Emily Bregel
@emilybregel.bsky.social
Border/immigration reporter
Arizona Daily Star
ebregel@tucson.com
On Signal: emdashbregs.28
Arizona Daily Star
ebregel@tucson.com
On Signal: emdashbregs.28
Pinned
Emily Bregel
@emilybregel.bsky.social
· Nov 12
I'm Emily Bregel, border/immigration reporter for the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson 👋 I welcome tips, story ideas, complaints and/or greetings! Send to ebregel(at)tucson(dot)com
Reposted by Emily Bregel
The cruelty is the point.
The elderly, the sick and inform, the children, the marginalized people who pose no actual threats to society, the women.... They will always get the short, cruelest deal and then be proselytized to that they should do better.
The elderly, the sick and inform, the children, the marginalized people who pose no actual threats to society, the women.... They will always get the short, cruelest deal and then be proselytized to that they should do better.
A 79-year-old Cuban asylum seeker with worsening dementia, who uses a wheelchair, has been detained in Eloy, AZ for nine months, despite her family's pleas to let them care for her. @tucson.com tucson.com/news/local/b...
Grandmother languishes 9 months in detention as ICE holds more elderly people; family says dementia worsens in Arizona facility
Family says 79-year-old detainee Julia Benitez’s dementia has worsened during months in Arizona ICE custody, as advocates warn more elderly immigrants are being held without humanitarian release.
tucson.com
February 16, 2026 at 6:36 PM
The cruelty is the point.
The elderly, the sick and inform, the children, the marginalized people who pose no actual threats to society, the women.... They will always get the short, cruelest deal and then be proselytized to that they should do better.
The elderly, the sick and inform, the children, the marginalized people who pose no actual threats to society, the women.... They will always get the short, cruelest deal and then be proselytized to that they should do better.
Reposted by Emily Bregel
So many ridiculous ironies in this story. A widow of a Cuban dissident, threatened with deportation at the precise time the U.S. is making life in Cuba intolerable with an eye to regime change. Not a flight risk. Textbook case for humanitarian release.
A 79-year-old Cuban asylum seeker with worsening dementia, who uses a wheelchair, has been detained in Eloy, AZ for nine months, despite her family's pleas to let them care for her. @tucson.com tucson.com/news/local/b...
Grandmother languishes 9 months in detention as ICE holds more elderly people; family says dementia worsens in Arizona facility
Family says 79-year-old detainee Julia Benitez’s dementia has worsened during months in Arizona ICE custody, as advocates warn more elderly immigrants are being held without humanitarian release.
tucson.com
February 16, 2026 at 4:21 PM
So many ridiculous ironies in this story. A widow of a Cuban dissident, threatened with deportation at the precise time the U.S. is making life in Cuba intolerable with an eye to regime change. Not a flight risk. Textbook case for humanitarian release.
A 79-year-old Cuban asylum seeker with worsening dementia, who uses a wheelchair, has been detained in Eloy, AZ for nine months, despite her family's pleas to let them care for her. @tucson.com tucson.com/news/local/b...
Grandmother languishes 9 months in detention as ICE holds more elderly people; family says dementia worsens in Arizona facility
Family says 79-year-old detainee Julia Benitez’s dementia has worsened during months in Arizona ICE custody, as advocates warn more elderly immigrants are being held without humanitarian release.
tucson.com
February 15, 2026 at 6:25 PM
A 79-year-old Cuban asylum seeker with worsening dementia, who uses a wheelchair, has been detained in Eloy, AZ for nine months, despite her family's pleas to let them care for her. @tucson.com tucson.com/news/local/b...
Reposted by Emily Bregel
The number of elderly detainees in immigration prisons is booming, colleagues @emilybregel.bsky.social and @emilyhamer.bsky.social reveal. Aw oman from Cuba, detained in Eloy, Arizona, is suffering increasingly severe dementia, and her daughter in Fla. could care for her.
tucson.com/news/local/b...
tucson.com/news/local/b...
Grandmother languishes 9 months in detention as ICE holds more elderly people; family says dementia worsens in Arizona facility
Family says 79-year-old detainee Julia Benitez’s dementia has worsened during months in Arizona ICE custody, as advocates warn more elderly immigrants are being held without humanitarian release.
tucson.com
February 15, 2026 at 4:53 PM
The number of elderly detainees in immigration prisons is booming, colleagues @emilybregel.bsky.social and @emilyhamer.bsky.social reveal. Aw oman from Cuba, detained in Eloy, Arizona, is suffering increasingly severe dementia, and her daughter in Fla. could care for her.
tucson.com/news/local/b...
tucson.com/news/local/b...
