Unbreaking
@unbreaking.org
How the administration is breaking the government, and what that means for all of us. All of our content is free to republish and remix. https://unbreaking.org/
Our weekly briefing is out, this one touching on Medicaid but mostly looking at what we’re losing in federal food safety oversight. Spoiler, it is “things that keep our food from making us sick.”
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
This week at Unbreaking, November 13 — Unbreaking
Unbreaking is built to be an antidote to information overload. Since we launched, we have been meticulously documenting lawsuits, executive orders, court rulings, countermoves, and other key events.
unbreaking.org
November 13, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Our weekly briefing is out, this one touching on Medicaid but mostly looking at what we’re losing in federal food safety oversight. Spoiler, it is “things that keep our food from making us sick.”
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
The biggest news we have on the federal workforce this week relates to a lawsuit we’ve been watching in California. On October 28, the judge in that case indefinitely blocked mass layoffs during the government shutdown:
www.npr.org/2025/10/28/n...
www.npr.org/2025/10/28/n...
Judge indefinitely halts shutdown layoffs noting human toll
A federal judge in San Francisco has indefinitely halted thousands of layoffs of federal employees announced by the Trump administration since Oct. 1.
www.npr.org
November 6, 2025 at 9:58 PM
The biggest news we have on the federal workforce this week relates to a lawsuit we’ve been watching in California. On October 28, the judge in that case indefinitely blocked mass layoffs during the government shutdown:
www.npr.org/2025/10/28/n...
www.npr.org/2025/10/28/n...
We have a new timeline up today on our Medical Research Funding page, documenting the onslaught of political, legal, and bureaucratic attacks on medical research since January:
unbreaking.org/issues/medic...
unbreaking.org/issues/medic...
Medical Research Funding: Timeline — Unbreaking
How the administration is breaking the government, and what that means for all of us.
unbreaking.org
November 6, 2025 at 9:58 PM
We have a new timeline up today on our Medical Research Funding page, documenting the onslaught of political, legal, and bureaucratic attacks on medical research since January:
unbreaking.org/issues/medic...
unbreaking.org/issues/medic...
Our Immigration and Data Security teams worked together this week to understand how immigration-linked data grabs and shoddy facial recognition apps are laying the groundwork for a surveillance state.
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
This week at Unbreaking, November 6 — Unbreaking
Unbreaking is built to be an antidote to information overload. Since we launched, we have been meticulously documenting lawsuits, executive orders, court rulings, countermoves, and other key events.
unbreaking.org
November 6, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Our Immigration and Data Security teams worked together this week to understand how immigration-linked data grabs and shoddy facial recognition apps are laying the groundwork for a surveillance state.
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
We have a new timeline up today on our Food Safety page, documenting how individual events continue to chip away at the personnel, regulations, and oversight mechanisms that make up our food safety systems:
unbreaking.org/issues/food-...
unbreaking.org/issues/food-...
Food Safety: Timeline — Unbreaking
How the administration is breaking the government, and what that means for all of us.
unbreaking.org
October 30, 2025 at 10:52 PM
We have a new timeline up today on our Food Safety page, documenting how individual events continue to chip away at the personnel, regulations, and oversight mechanisms that make up our food safety systems:
unbreaking.org/issues/food-...
unbreaking.org/issues/food-...
The continued government shutdown means that NIH staff remain furloughed, with grant review panels postponed and delays of new and existing grants: www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
Researchers, Colleges Face Federal Shutdown Impacts
Two weeks into the government shutdown with no resolution in sight, higher ed associations and researchers say the inability of scientists to contact federal agency workers or get new grants approved ...
www.insidehighered.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:54 AM
The continued government shutdown means that NIH staff remain furloughed, with grant review panels postponed and delays of new and existing grants: www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
In Immigration this week, we saw more ICE raids around the country, expansions of immigration enforcement—often under the guise of crime reduction—in blue cities, and great reporting on the assembly of an unaccountable national police force. Our briefing is up:
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
This week at Unbreaking, October 23 — Unbreaking
We caught up on what’s been happening in data security, immigration, and medical research funding, along with what’s happened in the federal workforce since the government shutdown began October 1.
