"Our goal was simply to reach our parents,” Lizeth said. “When we were hungry, when we were wading through the rivers, when we were most struggling, reaching our parents was the only thing on our minds."

NEW: New York’s most powerful prison and jail oversight agency has hit a roadblock as it waits for Governor Kathy Hochul to comply with a new law. The governor has yet to nominate heads of the agency, which now lacks a quorum. nysfocus.com/2026/05/18/n...

James Skoufis is full of contradictions: a Democrat in a red county, scornful of both “activists” and the moderate governor, who fought eviction protections but supports taxing the rich. Does he have a vision for bringing populist politics to Albany? nysfocus.com/2026/05/04/j...

You might be impacted by expanded SNAP work requirements. See if you meet the criteria: nysfocus.com/2026/04/27/s...

You might be impacted by expanded SNAP work requirements. See if you meet the criteria: nysfocus.com/2026/04/27/s...

James Skoufis is full of contradictions: a Democrat in a red county, scornful of both “activists” and the moderate governor, who fought eviction protections but supports taxing the rich. Does he have a vision for bringing populist politics to Albany? nysfocus.com/2026/05/04/j...

James Skoufis grew up in public housing in Queens — but don’t call him a “city Democrat.” Read our full profile of the young populist trying to redefine the New York Democratic Party: nysfocus.com/2026/05/04/j...

NEW: Nearly $400,000 in relief funds that a Bronx nonprofit raised after a catastrophic fire in 2022 have finally been distributed to the affected families, more than four years after the tragedy. nysfocus.com/2026/05/15/b...

NEW: Months after the food delivery platform DoorDash’s big foray into New York City elections last year, the company is taking the fight to Albany. DoorDash registered a new super pac with the state Board of Elections. nysfocus.com/2026/05/14/n...

You might be impacted by expanded SNAP work requirements. See if you meet the criteria: nysfocus.com/2026/04/27/s...

“There’s a child care crisis in New York. If we can’t use our full supply of seats, then that crisis is just going to continue.” —Peggy Fuentes, Middletown day care owner nysfocus.com/2026/05/12/n...

James Skoufis is full of contradictions: a Democrat in a red county, scornful of both “activists” and the moderate governor, who fought eviction protections but supports taxing the rich. Does he have a vision for bringing populist politics to Albany? nysfocus.com/2026/05/04/j...

NEW: The prison system often postpones or rejects incarcerated people’s requests to be closer to their children, jeopardizing family ties. nysfocus.com/2026/05/14/n...

James Skoufis grew up in public housing in Queens — but don’t call him a “city Democrat.” Read our full profile of the young populist trying to redefine the New York Democratic Party: nysfocus.com/2026/05/04/j...

You might be impacted by expanded SNAP work requirements. See if you meet the criteria: nysfocus.com/2026/04/27/s...

NEW: Trump administration rules are keeping immigrant kids detained, even when their parents are available to care for them. Families are using a new legal tool to free them. nysfocus.com/2026/05/13/u...

New York City’s $125 billion executive budget hinges on taxes and cuts whose details are still being worked out in Albany. nysfocus.com/2026/05/12/m...

NEW: A final cash infusion from Albany will help New York City close its multibillion-dollar budget gap — allowing Mayor Zohran Mamdani to declare victory on Tuesday, though he didn’t get anything close to the full tax-the-rich agenda he campaigned on. nysfocus.com/2026/05/12/m...

Did you see us at the Amtrak station in Albany? Focus yellow is hard to miss :D Send us your tips securely at: 929-430-7434 or [email protected].

Child care advocates who oppose the change are concerned having the same number of staff supervising more children would increase the risk of accidents and injuries and fail to address a root cause of the state’s child care crisis: low wages for workers.

NEW: The Hochul administration now has a chance to relax New York’s child care staffing ratios — among the country’s strictest — after 26 years. But will it? nysfocus.com/2026/05/12/n...

James Skoufis is full of contradictions: a Democrat in a red county, scornful of both “activists” and the moderate governor, who fought eviction protections but supports taxing the rich. Does he have a vision for bringing populist politics to Albany? nysfocus.com/2026/05/04/j...

You might be impacted by expanded SNAP work requirements. See if you meet the criteria: nysfocus.com/2026/04/27/s...

As New York’s comptroller, Tom DiNapoli has filed lawsuits against corporations he’s accused of defrauding the state pension fund. New York Focus found a number of firms DiNapoli’s office chose to litigate those cases have given $600K to his campaigns ⬇️ nysfocus.com/2026/05/08/c...

New York Focus investigates the politicians, lobbyists, and monied interests that drive state policy. But we can’t do it alone. Our reporting relies on sources who are willing to share their insight and knowledge with us.

After months of organizing by advocates and incarcerated people, a high-level security staffer at NY’s maximum security women’s prison has been transferred to Sing Sing. I looked into it for @nysfocus.com

You might be impacted by expanded SNAP work requirements. See if you meet the criteria: nysfocus.com/2026/04/27/s...

