Emily Schwing
@emilyschwing.bsky.social
Journalist w/ lots of bylines. I really like skis and dogs. I don't really like hot weather or spiders. Go bag packed. AK-based & Arctic focused.
Pinned
This is Mertarvik, Alaska, population 300. It’s a new town.
Its residents, the vast majority of whom are Yup’ik, began moving in around 2019.
The move was by necessity: The nearby village where many residents previously lived, Newtok, is sinking, its riverbanks eroding. THREAD 🧵
Its residents, the vast majority of whom are Yup’ik, began moving in around 2019.
The move was by necessity: The nearby village where many residents previously lived, Newtok, is sinking, its riverbanks eroding. THREAD 🧵
By my count, I spent at least 40 nights in Newtok & Mertarvik over 2 yrs, interviewed over 70 people & hired an inspector to look at 7 homes built by 3 contractors. A dozen are less than 3 years old & moldy. 1 federal agency knew of problems in 2022. Another toured homes in 2023. Zero repairs made.
Reposted by Emily Schwing
NEW: It’s been over a decade since Alaska significantly increased its funding for public education.
Two school districts are now suing the state for what they say is a long-running failure to give students a “sound basic education.”
By @emilyschwing.bsky.social
Two school districts are now suing the state for what they say is a long-running failure to give students a “sound basic education.”
By @emilyschwing.bsky.social
Two School Districts Sue, Claiming Alaska Is Failing Its Constitutional Obligation to Fund Public Education
The lawsuit points to the effects of the state’s underfunding, including low proficiency-test scores and dangerous building conditions.
www.propublica.org
January 30, 2026 at 2:00 PM
NEW: It’s been over a decade since Alaska significantly increased its funding for public education.
Two school districts are now suing the state for what they say is a long-running failure to give students a “sound basic education.”
By @emilyschwing.bsky.social
Two school districts are now suing the state for what they say is a long-running failure to give students a “sound basic education.”
By @emilyschwing.bsky.social
Reposted by Emily Schwing
Very happy to share our latest work in efforts to help explain the importance of the #Arctic, especially on the North Pacific side:
ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/N...
ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/N...
ndupress.ndu.edu
January 30, 2026 at 7:52 PM
Very happy to share our latest work in efforts to help explain the importance of the #Arctic, especially on the North Pacific side:
ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/N...
ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/N...
Reposted by Emily Schwing
Commission again sets Pacific halibut harvest at rock-bottom levels amid U.S.-Canada tensions, writes @halbernton.bsky.social for the Northern Journal, @adn.com and @seattletimes-rss.bsky.social in this article republished by the @alaskabeacon.com alaskabeacon.com/2026/01/29/c...
Commission again sets Pacific halibut harvest at rock-bottom levels amid U.S.-Canada tensions | Alaska Beacon
The halibut fishery has been in a deep, prolonged downturn that has buffeted sport, commercial and subsistence fishers in Alaska, British Columbia, Oregon, Washington and Northern California.
alaskabeacon.com
January 30, 2026 at 2:02 AM
Commission again sets Pacific halibut harvest at rock-bottom levels amid U.S.-Canada tensions, writes @halbernton.bsky.social for the Northern Journal, @adn.com and @seattletimes-rss.bsky.social in this article republished by the @alaskabeacon.com alaskabeacon.com/2026/01/29/c...
Reposted by Emily Schwing
The state agency that protects Alaska’s state-owned oil and gas from waste confirmed that a North Slope company deliberately burned off natural gas for almost four months because reinjecting it was inconvenient. via @alaskabeacon.com
State investigation confirms oil company wasted four months of natural gas on North Slope
The state typically issues exemptions only in cases of emergency, or when a company is drilling test wells and capturing gas isn’t feasible.
www.adn.com
January 29, 2026 at 8:52 PM
The state agency that protects Alaska’s state-owned oil and gas from waste confirmed that a North Slope company deliberately burned off natural gas for almost four months because reinjecting it was inconvenient. via @alaskabeacon.com
Reposted by Emily Schwing
Video shows ICE leaving behind an infant and broken glass after arresting a man with no criminal history.
“There was a car seat in the back... There were broken glass shards all over it... There was just this tiny peanut of a baby. He was crying.”
My latest: www.pressherald.com/2026/01/28/i...
“There was a car seat in the back... There were broken glass shards all over it... There was just this tiny peanut of a baby. He was crying.”
My latest: www.pressherald.com/2026/01/28/i...
