Barbara Rodriguez

Idaho considers an 'apocalyptic' choice for disabled people and families Difficult budget decisions in a number of states are threatening vital programs for disabled people at home and caregivers in the workforce.

“I’d probably have to quit my job. I need to make sure she can spend time with friends and her boyfriend, but she would still be more socially isolated,” Walters said.

@slooterman.bsky.social reports for @19thnews.org.

The people standing between students and ICE? Teachers. With immigration enforcement keeping kids from class, educators are going beyond the curriculum — driving students to school, delivering groceries and even paying rent to support vulnerable families.

With immigration enforcement keeping kids from class, educators are going beyond the curriculum — driving students to school, delivering groceries and even paying rent to support vulnerable families. https://bit.ly/4aRukq9

Federal agents keep deploying tear gas near kids. We have no idea what it does to their health. Exposure to chemical irritants can cause chest tightness, coughing and shortness of breath. For kids, there’s more potential for serious side effects.

As the Trump administration expands militarized immigration operations around the country, federal agents keep using tear gas near children. It’s worrying health experts. "Assume that children should have zero exposure to these chemicals.” My latest for @19thnews.org: 19thnews.org/2026/02/ice-...

Measles is spreading in South Carolina. Could it make people vote for a pediatrician? Dr. Annie Andrews is running for Lindsey Graham's Senate seat. She's one of several doctors seeking office during an election midterm year where health care issues are front and center.

What happens when a measles outbreak hits your state? For @drannieandrews.com, a pediatrician running for the U.S. Senate, it becomes a key issue on the campaign trail. My latest looks at a doctor who’s highlighting health care issues ahead of the midterms. 19thnews.org/2026/02/anni...

Without school vaccine mandates, many kids may never see a doctor As a growing number of states weaken childhood immunization requirements, physicians fear many families will miss critical wellness checks.

As a growing number of states weaken childhood immunization requirements, physicians fear many families will miss critical wellness checks. This great informative piece from @sarahelizcarr.bsky.social was originally published by @hechingerreport.org: 19thnews.org/2026/02/scho...

After years of waiting, she wanted to start gender-affirming care. Politics interfered. Medicaid patients can’t use their insurance at Planned Parenthood, unless their state covers it. This is a major setback for trans health care.

At 36, Star just took her first step toward gender-affirming care. She looked for Planned Parenthood clinics near her Ohio town.

But when she looked online, her heart sank. Medicaid patients like her can’t use their insurance at Planned Parenthood anymore, unless their state covers it.

‘We have to keep showing up for each other’: In Minnesota, caregiving is a form of resistance School pickups, diaper runs and mutual aid funds are central to how many Minnesotans are challenging the militarization of their state.

In Minnesota, protest has taken many shapes. And caregiving — from offering mutual aid for rent and groceries to getting neighbors first aid supplies and prenatal vitamins — is a central form of resistance here. It has lessons for the rest of the country. My latest: 19thnews.org/2026/02/minn...

When one mother was taken by ICE, another stepped in to donate breastmilk Moms in Minneapolis are donating diapers, food and time to help families who have been ripped apart by ICE.

In Minneapolis, for every story detailing the fallout of the federal crackdown, there are as many stories of people like Bri, a mom donating breastmilk for babies whose mothers are detained by ICE.

Bri's story:
19thnews.org/2026/02/minn...

Nurses saw themselves in Alex Pretti's death. Now they’re demanding justice. Nurses have advocated for better working conditions for years. Pretti’s death elevated the ongoing challenges for a profession that is increasingly in the crosshairs of immigration enforcement.

The impact of Alex Pretti’s death has reverberated across America, but perhaps more deeply among the nation’s nurses and health care professionals — who see themselves reflected in the actions he took before his death. My colleague @chabeli.bsky.social and I explore: 19thnews.org/2026/01/nurs...

Fear, faith and preparation as ICE closes in on an Ohio community In Springfield, faith-based coalitions are creating emergency hubs to care for children — and churches are preparing for their sanctuaries to be breached.

"Late last week, word came from GOP Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine that it was time to “activate the churches,” as one leader put it — in other words, to prepare to provide emergency care and short-term housing to children separated from their parents." 19thnews.org/2026/01/ice-...

At day cares in Minnesota, strangers are showing up at their doors as parents scramble to protect staff Parents are stepping in to be volunteer teachers or shuttle providers to work to protect an immigrant workforce.

“I really love America more than I love anywhere in the world, and now I am feeling scared and sad and humiliated,” said Fay, a day care owner in Minnesota who has been in the country for more than 20 years and is an American citizen. @chabeli.bsky.social reports: 19thnews.org/2026/01/minn...

Health insurance costs are up. Women and LGBTQ+ people are paying the price. After the expiration of ACA subsidies, soaring health care costs have forced some to dip into savings, take on second jobs or go without coverage.

Health insurance costs are up. Women and LGBTQ+ people are paying the price —  as some dip into savings, take on second jobs or go without coverage at all.

written with my colleagues @shefali.bsky.social @bcrodriguez.bsky.social

I grew up with Alex Pretti The kind-hearted ICU nurse shot by federal agents was my childhood best friend.

