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fola

@folaak

journalist at citylab. opinions mine. send me things at fakinnibi1@bloomberg.net or signal: fola.74 https://www.bloomberg.com/authors/AUVJBBuMflw/fola-akinnibi

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20.07.2023
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Latest posts by fola @folaak

For context, thereโ€™s a record 73,000 people in immigration detention right now. The plan would see the Trump administration add more than 75,000 NEW beds

29.01.2026 21:03 ๐Ÿ‘ 60 ๐Ÿ” 20 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

The new sites are part of a plan to convert up to 23 of these buildings into massive detention centers. If executed, it would be the largest expansion of immigration detention in history

29.01.2026 21:03 ๐Ÿ‘ 54 ๐Ÿ” 20 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
US Spends Millions on Warehouses in Historic Expansion of ICE Detention Plans for โ€˜mega centersโ€™ and jails in nearly two dozen communities have sparked protests over suitability, proximity to homes and schools.

NEW: ICE has spent at least $172 million this month on warehouses that it plans to convert into immigration jails

www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

W/ @sooophie.bsky.social

29.01.2026 21:03 ๐Ÿ‘ 417 ๐Ÿ” 251 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 43 ๐Ÿ“Œ 135
Preview
ICE Plans Detention Expansion With Deal to Design 'Mega Centers' Agency envisions up to two dozen warehouses, some of which could hold 5,000 people or more.

NEW: The Trump admin is eyeing a massive expansion of its immigration detention capacity. Itโ€™s looking to convert up to two dozen warehouses into massive detention facilities, some of which could hold more than 5,000 people.

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

18.12.2025 23:05 ๐Ÿ‘ 6 ๐Ÿ” 4 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

In response to our reporting WH Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the story is โ€œbased on a single piece of paper produced by random people within the military,โ€ adding that the plan has not been โ€œconsidered or approvedโ€ by the highest levels of the US govโ€™t

11.11.2025 19:04 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
US Military Explores Building Base for 10,000 People โ€˜Near Gazaโ€™ The US military is exploring whether to build a temporary base capable of housing 10,000 people near Gaza, according to an internal contracting document, as the US pushes for a stabilization force to ...

NEW: The US Military is laying the groundwork for a 10,000 person temporary base โ€œnear Gaza,โ€ according to an internal contracting document obtained by @bloomberg.com

From @sooophie.bsky.social and team: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

11.11.2025 19:04 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 7 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Allow Zohran Mamdani to Reintroduce Himself New York Cityโ€™s mayoral frontrunner has been working to build a governing coalition by meeting with all comers, including the business community thatโ€™s been bashing his plans.

Paradoxically, Zohran Mamdani's first order of business as mayor involves shoring up his relationship with New York's business community. That work's already happening. Read @folaak.bsky.social and @lauranahmias.bsky.social on how Zohran can win over the 1%: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

05.11.2025 22:29 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

He, like many who call the city home, has a thick skin. โ€œNew Yorkers deserve to have a mayor they can see, they can talk to, they can yell at.โ€

For @bloomberg.com with @lauranahmias.bsky.social

27.10.2025 14:28 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Allow Zohran Mamdani to Reintroduce Himself New York Cityโ€™s mayoral frontrunner has been working to build a governing coalition by meeting with all comers, including the business community thatโ€™s been bashing his plans.

Caught up with Zohran Mamdani during the final stages of the NYC mayorโ€™s race.

I saw him get heckled, talked to him about coalition building and got a sense of how heโ€™s preparing for the general election and whatโ€™s beyond.

www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

27.10.2025 14:24 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Americaโ€™s Tech Right Is Obsessed With Building Giant Statues With proposals for a 450-foot statue of Prometheus on Alcatraz and a 650-foot George Washington, MAGA adherents are racing to build Americaโ€™s largest statue.

Conservative-leaning tech investors are racing to build a new American colossus, and they want something much, much bigger than the Statue of Liberty. Meet the new monuments men of the tech right and their plans for statue-maxing:

www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

17.10.2025 13:14 ๐Ÿ‘ 383 ๐Ÿ” 107 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 181 ๐Ÿ“Œ 520

The move to the Defense Department contracting process could be lucrative for the border czar's former clients.

In response, the White House said Homan has not crossed any ethical lines.

24.09.2025 22:10 ๐Ÿ‘ 10 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Trumpโ€™s Border Czar Involved in Detention Contract Talks Despite Recusal Ethics experts say Tom Homanโ€™s participation could violate rules meant to ensure impartiality. The White House says he has not crossed that line.

Tom Homan said he was recused from anything to do with government contracts.

Turns out he wasn't. He played a role in the process to move immigration detention contracts through the Defense Department

www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

With @racheladhe.bsky.social and @sooophie.bsky.social

24.09.2025 22:10 ๐Ÿ‘ 782 ๐Ÿ” 305 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 34 ๐Ÿ“Œ 16
Preview
Companies With No Detention Experience Want to Run Trumpโ€™s ICE Camps Obscure disaster-response firms have been angling to profit from the presidentโ€™s mass deportation plans since before his reelection.

With $45 billion on the table, a bunch of disaster relief companies youโ€™ve never heard of are plotting a pivot to ICE detention

Theyโ€™re hoping to be the ones building the Trump administrationโ€™s tent camps. W/ @racheladhe.bsky.social and @sooophie.bsky.social

๐ŸŽ: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

15.08.2025 16:59 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Advocates Fear US Agents Are Using โ€˜Wellness Checksโ€™ on Children as a Prelude to Arrests The Trump administrationโ€™s $45 billion for detention is raising fresh concerns over law enforcement visits to families.