unbreaking.org
October 24, 2025 at 2:53 AM
In Immigration this week, we saw more ICE raids around the country, expansions of immigration enforcement—often under the guise of crime reduction—in blue cities, and great reporting on the assembly of an unaccountable national police force. Our briefing is up:
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
We caught up on what’s been happening with the federal workforce since the shutdown began. Since January 20, the Trump admin’s DOGE has been linked to 289,000 job cuts. Federal job losses dramatically exceed every other kind of job loss this year:
unbreaking.org/issues/equal...
unbreaking.org/issues/equal...
Equality at Work: Explainer — Unbreaking
How the administration is breaking the government, and what that means for all of us.
unbreaking.org
October 24, 2025 at 2:50 AM
We caught up on what’s been happening with the federal workforce since the shutdown began. Since January 20, the Trump admin’s DOGE has been linked to 289,000 job cuts. Federal job losses dramatically exceed every other kind of job loss this year:
unbreaking.org/issues/equal...
unbreaking.org/issues/equal...
This week, the administration continued to amass sensitive personal information about people in the US and also undermined more systems that protect data once the federal government holds it. People and states keep fighting back.
unbreaking.org/issues/data-...
unbreaking.org/issues/data-...
Data Security — Unbreaking
How the administration is breaking the government, and what that means for all of us.
unbreaking.org
October 24, 2025 at 2:49 AM
This week, the administration continued to amass sensitive personal information about people in the US and also undermined more systems that protect data once the federal government holds it. People and states keep fighting back.
unbreaking.org/issues/data-...
unbreaking.org/issues/data-...
Congressional Democrats are refusing to authorize short-term measures to keep the government open unless Republicans agree to renew ACA subsidies, and possibly to reverse Medicaid cuts as well. As the shutdown enters its third week, we look at the ripple effects of this summer’s healthcare cuts.
October 16, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Congressional Democrats are refusing to authorize short-term measures to keep the government open unless Republicans agree to renew ACA subsidies, and possibly to reverse Medicaid cuts as well. As the shutdown enters its third week, we look at the ripple effects of this summer’s healthcare cuts.
The Trump administration has slashed hundreds of thousands of jobs this year, leaving many vital federal functions un- or under-staffed, and they don’t seem to be letting up. We updated our Equality at Work timeline this week, and here’s what we saw: unbreaking.org/issues/equal...
Equality at Work: Timeline — Unbreaking
How the administration is breaking the government, and what that means for all of us.
unbreaking.org
October 10, 2025 at 8:06 PM
The Trump administration has slashed hundreds of thousands of jobs this year, leaving many vital federal functions un- or under-staffed, and they don’t seem to be letting up. We updated our Equality at Work timeline this week, and here’s what we saw: unbreaking.org/issues/equal...
In its latest attack on academic freedom, the administration offered nine universities preferential access to federal funds in exchange for scrapping DEI, capping international student enrollment, and promoting conservative views on campus:
www.wsj.com/us-news/educ...
www.wsj.com/us-news/educ...
Exclusive | White House Asks Colleges to Sign Sweeping Agreement to Get Funding Advantage
An initial round of nine schools, including Dartmouth, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania, are being asked to sign a wide-ranging “compact.”
www.wsj.com
October 10, 2025 at 8:03 PM
In its latest attack on academic freedom, the administration offered nine universities preferential access to federal funds in exchange for scrapping DEI, capping international student enrollment, and promoting conservative views on campus:
www.wsj.com/us-news/educ...
www.wsj.com/us-news/educ...