"There is something destabilizing about having known someone only as a child and then hearing they were gunned down in the street. The person you see in your mind lying in that street is still a child.” www.theverge.com/policy/86856...

An announcement amid all the news: I'm now covering all things health at @19thnews.org as the newsroom’s health reporter. This is an extension of reporting from last year, and I’ll be working with several colleagues. If access to care is changing for you, please reach out: bcrodriguez.55 on Signal.

What women business owners are poised to lose with health insurance cuts The Affordable Care Act offered a practical pathway for more women to become self-employed. As a critical enrollment deadline expires with no subsidies, that could collapse.

Many states have a key deadline today for people to enroll in an ACA plan. But Congress let expire the enhanced subsidies that helped make some of those plans more affordable. For small business owners and self-employed people, it’s created chaos: 19thnews.org/2026/01/affo...

ICE violence against women is increasingly visible — and largely untracked The killing of Renee Nicole Good — and the viral video that followed — underscores the forceful tactics long used against marginalized women.

Gender-based violence researchers told @19thnews.org that the widespread visibility of physical violence against women in public spaces does not happen in a vacuum and goes hand-in-hand with the policies and messaging coming from the administration. 19thnews.org/2026/01/ice-...

What does the new childhood vaccine schedule actually mean for your family? Officials say not much will change. Experts aren't so sure.

If you’re still processing the news about a new childhood vaccine schedule and what it might mean for you and your family — like whether you can still access vaccines that aren’t broadly recommended anymore by the federal government — here’s what we know: 19thnews.org/2026/01/cdc-...

Some countries recommend fewer childhood vaccines. That plan is riskier in America. Comparing the United States’ childhood vaccine schedule to other countries doesn't consider the lack of universal health care, vaccine experts say.

Earlier this month I wrote about why doctors say you can’t compare the United States’ vaccine recommendations to other countries. Evergreen topic amid a lot of emerging headlines. 19thnews.org/2025/12/trum...

Come join us in 2026!

When measles hits day cares, there are more than just health concerns Children’s health is the most immediate challenge amid an exposure, but parents are grappling with tough choices and quarantines.

Every time you see reports of children being quarantined because of exposure or infection to measles, the ripple effect is not just on health but the economy: Kids have to stay away from the child care centers and schools that help ensure families can work and pay bills: 19thnews.org/2025/07/meas...

ICE arrests are forcing American moms to leave their jobs A new analysis shows that increased immigration enforcement is reducing labor in the child care workforce. The ripple effect is impacting mothers with young children.

The impact of ICE arrests is extending into America's child care system: It's reducing the number of immigrant child care workers available — and prompting U.S. mothers with young children to leave their jobs as they scramble for stable care. 19thnews.org/2025/12/ice-...

I just wrote about this. If RFK Jr. and the federal government want to encourage more breastfeeding, experts say paid parental leave would help. 19thnews.org/2025/09/gove...

The childhood vaccine schedule: What is it and why do we need one? A series of recommended shots that health providers administer to children as they age has been a recent target of President Donald Trump and his administration.

There’s more attention today on the childhood vaccine schedule. Here’s what you need to know: 19thnews.org/2025/10/chil...

Vaccine advisory panel votes to end universal newborn hep B shot recommendation Parents appear to be able to continue to get the hep B vaccine for their kids, but this major shakeup could cause confusion among families and logistical barriers for health providers.

Medical experts worry today’s vote that ended recommending the newborn hep B vaccine shot for all babies will increase hesitancy among parents about childhood vaccines amid misinformation messaging from the federal government. 19thnews.org/2025/12/vacc...

Vaccine advisory panel votes to end universal newborn hep B shot in major shakeup Parents appear to be able to continue to get the hep B vaccine for their kids, but the move could cause confusion among families and logistical barriers for health providers.

A federal advisory panel with power over vaccine policy has voted to stop recommending a universal newborn shot to prevent the hepatitis B virus, which causes liver disease — a major shakeup to the childhood vaccine schedule under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 19thnews.org/2025/12/vacc...

How the newborn hepatitis B vaccine landed in MAHA’s crosshairs A panel handpicked by RFK Jr. just tabled a vote to delay use of the hep B vaccine at birth. The debate shows how these early decisions on behalf of a newborn can be used as a litmus test of fitness f...

And if you’ve been wondering what a newborn vaccine shot has to do with MAHA, here’s some context: 19thnews.org/2025/09/hepa...

The childhood vaccine schedule: What is it and why do we need one? A series of recommended shots that health providers administer to children as they age has been a recent target of President Donald Trump and his administration.

There will also a lot of attention on the childhood vaccine schedule. Here’s what you need to know: 19thnews.org/2025/10/chil...

What you should know about the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns The first shot in the multi-dose vaccine has been recommended at birth for decades, but that could soon change.

We’re all going to hear a lot about the newborn hepatitis B vaccine shot this week. Here’s some facts about the vaccine, which is safe and effective at preventing liver disease. 19thnews.org/2025/12/hepa...

You’re the best, Andrew. What a lucky newsroom. Congratulations!

@19thnews.org is here to help our readers navigate complex times with clarity and context. As our newsroom makes plans for 2026, tell us what information you need most.
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