ICE agents shatter window, leave 1-month-old baby, mother in car after Portland arrest
Video shows federal immigration agents leaving behind an infant and broken glass after detaining a Guinean immigrant with no known criminal history.
www.pressherald.com
January 29, 2026 at 6:05 PM
Video shows ICE leaving behind an infant and broken glass after arresting a man with no criminal history.
“There was a car seat in the back... There were broken glass shards all over it... There was just this tiny peanut of a baby. He was crying.”
My latest: www.pressherald.com/2026/01/28/i...
“There was a car seat in the back... There were broken glass shards all over it... There was just this tiny peanut of a baby. He was crying.”
My latest: www.pressherald.com/2026/01/28/i...
Reposted by Emily Schwing
Finally got around to a bit of research I'd been meaning to explore, and: There is no documented instance of an ICE officer being identified and assaulted while off duty because he wasn't masked. www.pbump.net/o/ices-excus...
ICE’s excuse for wearing masks has never actually manifested
There have been incidents of harassment and threats. But there are no apparent incidents in which identified ICE officers have been assaulted off-duty.
www.pbump.net
January 29, 2026 at 6:05 PM
Finally got around to a bit of research I'd been meaning to explore, and: There is no documented instance of an ICE officer being identified and assaulted while off duty because he wasn't masked. www.pbump.net/o/ices-excus...
Reposted by Emily Schwing
I've been sent video from the end of the ICE raid at the Zipps on 32nd and Shea.
It shows protesters -- on the sidewalk, impeding no one -- getting drive-by maced by an ICE agent from a truck as it rolls away down the road.
Hard to see how such tactics are justifiable.
It shows protesters -- on the sidewalk, impeding no one -- getting drive-by maced by an ICE agent from a truck as it rolls away down the road.
Hard to see how such tactics are justifiable.
January 27, 2026 at 6:07 AM
I've been sent video from the end of the ICE raid at the Zipps on 32nd and Shea.
It shows protesters -- on the sidewalk, impeding no one -- getting drive-by maced by an ICE agent from a truck as it rolls away down the road.
Hard to see how such tactics are justifiable.
It shows protesters -- on the sidewalk, impeding no one -- getting drive-by maced by an ICE agent from a truck as it rolls away down the road.
Hard to see how such tactics are justifiable.
Reposted by Emily Schwing
My report from Minneapolis, about the things you'll never see. newrepublic.com/article/2057...
January 27, 2026 at 2:18 PM
My report from Minneapolis, about the things you'll never see. newrepublic.com/article/2057...
Reposted by Emily Schwing
I wrote about my childhood friend Alexi Pretti. Please read it and share it and remember him as a human being. @theverge.com
I grew up with Alex Pretti
The kind-hearted ICU nurse shot by ICE agents was my childhood best friend.
www.theverge.com
January 27, 2026 at 4:45 PM
I wrote about my childhood friend Alexi Pretti. Please read it and share it and remember him as a human being. @theverge.com
Reposted by Emily Schwing
👀 Judge Schlitz, the chief federal judge in Minnesota, has ordered the head of ICE, Todd Lyons, to appeal personally in court Friday and threatened him with contempt for the agency’s repeated violation of court orders.
“The court’s patience is at an end.” storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
“The court’s patience is at an end.” storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
January 27, 2026 at 11:34 AM
👀 Judge Schlitz, the chief federal judge in Minnesota, has ordered the head of ICE, Todd Lyons, to appeal personally in court Friday and threatened him with contempt for the agency’s repeated violation of court orders.
“The court’s patience is at an end.” storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
“The court’s patience is at an end.” storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Emily Schwing
‘Our government is out of control,’ Alaska legislator says, calling for end to state aid for ICE, write @corinne-smith.bsky.social and @alaska.bsky.social for the @alaskabeacon.com alaskabeacon.com/2026/01/26/o...
‘Our government is out of control,’ Alaska legislator says, calling for end to state aid for ICE | Alaska Beacon
Chairs of state military committee ask questions about unconfirmed deployment of U.S. soldiers from Anchorage to Minnesota.
alaskabeacon.com
January 26, 2026 at 5:30 PM
‘Our government is out of control,’ Alaska legislator says, calling for end to state aid for ICE, write @corinne-smith.bsky.social and @alaska.bsky.social for the @alaskabeacon.com alaskabeacon.com/2026/01/26/o...