The Trump admin is sending ICE, FBI, DEA and other armed agents to do โ€œwellness checksโ€ at the homes of immigrant children.

A lawyer for one of the kids told me that her client was โ€œterrifiedโ€ by the experience

www.bloomberg.com/news/article... w/ @racheladhe.bsky.social

14.07.2025 14:50 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
As Part of a $45 Billion Push, ICE Prepares for a Vast Expansion of Detention Space The Trump administration has tapped 41 vendors to compete for lucrative federal contracts.

ICE has tapped 41 companies to compete for some of the $45 billion earmarked for a massive expansion of immigration detention space, including at least 9 that offer tent facilities w/ @sooophie.bsky.social and @folaak.bsky.social

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

13.06.2025 13:46 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 3 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Trumpโ€™s Immigration Crackdown Hinges on Small Towns Hooked on Private Prisons Like a growing number of US communities, Torrance County, New Mexico, is convinced its financial survival depends on locking people up.

Essential reporting by @folaak.bsky.social, @pollymosendz.bsky.social and Rachel Adams-Heard on ICE townsย โ€” small communities whose economic survival depends on hosting federal detention facilities, whatever the cost www.bloomberg.com/features/202...

09.06.2025 14:50 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 3 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
ICE Moves to DNA-Test Families Targeted for Deportation with New Contract Advocates worry the tests will pave the way for the Trump administration to separate children from their caregivers.

NEW w/ @folaak.bsky.social: ICE is moving to DNA-test families being targeted for deportation with a new contract worth up to $25 million

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

04.06.2025 13:04 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Trumpโ€™s Immigration Crackdown Hinges on Small Towns Hooked on Private Prisons Like a growing number of US communities, Torrance County, New Mexico, is convinced its financial survival depends on locking people up.

These communities are convinced that their economies depend on ICE could tracks that keep these facilities open โ€” no matter what the conditions are like inside

bloom.bg/4j28jqp

12.05.2025 18:47 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Trumpโ€™s Immigration Crackdown Hinges on Small Towns Hooked on Private Prisons Like a growing number of US communities, Torrance County, New Mexico, is convinced its financial survival depends on locking people up.

NEW: The Trump adminโ€™s mass deportation effort hinges on a growing number of small communities that cut deals with private prison companies

Dove into one town in New Mexico w/ @racheladhe.bsky.social, @pollymosendz.bsky.social and many others for @bloomberg.com

๐ŸŽ link: bloom.bg/4j28jqp

12.05.2025 18:47 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
Preview
Trumpโ€™s Immigration Crackdown Hinges on Small Towns Hooked on Private Prisons Like a growing number of US communities, Torrance County, New Mexico, is convinced its financial survival depends on locking people up.

ADDICTED TO ICE: A growing number of communities are convinced their economies depend on ICE contracts that keep private jails open for immigration detention -- no matter what happens inside

w/ @pollymosendz.bsky.social @folaak.bsky.social @elenamejia.bsky.social & many others

bloom.bg/4j28jqp

12.05.2025 14:01 ๐Ÿ‘ 66 ๐Ÿ” 36 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
Preview
They Built a Secret Apartment in a Mall. Now the Mall Is Dying. In the new documentary โ€œSecret Mall Apartment,โ€ a group of artists recount how they turned a hidden nook in a Providence shopping center into a living space for 4 years.

Read @sarahholder.bsky.social's delightful review of "Secret Mall Apartment," a documentary about a secret mall apartment

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

22.03.2025 22:57 ๐Ÿ‘ 5 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Work for an Immigration-Related Federal Contractor? Share Your Story Bloomberg wants to hear from individuals employed by companies involved in US immigration and deportation.

Weโ€™re taking a look at the money behind the US immigration system. If you work for a company or provider of services in this ecosystem, we want to hear from you.

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

21.03.2025 15:33 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Taken together, the moves are part of a broader shift in how this administration deals with these children, who are often fleeing violence, abuse or economic hardship

21.03.2025 15:33 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

It comes as the administration is considering a roll back of legal assistance offered to those children

21.03.2025 15:33 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Trump Administration Aims to Bring Back Detention Centers for Immigrant Kids The move to use jail-like facilities to hold children comes as the administration also tries to roll back legal services offered to unaccompanied minors.

The Trump administration wants to use jail-like facilities to hold some children who cross the border without their parents

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

21.03.2025 15:33 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Do You Work For an Immigration-Related Federal Contractor? Share Your Story Bloomberg News is reporting on government contractors dealing with immigration and deportation. If you have experience working with one of these companies, we want to hear from you.

First post on BlueSky to share this survey for people who have experience with immigration contractors in the US!

We're talking companies that build tents, operate deportation flights, provide security, etc. We want to hear from you:

bmedia.iad1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

17.03.2025 14:04 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
US Tent Facility is Holding Migrant Families Longer Than Recommended They're being kept far more than 72 hours, despite a plunge in border crossings, according to an immigration advocate and a person familiar with the matter.

Immigrant families are being held at a San Diego tent facility for far longer than federal guidelines recommend w/ @racheladhe.bsky.social

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

28.02.2025 19:11 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
Preview
Trump Child Refugee Agency Shares Data With Immigration Enforcers The move is expected to keep children who cross the US border alone in government custody for longer.

we wrote about a separate effort last week

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

19.02.2025 20:50 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

itโ€™s the latest in a series of changes to how the federal government deals with kids who cross the border without their parents

19.02.2025 20:50 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Child Migrant Watchdog Gutted in DOGE Cuts The move is one of several to shift how the federal government deals with kids who enter the US alone.

the trump admin froze legal services for unaccompanied immigrant kids yesterday

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

19.02.2025 20:50 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0