In Pennsylvania’s largest immigrant detention center, detainees report violence, desperation, and little oversight. We take you inside the increasingly crowded Moshannon Valley Processing Center.

Reporters Max Marin and Ryan Briggs spent the last few months buying “legal” weed... for work. Their investigation revealed it's full of harmful contaminants that some companies are intentionally hiding from consumers. 🔗 Ask us anything: www.reddit.com/r/philadelph...

My colleagues @maxmmarin.bsky.social and @ryanbriggs.bsky.social tested hemp products from smoke shops around the Philly area -- and found mold, fungus, pesticides, and THC levels as potent as dispensary-grade pot. An important read about an unregulated industry: www.inquirer.com/news/a/penns...

Unregulated hemp stores in Pa. are booming, but products are rife with toxic and illicit chemicals. Almost every sample The Inquirer tested was over the legal potency or contained mold or pesticides. Story by @maxmmarin.bsky.social and @ryanbriggs.bsky.social: www.inquirer.com/news/a/penns...

The Trump admin is employing aggressive tactics to short-circuit immigration court and fast-track immigrants for deportation. The result: Deportations in PA and NJ are up 80% over last year. w/ @samanthamelamed.bsky.social & @sstirling.bsky.social www.inquirer.com/news/philade...

Out of nowhere, a January night turned into chaos. Five neighbors share what they saw and how their lives were changed by the Northeast Philly plane crash. By @wendyruderman.bsky.social, Astrid Rodrigues, and I on @inquirer.com share.inquirer.com/1eBFT4

For this piece, we take you back to the 1970s Villanova University of Pope Leo's youth - a time when budding social changes clashed with the Catholic school's conservative ethos. w/ @maxmmarin.bsky.social @beaforman.bsky.social @njvadala.bsky.social www.inquirer.com/news/villano...

Next week is the 40th anniversary of the MOVE bombing, one of the most painful events in Philadelphia history. With @allisonmp5.bsky.social, I wrote about two children killed in the bombing and lingering questions about the handling of their remains. www.inquirer.com/news/philade...

The city’s Kensington Wellness Court has been placed on hold amid judges’ mounting frustration with the city officials tasked with overseeing the program. A supervising judge nearly shut it down, and the judge who presides over the cases called city leaders "fake." www.inquirer.com/crime/kensin...

A harrowing must-read about an epidemic of lost limbs -- and those on the frontlines trying to do something about it. By @aubreywhelan.bsky.social @maxmmarin.bsky.social @dylancpurcell.bsky.social

Amputations among people addicted to opioids have doubled in five years in Philadelphia. To learn why, @maxmmarin.bsky.social, @dylancpurcell.bsky.social and I spent more than six months digging into medical data and interviewing doctors and patients: www.inquirer.com/health/a/tra...

First episode is up - our podcast with Temple's Logan Center for Urban Investigative Reporting, digging into what led Philadelphia to bomb its own people 40 years ago next month. Every Tuesday a new chapter posts: MOVE: Untangling the Tragedy. www.inquirer.com/move-bombing/

With hope that better tracking will lead to better outcomes, @maxmmarin.bsky.social, @aubreywhelan.bsky.social and I wrote about drug-related amputations in Philly. www.inquirer.com/health/a/tra...

Pennsylvania lost $264M in projects during Congress' latest budget battle, from new fire stations to SEPTA station upgrades. Julia Terruso and @joeyerardi.bsky.social dig into what was cut. Readers can also look through a full list of every project that lost funding.

"In one case in Pennsylvania, DOGE appeared to take credit for cancelling a $34 million contract that was nullified by the Biden administration in November — adding to a pattern of errors that appear to have inflated the department’s success." www.inquirer.com/politics/pen...

New deep dive into the DOGE federal contract cuts in Pennsylvania: - HUD and CFPB contracts were hit hardest - Over half of the cuts hit minority & women-owned biz - DOGE took credit for axing a $34 million USAID contract that the Biden admin ended last year www.inquirer.com/politics/pen...

The Inquirer is doing its part to shed light on DOGE. Latest from @maxmmarin.bsky.social and Julia Terruso. Have any tips, let them know. www.inquirer.com/politics/pen...

I spent yesterday afternoon trying to figure out why the Trump administration wants to sell off a bunch of federal buildings in Philly--and then they took the whole list down today without warning. www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...

Philly is widely known for its outdoor art, but the 1000-piece collection is a mystery to the city itself. Records show officials have not inventoried the collection in decades. 80+ pieces are flagged missing. We found others that have moved or vanished. www.inquirer.com/news/public-...

Jalen Hurts was among nine Eagles who suffered concussions during the 2024 season. But the overall number of player concussions in the NFL fell 17% during the season — the lowest figure during the last decade of record keeping. www.inquirer.com/eagles/nfl-c...

it's a big news day so ICYMI: The union representing Philly police officers is quietly seeking to block public from knowing how PPD operates. Info currently available would become confidential latest in @inquirer.com w @maxmmarin.bsky.social and Rodrigo Torrejón www.inquirer.com/news/philade...

“This gives us a conservative total of $469,095 of taxpayer money spent on a Center City arena that won’t happen.” From @maxmmarin.bsky.social @ryanbriggs.bsky.social @jasen.bsky.social & Charmaine Runes: www.inquirer.com/news/philade...

Another shakeup at the Montgomery County SPCA in the wake of our @inquirer.com investigation: The board president has resigned amid ongoing leadership overhaul at the $67 million animal shelter. www.inquirer.com/news/montco-...

Gonna start posting into the bluesky ether. For my new followers, I'm a reporter with the Philadelphia Inquirer investigations team. Interests include government accountability, nonprofits, criminal justice, drug policy, and quality-of-life issues. Send tips!