Joined October 2014
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I’ve been covering ICE & immigration in the Buffalo/Western NY region for more than a year for Investigative Post, with the work appearing in the Niagara Gazette, WKBW and The Intercept.
If you or someone you know wants to send a tip or leak info, my Signal is jdaleshoemaker.87
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J. Dale Shoemaker retweeted
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The timeline needs the Funk Flex Otis audio
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if you think about it, Buffalo is the New York City of Western New York #Knicks
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It’s happened again:
A migrant was released from jail (charges dropped) and picked up by ICE.
ICE decides not to deport.
ICE drops migrant off far from home.
Migrant dies in the cold.
Manner of death: Homicide.
Nearly identical to Buffalo case.
wtae.com/article/daphy-miche…
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I am pleased to report I will be teaching a class at IRE next week!
Make time Friday (11:30AM) to get a deep dive on all things immigration data.
Arrests, detentions & deportations have all spiked. We'll explain how local reporters can cover the impact in your region:
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Charter revision commissions are often wonky & unsexy.
But in Buffalo, such a commission could make it easier to elect non-establishment candidates & institute ranked choice voting.
The commission, however, faces many hurdles, including Mayor Sean Ryan.
investigativepost.org/2026/0…
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Ryan has appointed one of his deputy mayors to the commission who spent Monday’s meeting arguing there’s simply not enough time to put in place major electoral reforms.
We’ll know by early July if those reforms will make it to a voter referendum:
investigativepost.org/2026/0…
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i love the state politics of alcohol.
every state has their own weird, idiosyncratic rules inspired by prohibition, protestants or both thus allowing governors to turn the booze dial back or forth depending on issue of the day, if it’s an election year, etc.
From the first kick to the last whistle, I just signed a law allowing bars and restaurants across the state to stay open till 4AM throughout the World Cup this summer!
Cheers!
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college kids going nuts on four loko? banned.
public and restaurant owners mad about mandated Covid closures? introducing cocktails to go!
major sporting event happening during an election season? bars open late!
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J. Dale Shoemaker retweeted
This is a devastating interview.
Scott Pelley tells the NYT that Bari Weiss directly put a “thumb on the scale” for Trump over the killing of Renee Good.
Here’s his explanation of exactly what happened.
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Gambling interests (i.e., DraftKings & FanDuel) are bankrolling Karen Hoak's campaign for NY Assembly to the tune of $277,000.
What's the $ paying for? TV digital ads and fliers in your mailbox.
How? Via a legal loophole known as "red-boxing."
investigativepost.org/2026/0…
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If you go to Hoak's campaign website, you'll find photos like these, and soundless b-roll of her taking to people.
Why's that there? So the independent expenditure committees funded by DraftKings and FanDuel can campaign for her without "coordinating."
investigativepost.org/2026/0…
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When Border Patrol agents left a nearly-blind Rohingya refugee at a locked coffee shop in February, they notified no one.
A new bill introduced yesterday would mandate ICE & BP agents call a migrant’s friends, family or lawyer before future releases:
investigativepost.org/2026/0…
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Breaking: Rep. Tim Kennedy has introduced a bill that would mandate ICE & Border Patrol notify a migrant's 'point of contact' before releasing them from custody.
In the case of Nurul Amin Shah Alam, that never happened. He ended up missing & dead downtown
investigativepost.org/2026/0…
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Should the bill pass (unlikely with Republicans in charge of Congress & Trump in WH):
DHS would have to work with each migrant to set a point of contact. Then, before they're released, DHS would call that contact at least 2x to ensure safe dropoff/pickup.
investigativepost.org/2026/0…
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New: Former Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown has secured control of patronage operation Off-Track Betting.
He and his deputy mayors are in charge.
Meanwhile fmr CEO Henry Wojtaszek is banned from the board.
Why? An incident involving his wife may be to blame:
investigativepost.org/2026/0…
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This ends, for now, a broiling yearlong controversy. Brown had issued reforms, called out a key Wojtaszek deputy & Wojtaszek tried to get revenge (by joining the board) as a result.
New legislation in the state budget now blocks fmr execs from doing so.
investigativepost.org/2026/0…
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⬇️ partially inspired by the 500MW data center proposal in Western NY backed by Apollo Global Management (Leon Black’s old firm)
Jun 1
Sources say NY lawmakers are now weighing a 1-year moratorium on data centers, viewed as more doable than the 3-year pause previously discussed
(No other state has approved a moratorium)
Industry concern is that other large-scale energy facilities are also targeted
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From my notebook: While reporting on the case of farm worker advocate Dolores Bustamante, I met & spoke to her briefly in the lobby of 250 Delaware, where ICE has offices.
A Uniland security guard promptly kicked me out.
Reporters aren't allowed in the building, she said.
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Read about Dolores' case here:
investigativepost.org/2026/0…
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