James Skoufis grew up in public housing in Queens — but don’t call him a “city Democrat.” Read our full profile of the young populist trying to redefine the New York Democratic Party: nysfocus.com/2026/05/04/j...

In 2023, New York City signed a $30 million contract with the “disaster response” company Garner Environmental Services as part of its effort to house thousands of asylum seekers. Three years later, the city has overspent that deal 25 times over. nysfocus.com/2026/05/06/n...

You might be impacted by expanded SNAP work requirements. See if you meet the criteria: nysfocus.com/2026/04/27/s...

James Skoufis grew up in public housing in Queens — but don’t call him a “city Democrat.” Read our full profile of the young populist trying to redefine the New York Democratic Party: nysfocus.com/2026/05/04/j...

In 2023, New York City signed a $30 million contract with the “disaster response” company Garner Environmental Services as part of its effort to house thousands of asylum seekers. Three years later, the city has overspent that deal 25 times over.

As New York’s comptroller, Tom DiNapoli has filed lawsuits against corporations he’s accused of defrauding the state pension fund. New York Focus found a number of firms DiNapoli’s office chose to litigate those cases have given $600K to his campaigns ⬇️ nysfocus.com/2026/05/08/c...

You might be impacted by expanded SNAP work requirements. See if you meet the criteria: nysfocus.com/2026/04/27/s...

James Skoufis grew up in public housing in Queens — but don’t call him a “city Democrat.” Read our full profile of the young populist trying to redefine the New York Democratic Party: nysfocus.com/2026/05/04/j...

As New York’s comptroller, Tom DiNapoli has filed lawsuits against corporations he’s accused of defrauding the state pension fund. A New York Focus analysis found a number of firms DiNapoli’s office chose to litigate those cases have given $600K to his campaigns ⬇️ nysfocus.com/2026/05/08/c...

In 2023, New York City signed a $30 million contract with the “disaster response” company Garner Environmental Services as part of its effort to house thousands of asylum seekers. Three years later, the city has overspent that deal 25 times over. nysfocus.com/2026/05/06/n...

A Rockland County school district that has been at the center of numerous scandals — including lawsuits, state investigations, and federal probes — is suing the state for rejecting its unanimous choice for superintendent. nysfocus.com/2026/04/30/e...

NEW: Are New York’s legislators making the sausage the wrong way? Governor Kathy Hochul’s announcement that a deal had been reached led to a flurry of recriminations from lawmakers. nysfocus.com/2026/05/07/a...

NEW: Are New York’s legislators making the sausage the wrong way? Governor Kathy Hochul’s announcement that a deal had been reached led to a flurry of recriminations from lawmakers. nysfocus.com/2026/05/07/a...

Hochul has offered a new immigration compromise that would bar cops from sharing information with ICE in civil cases, but still give them broad discretion to coordinate in criminal cases, New York Focus has learned. Lawmakers are balking. nysfocus.com/2026/04/29/h...

A Rockland County school district that has been at the center of numerous scandals — including lawsuits, state investigations, and federal probes — is suing the state for rejecting its unanimous choice for superintendent. nysfocus.com/2026/04/30/e...

James Skoufis grew up in public housing in Queens — but don’t call him a “city Democrat.” Read our full profile of the young populist trying to redefine the New York Democratic Party: nysfocus.com/2026/05/04/j...

. @nysfocus.com's last 6 articles are great investigative reporting: important stuff they found out themselves, written clearly with all the details but not endless. If you're a New York State news addict, you really should get their newsletter nysfocus.com/newsletter

NEW: Two years after Gov. Hochul unveiled her signature literacy policy, advocates say the findings underscore an urgent need for sweeping literacy reform. nysfocus.com/2026/05/07/s...

NEW: Oswego County sheriff’s deputies held drivers for up to 45 minutes as they waited for immigration agents, potentially breaking the law. nysfocus.com/2026/05/07/o...

NEW, for @nysfocus.com: Last month, we obtained hours of body-cam from Oswego County. It showed sheriff's deputies pulling over drivers — and if the drivers didn't speak English, the deputies called Border Patrol. Some drivers were held for 30+ min while BP responded. nysfocus.com/2026/05/07/o...

NEW: Gov. Hochul unveiled her signature literacy plan two years ago. But more than 130 school districts are still using reading curricula that has been discredited, a New York Focus analysis has found. nysfocus.com/2026/05/07/s...

James Skoufis is full of contradictions: a Democrat in a red county, scornful of both “activists” and the moderate governor, who fought eviction protections but supports taxing the rich. Does he have a vision for bringing populist politics to Albany? nysfocus.com/2026/05/04/j...

NEW: A sheriff’s deputy in Oswego County pulled over a driver one afternoon in January 2025. The driver only spoke Spanish, so the deputy took the driver’s phone, and called up an acquaintance. That acquaintance: a United States Border Patrol agent. nysfocus.com/2026/05/07/o...