Arizona Investigative Reporting

Is Arizona home to thousands of volcanoes?  is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Yes. Arizona has thousands of extinct volcanoes across seven volcanic fields. The San Francisco Volcanic Field in northern Arizona alone has produced more than 600 volcanoes, including Sunset Crater and the San Francisco Peaks.

Is Arizona home to thousands of volcanoes?  is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Medicaid fraud targeting Indigenous communities continues despite AHCCCS reforms is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Though Arizona’s Medicaid agency says behavioral health fraud has stabilized since 2023, questionable sober living homes continue to recruit Native Americans. Lawmakers say systemic oversight failures remain unresolved, while legitimate providers contend the agency’s response is still hindering care for vulnerable patients.

Medicaid fraud targeting Indigenous communities continues despite AHCCCS reforms is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Did Arizona experience record temperatures this past winter?  is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Yes. The period from December 2025 through January 2026 marked Arizona’s warmest winter on record, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The statewide average temperature for those two months was 48 degrees Fahrenheit, up from 44 degrees during the same period in 2024-2025.

Did Arizona experience record temperatures this past winter?  is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Is Tempe requiring bars to make drink-spiking tests available? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Yes. The Tempe City Council unanimously approved an ordinance requiring certain restaurants and bars to sell drink-testing kits. Under the measure, businesses with Series 6 or Series 12 liquor licenses that serve alcohol more than three days per month between midnight and 2 a.m. must stock at least 10 kits at the start of each business day.

Is Tempe requiring bars to make drink-spiking tests available? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

After judge strikes down abortion laws, Republican lawmakers press ahead with new limits is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Republican lawmakers are advancing a new wave of legislation targeting abortion in Arizona, even after a judge struck down several existing restrictions and affirmed voters’ 2024 decision to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution.

After judge strikes down abortion laws, Republican lawmakers press ahead with new limits is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Can Arizona employers legally ask prospective hires about immigration status? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

No. Employers cannot ask about an applicant’s national origin or citizenship status. The Legal Arizona Workers Act (LAWA) requires employers to use of E-Verify system, but only after an employee is hired. During the hiring process, employers are limited to asking whether a candidate is authorized to work in the U.S.

Can Arizona employers legally ask prospective hires about immigration status? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Could a new bill require law enforcement to work with ICE when making arrests? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Yes. Republican Sen. Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff, has introduced a bill that would compel state and local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), during arrests. Senate Bill 1055 would require officers to notify ICE or Customs and Border Patrol when an arrestee is believed to be unlawfully present in the U.S.

Could a new bill require law enforcement to work with ICE when making arrests? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Is every county in Arizona more Republican today than it was during the November 2024 election? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Yes. Republican registration increased in every Arizona county between the November 2024 election and October 2025, the most recent month for which data is available. Overall, the number of registered Republicans rose by more than 41,000 during that period.

Is every county in Arizona more Republican today than it was during the November 2024 election? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Could the copper mine planned for Arizona’s Oak Flat still get blocked? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Yes. Despite a federal law authorizing the land exchange, the proposed copper mine at Oak Flat in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest could still be halted through ongoing court challenges or congressional action.

Could the copper mine planned for Arizona’s Oak Flat still get blocked? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Did the Trump administration ban abortion-related services for VA hospital patients? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Yes. In December 2025, the Trump administration largely banned the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from providing abortion services, reversing a Biden-era policy that had allowed VA providers to offer abortion care and counseling in limited circumstances.

Did the Trump administration ban abortion-related services for VA hospital patients? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Despite broad support for abortion access in their districts, GOP lawmakers push new restrictions is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Voters in 2024 passed Proposition 139, a constitutional amendment guaranteeing Arizonans the right to abortion, with nearly 62% support statewide. An AZCIR analysis shows Republican lawmakers responded by proposing bills and backing court actions that could narrow its reach.

