan branch.
Why Defrauded Students Still Can’t Get Debt Relief
Tens of thousands of students across the country have been defrauded by for-profit colleges.
by José Olivares
A warning to listeners: some of the audio in this story is disturbing and hard to listen to.
An exclusive Takeaway and The Intercept investigation shows that correctional staff at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center skirted rules when dealing with a migrant with mental illness. The detainee, a 40-year-old undocumented Mexican migrant, killed himself after spending 21 days in solitary confinement in July 2018.
The investigation shows that correctional staff at the Stewart Detention Center did not follow the ICE national detention standards during the classification process, the disciplinary process and even on the night he killed himself.
The migrant, Efraín Romero de la Rosa, took his own life at the Stewart Detention Facility in Georgia, which is run by the private corrections company CoreCivic. He had been previously diagnosed with schizophrenia.
The solitary confinement cell in which Efraín Romero de la Rosa took his own life.
(GBI Investigation Photo)
While in ICE custody, Efraín was placed in solitary confinement for 15 days, was later placed on suicide watch and, separately, spent time at a mental health institution for over a month. On his return to Stewart to continue immigration proceedings, correctional staff neglected to recognize his mental illness and classify him accordingly.
Staff had noted his fixation on death, repeatedly telling staff he would “die three terrible deaths,” and telling other detainees he was a “prophet.”
Yet, CoreCivic’s correctional staff sent Efraín to solitary confinement for 30 days. None of the disciplinary records released by CoreCivic in response to courtroom discovery demands and provided by family attorney Andrew Free make mention of his worsening mental illness.
The Takeaway and The Intercept accessed hundreds of pages of records, photos, audio with witnesses and correctional staff, and 18 hours of security footage from within the facility.
Efraín’s story helps the public gain insight at the tangled and opaque world of ICE detention. As the Trump Administration continues to round up migrants at an increasing pace, more people diagnosed with mental illness will inevitably be placed in ICE detention.
You can listen to the entire investigation by clicking “play” above.
You can read the detailed investigation on The Intercept here.
A special thank you to Cindi Kim, Associate General Counsel at New York Public Radio. For The Takeaway, Deidre Depke, Ellen Frankman, Lee Hill, Arwa Gunja and Jim Schachter edited; Jay Cowit sound designed and composed the score.
For The Intercept, Ali Gharib edited the story, Ariel Zambelich was the visual designer, and Travis Mannon and Lauren Feeney made the accompanying film.
The road to the White House is rarely a linear path. That was abundantly clear this week when Senator Kamala Harris announced that she was suspending her campaign. The announcement came as a surprise to many because at the time of launch, Senator Harris was one to watch. Political reporters Darren Sands, Laura Barron-Lopez, and Maya King join us to discuss the end of her campaign and what challenges the Democratic Party faces in putting forth the best candidate.
Also, Congressman Krishnamoorthi provides an update on the impeachment inquiry. Finally, Caitlin Zaloom and Alia Wong describe how college went from being accessible to burdensome and expensive.
A New Trump Rule Could Cut Food Stamp Benefits for 700,000
The Trump administration announced a series of rule changes last year, and on Wednesday, the final rule was announced.
How Does Mississippi Felony Voting Rights Compare to the Rest of the Country?
Nearly one of every 10 adults in Mississippi has been convicted of a felony and lost the right to vote.
The Double Standard In How The Media Covers 2020 Democratic Candidates
How the media helped shape which candidates made it this far… and who didn’t.
A new investigation examines how the global consulting firm, McKinsey & Company, helped ICE carry out President Trump’s immigration policies.
Northwestern University Student Paper Sparks Debate About Student and Professional Journalism
Recent events at Northwestern University have sparked a debate about student journalism.
Two More Witnesses Testify at Public Hearings
Fiona Hill, the former top Russia adviser to the Trump White House, and David Holmes, a political counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, are at Capitol Hill this morning.
The Legacy of Pay-to-Play Ambassador Appointments
President Donald Trump has raised some eyebrows over his nominees for cushy ambassadorships abroad.
The Department of Education says funding will go through for the rest of the year but planning for next year is stalled amid concerns that programs will be cut and staff laid off.
Indigenous Communities Get Unequal Recovery Aid After a Natural Disaster
U.S. citizens on average receive $26 per person from the federal government, but tribal citizens only get about $3 per person, per year.