Reposted by Emily Bregel
“.. using millions of dollars from the former U.S. foreign aid agency to pay for the security detail of Russell Vought ..”
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/whi...
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/whi...
February 13, 2026 at 12:45 PM
“.. using millions of dollars from the former U.S. foreign aid agency to pay for the security detail of Russell Vought ..”
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/whi...
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/whi...
Reposted by Emily Bregel
In terms of what cures are being lost:
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
February 13, 2026 at 5:44 AM
In terms of what cures are being lost:
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
Reposted by Emily Bregel
Bondi crashes out over Epstein: "The Dow is over 50,000 dollars! I don't know why you're laughing. You're a great stock trader as I hear, Raskin. The Dow is over 50,000 right now. The S&P at almost 7,000, and the Nasdaq smashing records. That's what we should be talking about."
February 11, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Bondi crashes out over Epstein: "The Dow is over 50,000 dollars! I don't know why you're laughing. You're a great stock trader as I hear, Raskin. The Dow is over 50,000 right now. The S&P at almost 7,000, and the Nasdaq smashing records. That's what we should be talking about."
Reposted by Emily Bregel
Gregory Bovino, who was leading Border Patrol at the time, praised the agent who shot citizen and Chicago resident Marimar Martinez five times in an October email newly released by federal prosecutors.
“In light of your excellent service in Chicago, you have much yet left to do!!” trib.al/znOXBBw
“In light of your excellent service in Chicago, you have much yet left to do!!” trib.al/znOXBBw
Border Patrol Chief Praised Agent Who Shot Unarmed Woman Five Times
Greg Bovino privately reached out to congratulate the agent who bragged about shooting Marimar Martinez in Chicago.
trib.al
February 11, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Gregory Bovino, who was leading Border Patrol at the time, praised the agent who shot citizen and Chicago resident Marimar Martinez five times in an October email newly released by federal prosecutors.
“In light of your excellent service in Chicago, you have much yet left to do!!” trib.al/znOXBBw
“In light of your excellent service in Chicago, you have much yet left to do!!” trib.al/znOXBBw
Reposted by Emily Bregel
Rümeysa Öztürk’s case is "arguably the most blatant press freedom violation of this century, and maybe the last century as well," FPF's Seth Stern said.
Read more from @brianstelter.bsky.social: view.newsletters.cnn.com/messages/177...
Read more from @brianstelter.bsky.social: view.newsletters.cnn.com/messages/177...
February 11, 2026 at 5:41 PM
Rümeysa Öztürk’s case is "arguably the most blatant press freedom violation of this century, and maybe the last century as well," FPF's Seth Stern said.
Read more from @brianstelter.bsky.social: view.newsletters.cnn.com/messages/177...
Read more from @brianstelter.bsky.social: view.newsletters.cnn.com/messages/177...
Julia Benitez, a 79-year-old Cuban asylum seeker with dementia, has been held in ICE detention in Arizona for nine months. Advocates say ICE is detaining more elderly/disabled people, as it issues "blanket denials" for release on humanitarian parole. @tucson.com tinyurl.com/4tchby7j
Grandmother languishes 9 months in detention as ICE holds more elderly people
Among detainees at Eloy Detention Center, 79-year-old Julia Benitez is known as "la abuela," the grandmother in Spanish.
tinyurl.com
February 11, 2026 at 5:34 PM
Julia Benitez, a 79-year-old Cuban asylum seeker with dementia, has been held in ICE detention in Arizona for nine months. Advocates say ICE is detaining more elderly/disabled people, as it issues "blanket denials" for release on humanitarian parole. @tucson.com tinyurl.com/4tchby7j
Reposted by Emily Bregel
Like 75% of the US Olympic curlers are from Minnesota. A lot of them curl out of two clubs in Saint Paul, one club is in Frogtown, a neighborhood that has been very heavily targeted by ICE. These curlers are good neighbors.
US Olympic Curling Team member speaks out against ICE:
"I'm proud to represent Team USA. But we'd be remiss if we didn't mention what's going on in Minnesota and what a tough time it's been. What's happening is wrong. There's no shades of gray."