Reposted by Emily Schwing
Here's how to identify some crowd control munitions, canisters of which federal agents have left on the ground after deploying them against people in Minnesota. bit.ly/3YWp1jE
Graphic by Mark Boswell/The Minnesota Star Tribune
Graphic by Mark Boswell/The Minnesota Star Tribune
January 26, 2026 at 8:09 PM
Here's how to identify some crowd control munitions, canisters of which federal agents have left on the ground after deploying them against people in Minnesota. bit.ly/3YWp1jE
Graphic by Mark Boswell/The Minnesota Star Tribune
Graphic by Mark Boswell/The Minnesota Star Tribune
“As journalists, we must remember that our responsibility is not to present both sides evenly; it is to make a determination about the facts that helps audiences understand a chaotic world.” www.cjr.org/the_media_to...
‘Terrorist! Terrorist! Terrorist!’
From Minneapolis to Gaza, how does the press responsibly report killings when officials act in obvious bad faith? By looking out the window.
www.cjr.org
January 26, 2026 at 7:52 PM
“As journalists, we must remember that our responsibility is not to present both sides evenly; it is to make a determination about the facts that helps audiences understand a chaotic world.” www.cjr.org/the_media_to...
Reposted by Emily Schwing
The bill would have expanded the state’s corporate income tax to capture revenue from so-called “highly digitized businesses” that sell to Alaskans over the internet but may not have a physical presence in the state. (From @alaskapublic.org)
Alaska lawmakers fail to override Dunleavy's veto of corporate income tax bill
The attempt to override Dunleavy's veto fell 10 votes short. House Speaker Bryce Edgmon said it foreshadowed difficult debates over the governor's forthcoming fiscal plan.
www.ktoo.org
January 23, 2026 at 7:17 AM
The bill would have expanded the state’s corporate income tax to capture revenue from so-called “highly digitized businesses” that sell to Alaskans over the internet but may not have a physical presence in the state. (From @alaskapublic.org)
Reposted by Emily Schwing
The 5-year-old arrested by ICE In Minnesota is detained at Dilley. We reported on conditions there in the below article.
Parents said the food was contaminated with mold and worms & that children were so under so much stress that they were hitting their own faces & wetting themselves.
Parents said the food was contaminated with mold and worms & that children were so under so much stress that they were hitting their own faces & wetting themselves.
Analysis by The Marshall Project of ICE data obtained by the Deportation Data Project found that the Trump administration’s revival of family detention has swept thousands of children into ICE custody. At least 3,800 children under 18, including 20 infants, have been booked since Trump took office.
ICE Threw Thousands of Kids in Detention, Many For Longer Than Court-Prescribed Limit
Former immigration staffers argue ICE is choosing to detain families for prolonged periods to speed deportations and compel them to leave.
www.themarshallproject.org
January 22, 2026 at 8:30 PM
The 5-year-old arrested by ICE In Minnesota is detained at Dilley. We reported on conditions there in the below article.
Parents said the food was contaminated with mold and worms & that children were so under so much stress that they were hitting their own faces & wetting themselves.
Parents said the food was contaminated with mold and worms & that children were so under so much stress that they were hitting their own faces & wetting themselves.
Americans will only ever witness violence at the hands of their own government thanks to journalists who work constantly to protect our 1st amendment rights . Were it not for us, I feel strongly this would be far worse. Democracy isn't the only thing that dies in darkness. So does our humanity.
This video filmed by Ben Luhmann shows the moment a federal agent sprayed chemical irritants directly into a man's face in south Minneapolis.
Three agents already had the man pinned to the ground when a fourth agent walked up and sprayed the irritants.
Three agents already had the man pinned to the ground when a fourth agent walked up and sprayed the irritants.
January 22, 2026 at 8:09 PM
Americans will only ever witness violence at the hands of their own government thanks to journalists who work constantly to protect our 1st amendment rights . Were it not for us, I feel strongly this would be far worse. Democracy isn't the only thing that dies in darkness. So does our humanity.
Reposted by Emily Schwing
High temperatures (ºF) in and around Alaska on Wednesday. Continued quite mild western Alaska and on the North Slope. Not too far from normal in the eastern Interior, Southcentral and Yukon Territory valleys, but with strong inversions so higher elevations much warmer than normal. #akwx #weather
January 22, 2026 at 4:17 PM
This wasn’t on my news bingo card today, but I’m here for it: www.thenation.com/article/soci...
Meet the Alaska Student Arrested for Eating an AI Art Exhibit
A conversation with Graham Granger, whose combination of protest and performance art spread beyond campus. “AI chews up and spits out art made by other people.”
www.thenation.com
January 22, 2026 at 6:35 PM
This wasn’t on my news bingo card today, but I’m here for it: www.thenation.com/article/soci...
