You can read more about how I tracked these flights and DHS's history of using helicopters for border enforcement in my story out today: www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/sep/03/...

Security experts agree there needs to be some kind of transparency when DHS, or law enforcement in general, fly helicopters over populated areas. “There’s no reason they can’t provide transparency to people near the border about what exactly they’re doing," one expert told me.

DHS flew at least 13 helicopter missions in and around Whatcom County during July, according to my analysis. At least five of these appeared to be a border patrol-type flight with helicopters tracing the coast and border. Two of these flights went over neighborhoods.

So I looked into it using open-source flight tracking from ADS-B Exchange. Turns out, the helicopter was registered to the Department of Homeland Security. In a statement to me, DHS said it was conducting a flyover for a baseball game. But there was no prior notification to citizens.

Then from @nytimes.com comes the long read about two sisters living in California who depend on in-home health aides. But cuts to Medicaid could fundamentally change how they get their care. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/18/m...

UPDATE: Judge temporarily blocks shutdown of Job Corps; uncertainty at Sedro-Woolley center remains. 150 students have already left the center.