"I'm proud to represent Team USA. But we'd be remiss if we didn't mention what's going on in Minnesota and what a tough time it's been. What's happening is wrong. There's no shades of gray."
February 10, 2026 at 10:03 PM
Like 75% of the US Olympic curlers are from Minnesota. A lot of them curl out of two clubs in Saint Paul, one club is in Frogtown, a neighborhood that has been very heavily targeted by ICE. These curlers are good neighbors.
Reposted by Emily Bregel
ICE has now spent over half a BILLION dollars just on purchasing warehouses around the country to convert into detention camps.
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
ICE to begin detaining immigrants inside Social Circle warehouse in April
Homeland Security plans to build warehouse detention facilities in other cities being met with opposition.
www.ajc.com
February 9, 2026 at 5:56 PM
ICE has now spent over half a BILLION dollars just on purchasing warehouses around the country to convert into detention camps.
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Emily Bregel
Alberto Castañeda Mondragón was hospitalized with eight skull fractures and five life-threatening brain hemorrhages. Officers claimed he ran into a wall, but medical staff doubted that account. n.pr/4bHoZDU
Immigrant whose skull was broken in 8 places during ICE arrest says beating was unprovoked
Alberto Castañeda Mondragón was hospitalized with eight skull fractures and five life-threatening brain hemorrhages. Officers claimed he ran into a wall, but medical staff doubted that account.
n.pr
February 8, 2026 at 1:01 AM
Alberto Castañeda Mondragón was hospitalized with eight skull fractures and five life-threatening brain hemorrhages. Officers claimed he ran into a wall, but medical staff doubted that account. n.pr/4bHoZDU
Reposted by Emily Bregel
Goddam it
NEWS: The cuts were so severe that at least one department head asked to leave The Post rather than be included in the planning.
Peter Finn, The Post's international editor, requested that he be laid off once he learned about the scope of the cuts to his section.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/b...
Peter Finn, The Post's international editor, requested that he be laid off once he learned about the scope of the cuts to his section.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/b...
Washington Post Begins Sweeping Layoffs
www.nytimes.com
February 4, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Goddam it
Reposted by Emily Bregel
Floored by this story. A man wrote a pollite email to a federal prosecutor objecting to the deportation of an Afghan seeking asylum. DHS responded with an administrative warrant to get the man's info from Google, then visited his home to intimidate him.
DHS Hunts Down 67-Year-Old U.S. Citizen Who Criticized Them in Email
The Department of Homeland Security is using a little-known tool to go after its critics.
newrepublic.com
February 3, 2026 at 11:14 PM
Floored by this story. A man wrote a pollite email to a federal prosecutor objecting to the deportation of an Afghan seeking asylum. DHS responded with an administrative warrant to get the man's info from Google, then visited his home to intimidate him.
Reposted by Emily Bregel
A judge has blocked the Trump admin’s attempts to block Members of Congress from making unannounced inspection visits to ICE detention facilities AGAIN.
It is our duty to conduct oversight — and we will not let Trump and his lawless DHS stand in the way of that.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/u...
It is our duty to conduct oversight — and we will not let Trump and his lawless DHS stand in the way of that.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/u...
Judge Again Blocks Policy Restricting Lawmakers’ Access to ICE Facilities
www.nytimes.com
February 2, 2026 at 7:51 PM
A judge has blocked the Trump admin’s attempts to block Members of Congress from making unannounced inspection visits to ICE detention facilities AGAIN.
It is our duty to conduct oversight — and we will not let Trump and his lawless DHS stand in the way of that.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/u...
It is our duty to conduct oversight — and we will not let Trump and his lawless DHS stand in the way of that.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/u...
Reposted by Emily Bregel
Yesterday, five-year-old Liam and his dad Adrian were released from Dilley detention center. I picked them up last night and escorted them back to Minnesota this morning.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
February 1, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Yesterday, five-year-old Liam and his dad Adrian were released from Dilley detention center. I picked them up last night and escorted them back to Minnesota this morning.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
Reposted by Emily Bregel
BREAKING: The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez.
Two CBP Agents Identified in Alex Pretti Shooting
The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raym...
www.propublica.org
February 1, 2026 at 9:10 PM
BREAKING: The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez.
Immigration detention facilities in Florence, AZ are quietly managing a measles outbreak, with three cases identified there as of Friday, but information shared with the public has been limited and delayed, to the concern of volunteers who help recently released detainees. tucson.com/news/local/b...