Reposted by Emily Schwing
Alaska legislators convene session, with budget issues and a veto override vote awaiting, writes @alaska.bsky.social for the @alaskabeacon.com alaskabeacon.com/2026/01/21/a...
Alaska legislators convene session, with budget issues and a veto override vote awaiting | Alaska Beacon
Gov. Mike Dunleavy is expected on Thursday to roll out a long-term plan to bring state expenses and revenue into balance.
alaskabeacon.com
January 21, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Alaska legislators convene session, with budget issues and a veto override vote awaiting, writes @alaska.bsky.social for the @alaskabeacon.com alaskabeacon.com/2026/01/21/a...
Reposted by Emily Schwing
Two Alaska school districts filed a lawsuit today against the state, its governor and its education commissioner over what they say is a long-running failure to adequately fund public education.
In lawsuit, 2 school districts say Alaska fails to meet its constitutional obligation on public education
The lawsuit filed by the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District and Kuspuk School District seeks an injunction directing the state to fulfill its obligations on funding public schools and provid...
www.adn.com
January 20, 2026 at 10:40 PM
Two Alaska school districts filed a lawsuit today against the state, its governor and its education commissioner over what they say is a long-running failure to adequately fund public education.
BREAKING: 2 school districts sue Alaska for failing to meet its constitutional obligation to provide public education to all children of the state. www.adn.com/alaska-news/...
In lawsuit, 2 school districts say Alaska fails to meet its constitutional obligation on public education
The lawsuit filed by the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District and Kuspuk School District seeks an injunction directing the state to fulfill its obligations on funding public schools and provid...
www.adn.com
January 21, 2026 at 12:00 AM
BREAKING: 2 school districts sue Alaska for failing to meet its constitutional obligation to provide public education to all children of the state. www.adn.com/alaska-news/...
Idea: buy all the phones in the vending machine. What other footage is available?
Yes, immigration agents not only took Arnoldo's phone, the 10th grader had to use Find My Phone to locate it — in a vending machine for used electronics, close to an ICE detention center.
Read the full story here:
www.propublica.org/article/vide...
Read the full story here:
www.propublica.org/article/vide...
January 14, 2026 at 4:26 AM
Idea: buy all the phones in the vending machine. What other footage is available?
I don't have a job right now not for any other reason than the Trump Admin's rescission package that cut $$$ for public broadcasting & grocery prices in AK have always been high, but, anecdotally, they've been higher in recent months than I've experienced in the 2 decades I've lived here. Carry on.
DOKOUPIL: When I travel the country, they tell me they don't feel it because grocery prices are up--
TRUMP: They're going to now. I've only been here for 11 months. I inherited a mess. If she got in, you wouldn't have this job right now.
TRUMP: They're going to now. I've only been here for 11 months. I inherited a mess. If she got in, you wouldn't have this job right now.
January 14, 2026 at 12:04 AM
I don't have a job right now not for any other reason than the Trump Admin's rescission package that cut $$$ for public broadcasting & grocery prices in AK have always been high, but, anecdotally, they've been higher in recent months than I've experienced in the 2 decades I've lived here. Carry on.
Reposted by Emily Schwing
On Friday, the Supreme Court said it would take up a case about President Donald Trump's executive order attempting to eliminate birthright citizenship.
Back in March, we published a video that dove deep into the history of birthright citizenship in the US. Watch now on Vox's Patreon for free. 👇
Back in March, we published a video that dove deep into the history of birthright citizenship in the US. Watch now on Vox's Patreon for free. 👇
Why the US has birthright citizenship | Vox
Get more from Vox on Patreon
www.patreon.com
December 5, 2025 at 9:59 PM
On Friday, the Supreme Court said it would take up a case about President Donald Trump's executive order attempting to eliminate birthright citizenship.
Back in March, we published a video that dove deep into the history of birthright citizenship in the US. Watch now on Vox's Patreon for free. 👇
Back in March, we published a video that dove deep into the history of birthright citizenship in the US. Watch now on Vox's Patreon for free. 👇
I spent more than a year and half crawling through, under, over and around rural public school buildings in Alaska's rural communities. I found a serious public health and safety crisis that's heavily impacting Alaska's Indigenous students. Check out my series: www.propublica.org/people/emily...
Emily Schwing
ProPublica is an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.
www.propublica.org
December 2, 2025 at 6:09 PM
I spent more than a year and half crawling through, under, over and around rural public school buildings in Alaska's rural communities. I found a serious public health and safety crisis that's heavily impacting Alaska's Indigenous students. Check out my series: www.propublica.org/people/emily...