NEW: DHS left embedded comments in a PDF outlining its plans to warehouse immigrants, identifying the architects and laying bare the gross extent of its regulatory capture. Great scoop by @regret.bsky.social: www.wired.com/story/metada...

On paper, North Carolina Republicans are one seat short of a supermajority in the state House, but a small group of Democrats have helped them override the governor’s vetoes on several bills. They now face challengers in next month’s primaries.

"Disability Rights identified five centers that use solitary confinement: Cabarrus, Cumberland and Dillon, which are state-operated; and Durham County Youth Home and the Guilford Juvenile Detention Center, which are operated by those counties according to state rules" ncnewsline.com/briefs/an-nc...

A 9-year old girl traveled to Florida for a vacation at Disney. Then, she spent four months imprisoned in Texas. Gutting story: www.propublica.org/article/ice-...

We watched more than 50 hours of dashcam and bodycam footage taken from the first night of the ICE sweeps in Nashville in May. During one arrest, an agent finds an immigrant's ID and notes he's a manager at a Mexican restaurant. “The guacamole is never going to taste the same,” the agent laughs.

A majority of the 16 U.S. states under total Democratic control now ban 287(g) partnerships with ICE. Maryland and New Mexico just joined that list, following Maine in January. I wrote about this landscape and these new reforms in @boltsmag.org: boltsmag.org/maryland-new...

asheville loses out on a Costco but gains a g20 meeting

oh wow

looks like ice is looking at a warehouse in concord, north carolina to house up to 1,500 detainees www.nytimes.com/2026/02/18/u...

“For a president who ran for office promising to keep the United States out of wars, Mr. Trump is now considering what would be at least the seventh American military attack in another country in the past year, and his second on Iran.” www.nytimes.com/2026/02/18/u...

The final provision tucked into a 131-page disaster relief bill has North Carolina local governments feeling stuck on how to zone their communities. Get to know down-zoning and why it matters to statewide data center debates: amp-newsobserver-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.news...

We call this "Pulling a Tim Moore" www.nytimes.com/2026/02/18/u... #ncpol

Los federales apuntaron a Charlotte. Ahora una demócrata local que ayudó a ICE enfrenta a los votantes

For @boltsmag.org, I wrote about the race to unseat Rep. Carla Cunningham in NC. After casting critical votes forcing cooperation with ICE, and backing other Republican legislation, the longtime Democratic lawmaker is facing a strong challenge in next month’s primary. boltsmag.org/north-caroli...

ICE protesters turn their attention to private prison company in North Carolina (Gift link) www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politic...

Carla Cunningham, the Dem lawmaker who has given the NC GOP critical votes on bills to force compliance with ICE and break environmental rules, faces a huge primary challenge. We reached her asking for an interview, & when she declined we asked her campaign specific questions. All we got:

The North Carolina newsroom Enlace Latino NC has republished our article above in a Spanish translation just now, bringing it to a wider audience. enlacelatinonc.org/los-federale...

NEW: When North Carolina's GOP wanted to pass a bill last year to require that local governments comply with ICE, they were one vote down. A Democratic lawmaker gave that decisive vote—as she has on other GOP bills. Now, she faces a primary challenge from a progressive activist... in 14 days.

THREAD 🧵: Remember Michele Morrow? She ran for NC superintendent of public instruction in 2024. The normally sleepy race made national headlines, largely due to Morrow's past social media posts, which featured hashtags like #DeathtoTraitors. Now, Morrow is running for U.S. Senate. #ncsen 1/9

The co-founder of The Orchard at Altapass, Bill Carson, has died. He and his sister bought the orchard off of the Blue Ridge Parkway in 1995 to keep it from being developed. We went last summer and picked tons of apples. Just a stunningly beautiful place. www.facebook.com/TheOrchardat...

looks like North Carolina prison system created a "detainer release officer" position to be "a vital liaison between field staff and immigration authorities." files.nc.gov/dac/document...

favorite campaign ad so far. has some really nice late-90s retailer "stamping out the competition" vibes

In 2024, Republican Michelle Morrow garnered 49% in the race for North Carolina's schools chief—despite her calls for the execution of Hillary Clinton, Roy Cooper, and Anthony Fauci. Now running for US Senate, she's barely polling at all. @carlibrosseau.bsky.social @theassemblync.bsky.social #ncpol

Just a stunning, horrifying piece of reporting and writing by Rachel Aviv. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

New story up on the Homeland Security Department’s new tactic: flood social media companies with subpoenas to unmask anonymous accounts that criticize ICE or monitor the movements of ICE agents. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/t...

On Thanksgiving, the immigrant children held at the Dilley detention center gathered in the gym for what they thought was a holiday feast. The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me. But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.

NEW: In Iowa, when someone's charges are *dismissed,* they still had to pay court fees. So prosecutors pressured ppl into pleading guilty: 'plead guilty, you'll have no fees. (If you win, you'll owe $$.)' Iowa's Supreme Court struck that down in January... but prosecutors want to bring it all back:

didn’t know “winter capital of the south” was a thing

“Compliance with regulations and a desire to maintain or improve public health cannot be said to be a bad faith decision." Wake judge rules vs Asheboro, says NCDEQ can limit amount of 1,4-dioxane-a likely carcinogen-- city discharges into drinking water supply. insideclimatenews.org/news/1102202...

Big news tonight: Federal judge Tim Kelly has BLOCKED Bondi & Trump's attempt to transfer 20 men to an infamous super-max prison. Biden granted these men clemency, and Trump has been trying to retaliate by plunging them in a place that people describe as a "living hell," as Bolts reported here:

“There’s a lot of beauty in our brokenness. There is a lot of celebration in overcoming adversity. There is a lot of joy in community and comradery amongst our friends on the street.” www.citizen-times.com/story/news/l...

“he had been watching a comedy channel on TV when Mr. Trump called to tell him that he wanted to endorse Mr. Berger but that ‘I want to endorse you, too.’” www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/u...

Habeas petitions have skyrocketed in the past few months as more people are in detention than ever and detainees arent being given bond hearings. At the MN-USAO, it’s made caseloads explode: www.wired.com/story/ice-cr...

"As they followed him, agents planned to 'smash' into Martinez as he drove away from them, an officer’s cellphone video shows." www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/c...

the Helene stories are becoming fewer and farther between but this is a good one, and a gentle reminder of all that was lost www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/m...

Gregory Bovino says he was drawn to Border Patrol work because of the 1982 Jack Nicholson film “The Border.” “It’s a little like entering the hospitality industry after watching ‘The Shining,’ ” Alexander Nazaryan writes. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/NNl91b

nuts www.politico.com/news/2026/02...

this appears to be the Cary location

Gen X man on Hinge spiraling after one message exchange

Habeas cases filed by immigrants claiming their detention is illegal have taken off to levels we have never seen before. Just look at that chart. www.propublica.org/article/habe...

NEW: Last week, Speaker Johnson outlined his theological defense of Trump's immigration policies, saying he was "happy to have this lengthy debate with anybody any time they want to.” Speaking an @rns.org podcast, Rev. William Barber offered to take him up on that. religionnews.com/2026/02/09/t...

what's going on here

There were so many brilliant stories I read from local publications, or those focused on a specific place, I asked if we could add a section to feature even more, including stories from @thebarbedwire.com, @theassemblync.bsky.social, @lpm.org, @wbez.org, @lataco.bsky.social, @startribune.com. Link:

is this a mcclatchy-wide thing or just Charlotte Observer?

I got more details about the wildest North Carolina story of the week. www.ncrabbithole.com/p/untold-sto...