Since our last update, the administration ramped up its quest for voter data, suing six more states that refused to give their voter rolls to the DOJ:
www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
DOJ Sues Six States, Escalating Campaign to Seize Private Voter Data
Read more here.
www.democracydocket.com
October 10, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Since our last update, the administration ramped up its quest for voter data, suing six more states that refused to give their voter rolls to the DOJ:
www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
The clear story in Immigration this week is the escalation of—and pushback against—the Trump administration’s militarized raids and warrantless stops in Democrat-run major cities. We’ve updated our timeline with a lot of events in this zone:
unbreaking.org/issues/immig...
unbreaking.org/issues/immig...
Immigration — Unbreaking
How the administration is breaking the government, and what that means for all of us.
unbreaking.org
October 10, 2025 at 6:43 PM
The clear story in Immigration this week is the escalation of—and pushback against—the Trump administration’s militarized raids and warrantless stops in Democrat-run major cities. We’ve updated our timeline with a lot of events in this zone:
unbreaking.org/issues/immig...
unbreaking.org/issues/immig...
Amidst the other chaos of the government shutdown you might have missed the fact that the House’s version of the appropriations bill bans federal funding for all gender-affirming care, for any patient of any age. transitics.substack.com/p/the-new-ho...
The New House Appropriations Bill Doesn’t Just Target Trans Care, But All LGBTQ+ Americans
Breaking down the potential implications of the worst legislative attack LGBTQ+ Americans have faced in years.
transitics.substack.com
October 3, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Amidst the other chaos of the government shutdown you might have missed the fact that the House’s version of the appropriations bill bans federal funding for all gender-affirming care, for any patient of any age. transitics.substack.com/p/the-new-ho...
Despite the ongoing massive cuts, we saw some wins for research at major universities in this update for our Medical Research Funding page:
unbreaking.org/issues/medic...
unbreaking.org/issues/medic...
Medical Research Funding — Unbreaking
How the administration is breaking the government, and what that means for all of us.
unbreaking.org
September 26, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Despite the ongoing massive cuts, we saw some wins for research at major universities in this update for our Medical Research Funding page:
unbreaking.org/issues/medic...
unbreaking.org/issues/medic...
In Data Security, we continue to see the Trump administration attempt to acquire & weaponize ever-larger swathes of personal data, including voting & medical records, financial data, & detailed information on benefits recipients. But states & judges are pushing back.
unbreaking.org/issues/data-...
unbreaking.org/issues/data-...
Data Security — Unbreaking
How the administration is breaking the government, and what that means for all of us.
unbreaking.org
September 26, 2025 at 4:08 PM
In Data Security, we continue to see the Trump administration attempt to acquire & weaponize ever-larger swathes of personal data, including voting & medical records, financial data, & detailed information on benefits recipients. But states & judges are pushing back.
unbreaking.org/issues/data-...
unbreaking.org/issues/data-...
Many of the Trump administration’s immigration actions this summer fell into three connected categories: 1) They are making hundreds of thousands of lawfully present immigrants “illegal” and therefore deportable:
www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/report/mass-...
www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/report/mass-...
Mass Deportation: Analyzing the Trump Administration's Attacks on Immigrants, Democracy, and America - American Immigration Council
The first six months of President Trump’s return to office have marked the most extreme changes to the immigration system in modern U.S. history.
www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org
September 26, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Many of the Trump administration’s immigration actions this summer fell into three connected categories: 1) They are making hundreds of thousands of lawfully present immigrants “illegal” and therefore deportable:
www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/report/mass-...
www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/report/mass-...
At USDA, attacks on workers’ rights are threatening food safety. The USDA has canceled inspectors’ union contracts, which is likely to lead to more attrition, increase workloads, and compromise inspectors’ ability to raise food safety concerns.
www.wpr.org/news/food-sa...
www.wpr.org/news/food-sa...