Despite broad support for abortion access in their districts, GOP lawmakers push new restrictions is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Arizona voters approved in-state tuition for undocumented students. The state left implementation to chance. is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

After Arizona voters approved a 2022 ballot initiative granting in-state tuition to undocumented students, the state put no centralized system in place to track participation or ensure consistent implementation across colleges and universities. Three years later, it remains difficult to say how many students have actually benefited.

Arizona voters approved in-state tuition for undocumented students. The state left implementation to chance. is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Did Phoenix pass an ordinance banning medical treatment, overdose prevention and harm reduction kits in city parks? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Yes. In December 2025, the Phoenix City Council passed an ordinance making it a misdemeanor to invite, promote, sponsor or conduct medical treatment or harm reduction services in parks without prior authorization from the city. The measure specifically prohibits needle exchanges and the distribution of harm reduction kits, which include items like sterile syringes, alcohol wipes and drug-testing supplies.

Did Phoenix pass an ordinance banning medical treatment, overdose prevention and harm reduction kits in city parks? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Is Arizona’s maternal mortality rate among the highest in the U.S.? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Yes. Between 2018 and 2022, the most recent period for which data is available, Arizona’s maternal mortality rate was 30 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s significantly higher than the national average of 23.2, putting Arizona 11th in the country.

Is Arizona’s maternal mortality rate among the highest in the U.S.? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Did Arizona Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva obstruct federal officers conducting a Tucson raid? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

No. Video footage shows Grijalva being pepper-sprayed by federal agents conducting a raid at a Tucson restaurant despite identifying herself as a member of Congress. The footage does not show her physically interfering with officers or trying to block their actions, which is illegal under both state and federal law.

Did Arizona Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva obstruct federal officers conducting a Tucson raid? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Ukraine’s ‘battle-tested’ drones are accelerating militarization along the U.S.-Mexico border is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

As U.S. law enforcement agencies adopt drone systems “battle-tested” in Ukraine, experts question whether existing safeguards are sufficient to govern increasing levels of surveillance on U.S. soil. The dual-purpose, military-grade technology now getting deployed in domestic border operations comes as the Trump administration devotes tens of billions of dollars to bolster security in response to what it calls an “invasion” of migrants and drug traffickers.

Ukraine’s ‘battle-tested’ drones are accelerating militarization along the U.S.-Mexico border is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

VIDEO: From Ukraine’s Battlefield to America’s Borderlands is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

In Ukraine's war with Russia, drones have become essential tools for both warfare and border surveillance. Now, those tools and tactics from Ukraine are being deployed along the U.S.-Mexico border. AZCIR traveled to Ukraine to document how "battle-tested" drone innovations are reshaping American border enforcement.

VIDEO: From Ukraine’s Battlefield to America’s Borderlands is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Has the Phoenix Police Department banned officers from taking unhoused people’s belongings? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

No. A proposed Phoenix Police Department policy would not prohibit officers from taking the belongings of people experiencing homelessness. While it would bar officers from destroying or discarding personal property without the owner’s consent, it would still allow police to move, impound or store items when needed for safety or legal reasons.

Has the Phoenix Police Department banned officers from taking unhoused people’s belongings? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Does Arizona rank in the top 10 for data centers nationwide? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Yes. Arizona has 164 data centers statewide, outpacing much of the country and ranking 7th nationally, according to Data Center Map, which tracks the centers globally. Most of Arizona’s data centers are concentrated in Maricopa County and surrounding areas, with roughly 10 located in the southern part of the state.

Does Arizona rank in the top 10 for data centers nationwide? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Are poverty rates higher in southern states? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.

Yes. Many states in the South and Southwest recorded some of the nation’s highest poverty rates in 2024. The national rate was roughly 12%, but several states in these regions exceeded that. For example, New Mexico’s rate was 16.5%, Oklahoma’s was about 15%, and Texas’ rate was over 13%.

Are poverty rates higher in southern states? is reporting published by Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Arizona's only nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide investigative reporting.