Feb. 17, 2026Margo Reed / For Spotlight PAShutdown may delay answers about planned ICE facility in Berks Countyby Hanna Holthaus of Spotlight PAU.S. Rep. Dan Meuser and a DHS representative will meet with local officials to answer questions, a county commissioner says.
Feb. 17, 2026Matt Rourke / APTrump administration ordered to restore George Washington slavery exhibit it removed in Philadelphiaby Associated PressThe city of Philadelphia sued in January after the National Park Service removed the explanatory panels from Independence National Historical Park.
Feb. 13, 2026Mark Schiefelbein / APCongressional Republicans hound Trump admin over ICE facilities planned for Pa., other statesby Jackie Llanos of NOTUS and Manuela Silva of NOTUSRepublican U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser said he’s spoken with homeland security officials regularly about local concerns over detention centers planned in PA.
Feb. 13, 2026Margo Reed / For Spotlight PAShapiro admin tells ICE to drop plans for Pa. detention centers, warns facilities may not get permitsby Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PAICE detention centers planned for Berks and Schuylkill Counties would burden residents and possibly violate state legal requirements, officials say.
Feb. 12, 2026Hanna Holthaus of Spotlight PANeighbors of planned ICE detention center in Berks County say opposition crosses political linesby Molly Bilinski for Spotlight PAUpper Bern Township residents say they were blindsided by the $87.4 million purchase and are looking for ways to block ICE’s plan.
Feb. 12, 2026Stephen Caruso / Spotlight PAHow agencies under Gov. Josh Shapiro's control do — and don't — cooperate with ICEby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAWhile there are limits, collaboration still happens through a handful of key avenues, a Spotlight PA review of Shapiro administration policies and statements shows.
Feb. 11, 2026Matt Rourke / APGrand jury declines to indict Dems who urged military members to resist illegal orders in videoby Associated PressLast year, the lawmakers urged U.S. service members to follow established military protocols and reject orders they believe to be unlawful.
Feb. 10, 2026Matt Rourke / APGOP US Rep. Fitzpatrick of Pa. heads into midterms with huge fundraising advantageby Riley Rogerson of NOTUS and Avani Kalra of NOTUSFitzpatrick raised over $860,000 last quarter compared to his leading challenger Bob Harvie’s approximately $370,000, and now has over $7.3 million on hand.
Feb. 9, 2026Alex Brandon / APWhat did Trump mean by ‘nationalize the voting’? No one is sure.by Nathaniel Rakich of VotebeatA federal takeover of elections would be an extraordinary challenge to the power of state and local governments to run their own voting.
Feb. 9, 2026J. Scott Applewhite / APFitzpatrick among Republicans who want nothing to do with conservative efforts to ban same-sex marriageby Oriana González of NOTUSSome conservative advocates want to overturn the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage in 2015.
Feb. 9, 2026J. Scott Applewhite / APFetterman ‘absolutely’ expects a partial federal government shutdown over DHS reformby Amelia Benavides-Colón of NOTUSPartisan disagreements over DHS funding and potential agency reforms come amid the Trump administration’s deportation push.
Feb. 6, 2026J. Scott Applewhite / APThe Trump admin keeps citing unreviewed vaccine trial proposals in its call for ‘better science’by Margaret Manto of NOTUSLeading vaccine researchers say that the proposed vaccine trials could lead to unreliable conclusions on already-approved vaccines.
Feb. 5, 2026Steven Senne / APJohn Fetterman and Dave McCormick discuss their bipartisan US Senate partnershipby Avani Kalra of NOTUSThe Republican and Democrat from a politically important purple state represent one of only three split states by party in the Senate.
Feb. 3, 2026Julia Demaree Nikhinson / APJudge blocks Trump administration from ending protections for Haitiansby Associated PressU.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington granted a request to pause the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians while a lawsuit challenging it proceeds.
Feb. 2, 2026Gabriela Martínez / Spotlight PAICE buys $87M warehouse in Berks County as it plots expansion of immigration detention centers across the U.S.by Amanda Fries and Gabriela Martínez of Spotlight PAThe warehouse, located at 3501 Mountain Road in Upper Bern Township, was sold to the United States government on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security and ICE.
Jan. 30, 2026Gabriela Martínez / Spotlight PABerks’ tight-knit Haitian community braces for end of federal immigration protectionsby Gabriela Martínez of Spotlight PACommunity members say the loss of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian workers is likely to ripple across the local economy, particularly in health care.
Jan. 29, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesJosh Shapiro says he’s preparing for a potential deportation surge in Pennsylvaniaby Helen Huiskes of NOTUSThere’s been no indication that President Donald Trump is looking to target Pennsylvania, but Josh Shapiro says he’s not leaving anything to chance.
Jan. 29, 2026Mariam Zuhaib / APFetterman joins all US Senate Dems to block funding package amid ICE debateby Em Luetkemeyer, Avani Kalra, and Ursula Perano of NOTUSAhead of a government shutdown deadline, Democrats, including John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, and several Republicans, voted 45-55 to block the package.
Jan. 28, 2026Alex Brandon / APOver $1B in disaster recovery funds is being held up by a Kristi Noem policy, including $2.6M for Pa.by Anna Kramer of NOTUS and Torrence Banks of NOTUSNoem’s requirement that she personally approve all Department of Homeland Security-funded projects over $100,000 has created a long queue.
Jan. 26, 2026Adam Gray / APFilming law enforcement is a tool for accountability. It’s also under attack.by Jade Lozada and Emily Kennard of NOTUSThe killing of Alex Pretti showed the dangers of filming law enforcement in America. It also showed how vital it is for accountability.
Jan. 23, 2026Matt Rourke / APPhiladelphia sues Trump admin over removal of slavery exhibit at former George Washington residenceby Associated PressThe exhibit included the names and other biographical details about the nine people enslaved by the Washingtons at the presidential mansion.
Jan. 22, 2026Ted Shaffrey / APUtility and AI interests are spending millions lobbying Congress, Trump to support data center boomby Samuel Larreal, Shifra Dayak, and Jade Lozada of NOTUSLobbying disclosures show tech, utility, and other companies spent big last year to score favorable treatment from federal lawmakers and regulators.
Jan. 16, 2026Alex Brandon / APShapiro backs plan with Trump admin to slow rising electricity prices amid data center surgeby Anna Kramer of NOTUSShapiro traveled to Washington to sign a document with Trump administration officials urging significant changes to the way that the grid is managed for 13 mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states.
Jan. 15, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesDOJ launches probe of Pa.’s Houlahan, other Dems who directed military members to not follow illegal ordersby Amelia Benavides-Colón of NOTUSU.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania and three other Democrats said they were asked to sit for interviews with a U.S. attorney. It is unclear what crime the lawmakers are suspected of violating.
Jan. 14, 2026J. Scott Applewhite / APCongressional Republicans don’t agree on an affordability platform — or on how to pass oneby Jade Lozada and Violet Jira of NOTUSConservative House Republicans unveiled a proposal Tuesday for a second reconciliation package. Some moderate GOP lawmakers pointed to bipartisan bills instead.