Food safety experts warn cuts, staff shortages could lead to preventable outbreaks
Food inspectors face increased workloads and loss of union protection, making it more difficult to notice and report safety violations at food processing plants.
www.wpr.org
September 19, 2025 at 6:12 PM
At USDA, attacks on workers’ rights are threatening food safety. The USDA has canceled inspectors’ union contracts, which is likely to lead to more attrition, increase workloads, and compromise inspectors’ ability to raise food safety concerns.
www.wpr.org/news/food-sa...
www.wpr.org/news/food-sa...
The realities of the budget reconciliation bill’s Medicaid work requirements are coming into view. More than half of states already struggle with Medicaid administration and many will likely fail to set up effective work-reporting systems by the bill’s deadline: ccf.georgetown.edu/2025/09/04/a...
Are States Ready to Implement HR 1 and Medicaid Work Reporting Requirements?
Key Findings State systems are unprepared for federal demands to implement a Medicaid work reporting requirement and other onerous changes. HR 1 (P.L. 119-21) requires states to implement complex w…
ccf.georgetown.edu
September 19, 2025 at 6:12 PM
The realities of the budget reconciliation bill’s Medicaid work requirements are coming into view. More than half of states already struggle with Medicaid administration and many will likely fail to set up effective work-reporting systems by the bill’s deadline: ccf.georgetown.edu/2025/09/04/a...
While we continue to track the administration’s attacks on the federal workforce, one thing is becoming clear: federal spending is up while the government’s ability to deliver on basic services is declining. unbreaking.org/issues/equal...
Equality at Work: Explainer — Unbreaking
How the administration is breaking the government, and what that means for all of us.
unbreaking.org
September 12, 2025 at 4:21 PM
While we continue to track the administration’s attacks on the federal workforce, one thing is becoming clear: federal spending is up while the government’s ability to deliver on basic services is declining. unbreaking.org/issues/equal...
This week in Immigration, legal rulings re-enabled several Trump administration actions previously blocked by lower courts. First up—racial profiling in California immigration raids is fine with the Supreme Court: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
US supreme court ‘effectively legalized racial profiling’, immigration experts warn
Court ruled federal agents can stop people in LA based on race, language, job or location amid Trump’s crackdown
www.theguardian.com
September 12, 2025 at 12:48 PM
This week in Immigration, legal rulings re-enabled several Trump administration actions previously blocked by lower courts. First up—racial profiling in California immigration raids is fine with the Supreme Court: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Recent turmoil at the CDC has been affecting food safety. Last week, a top food safety official at CDC resigned in response to the Trump administration’s firing of CDC director Susan Monarez. civileats.com/2025/08/28/c...
CDC Exodus Includes Lead Official Tracking Food Safety and Animal Agriculture Disease
Health expert warns that personnel losses at the Centers for Disease Control and low morale are ‘strangling public health.’
civileats.com
September 5, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Recent turmoil at the CDC has been affecting food safety. Last week, a top food safety official at CDC resigned in response to the Trump administration’s firing of CDC director Susan Monarez. civileats.com/2025/08/28/c...
This past week, a whistleblower exposed DOGE’s insecure storage of 300 million Americans’ personal data, an event that may lead to every single Social Security Number needing to be changed. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/u...
DOGE Put Critical Social Security Data at Risk, Whistle-Blower Says
www.nytimes.com
September 5, 2025 at 3:31 PM
This past week, a whistleblower exposed DOGE’s insecure storage of 300 million Americans’ personal data, an event that may lead to every single Social Security Number needing to be changed. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/u...
We updated our immigration timeline with a dramatic middle-of-the-night legal challenge to the expulsion of unaccompanied Guatemalan children, plus the latest changes in other cases and administration actions. unbreaking.org/issues/immig...
Immigration — Unbreaking
How the administration is breaking the government, and what that means for all of us.
unbreaking.org
September 5, 2025 at 2:34 PM
We updated our immigration timeline with a dramatic middle-of-the-night legal challenge to the expulsion of unaccompanied Guatemalan children, plus the latest changes in other cases and administration actions. unbreaking.org/issues/immig...