Measles outbreak at ICE detention centers in Arizona prompts quarantine
DHS's delay in addressing the three confirmed measles cases, and their location, has been frustrating for migrant-aid volunteers trying to understand the scope of the outbreak in Pinal County.
tucson.com
February 1, 2026 at 6:47 PM
Immigration detention facilities in Florence, AZ are quietly managing a measles outbreak, with three cases identified there as of Friday, but information shared with the public has been limited and delayed, to the concern of volunteers who help recently released detainees. tucson.com/news/local/b...
Reposted by Emily Bregel
DM me? We used to get hundreds of highly qualified applicants for a single job posting. Good prosecutors are increasingly hesitant to work for this DOJ.
January 31, 2026 at 3:51 PM
DM me? We used to get hundreds of highly qualified applicants for a single job posting. Good prosecutors are increasingly hesitant to work for this DOJ.
Huge turnout for Tucson's anti-ICE protest Friday. An estimated 3,000 people came out as part of the national strike in protest of Trump's immigration policies. Charlie Borla (@charlieborla.bsky.social) reports for the AZ Daily Star: @tucson.com tucson.com/news/local/a...
Thousands in Tucson protest ICE
Protesters across the country participated Friday in a national "no work, no school, no shopping" day. In Tucson, thousands of people filled downtown for hours.
tucson.com
January 31, 2026 at 6:31 PM
Huge turnout for Tucson's anti-ICE protest Friday. An estimated 3,000 people came out as part of the national strike in protest of Trump's immigration policies. Charlie Borla (@charlieborla.bsky.social) reports for the AZ Daily Star: @tucson.com tucson.com/news/local/a...
Reposted by Emily Bregel
TUSD warns Friday classes could be canceled if protest-related staff absences leave schools short on supervision. The district says a final call is coming by noon
TUSD may cancel Friday classes due to employee absences in protest of ICE - AZ Luminaria
The Tucson Unified School District says it may cancel classes Friday because of hundreds of potential employee absences protesting immigration enforcement across the country. TUSD Superintendent Gabri...
azluminaria.org
January 29, 2026 at 4:12 PM
TUSD warns Friday classes could be canceled if protest-related staff absences leave schools short on supervision. The district says a final call is coming by noon
Reposted by Emily Bregel
It's hard to recognize AI-generated content because it’s increasingly realistic "and because we’re all vulnerable to the influence of our own biases, which can cause us to under-scrutinize things we want to believe.” - NLP's @peteradams.bsky.social in this @startribune.com story ⤵️
AI image of Alex Pretti’s killing is the latest altered photo amid ICE surge in Minneapolis
Look closely, slow down, think critically before believing what you see on the internet, experts caution.
www.startribune.com
January 29, 2026 at 3:54 PM
It's hard to recognize AI-generated content because it’s increasingly realistic "and because we’re all vulnerable to the influence of our own biases, which can cause us to under-scrutinize things we want to believe.” - NLP's @peteradams.bsky.social in this @startribune.com story ⤵️
UPDATE: A suspected human smuggler fired a gun at a federal helicopter and at a Border Patrol agent on the ground who returned fire, critically injuring him, in an incident Tuesday south of Tucson, investigators said. tucson.com/news/local/b...
Man shot by Border Patrol south of Tucson after he fired on agents, FBI says
A person described as a "suspect" was shot and wounded Tuesday morning and flown by helicopter to Tucson, authorities say.
tucson.com
January 28, 2026 at 3:30 AM
UPDATE: A suspected human smuggler fired a gun at a federal helicopter and at a Border Patrol agent on the ground who returned fire, critically injuring him, in an incident Tuesday south of Tucson, investigators said. tucson.com/news/local/b...
One critically wounded in Border Patrol shooting south of Tucson; Pima County Sheriff's Deaprtment and FBI investigating. @tucson.com tucson.com/news/local/b...
1 critically wounded in Border Patrol shooting south of Tucson
A person described as a "suspect" was shot and wounded Tuesday morning and flown by helicopter to Tucson, authorities say.
tucson.com
January 27, 2026 at 10:03 PM
One critically wounded in Border Patrol shooting south of Tucson; Pima County Sheriff's Deaprtment and FBI investigating. @tucson.com tucson.com/news/local/b...