Agnel Philip

Data Reporter

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Agnel Philip is a data reporter for ProPublica. He previously worked as a data reporter at The Arizona Republic, where he investigated tribal casinos, pedestrian safety and consumer issues. He studied journalism and economics at Arizona State University.

The EPA Has Found More Than a Dozen Contaminants in Drinking Water but Hasn’t Set Safety Limits on Them

The inaction on regulating contaminants — including those that likely cause cancer, reproductive or developmental issues — found in the water of millions of Americans illustrates shortcomings in the U.S. response to environmental threats, say experts.

127,000 New York Workers Have Been Victims of Wage Theft

An analysis of federal and state databases sheds new light on the prevalence and scale of wage theft in New York restaurants and other industries, placing the total wages stolen in one five-year period at more than $203 million.

New York Workers Are Waiting on $79 Million in Back Wages

The New York State Department of Labor still needs to recover 63% of stolen wages during a five-year period analyzed by ProPublica and Documented. The problem? An understaffed agency with poor tools for recovering wages and enforcing judgments.

Their Families Said They Needed Treatment. Mississippi Officials Threw Them in Jail Without Charges.

In Mississippi, serious mental illness or substance abuse can land you in jail, even if you aren’t charged with a crime. The state is a stark outlier in jailing so many people for so long, but many officials say they don’t have another option.

Native American Families Are Being Broken Up in Spite of a Law Meant to Keep Children With Their Parents

After fighting to win back her parental rights, a young Native American mother prevailed. Then the state came for her second child.

The “Death Penalty” of Child Welfare: In Six Months or Less, Some Parents Lose Their Kids Forever

Twenty-five years ago, Congress passed a law aimed at speeding up adoptions of children languishing in foster care. In the process, it destroyed hundreds of thousands of families through the termination of parental rights.

For Black Families in Phoenix, Child Welfare Investigations Are a Constant Threat

One in three Black children in Maricopa County, Arizona, faced a child welfare investigation over a five-year period, leaving many families in a state of dread. Some parents are pushing back.

How We Analyzed Child Welfare Investigations

Reporters crunched data from millions of child protective services cases to understand who is most affected by the system.

Mandatory Reporting Was Supposed to Stop Severe Child Abuse. It Punishes Poor Families Instead.

After the Sandusky child abuse scandal rocked Pennsylvania, the state required more professionals to report suspected child abuse. That led to a strained child welfare system and more unsubstantiated reports against low-income families.

Help Us Investigate Termination of Parental Rights in the Child Welfare System

If you’ve faced having your parental rights terminated in the past decade, ProPublica and NBC News would like to connect with you to understand how your case was handled.

Lights Out: Profitable Utility Company Shut Off Electricity to Homes Hundreds of Thousands of Times

Three months into the pandemic, Michigan’s largest power company, DTE Energy, began ramping up power shut-offs for customers behind on their bills. A regulatory system built to prioritize investors, not affordability, let it happen.

FAA Suggests Steps to Improve Aviation Safety in Alaska. Some Experts Say They’re Not Enough.

In a recently released report, the FAA recommended safety measures to address Alaska’s high share of aircraft accidents. The report, which contains few new initiatives or calls for funding, falls short of what’s needed, according to experts.

Searching for Solutions to Alaska’s High Rate of Deadly Air Crashes

Our investigation revealed that Alaska has a growing share of the country’s deadly crashes from small commercial flights. Here’s what experts say could be done to improve aviation safety in the state.

Fatal Crash Renews Concerns About Safety of Alaska Aviation

A sightseeing flight near Ketchikan, Alaska, crashed last week, killing the pilot and five passengers. So far this year, 13 people have died in three crashes of small commercial planes.

In Alaska, Commercial Aviation Is a Lifeline. The State Is Also Home to a Growing Share of the Country’s Deadly Crashes.

Alaska’s terrain and infrastructure pose unique challenges when flying. Some say the Federal Aviation Administration has been slow to account for these hazards, leaving pilots and customers to fend for themselves, sometimes at risk to their lives.

What We Know About Alaska’s Recent Series of Fatal Flight Collisions

In the past five years, Alaska had five fatal midair collisions involving commercial operators. The rest of the U.S. hasn’t had any since 2009.

How We Tallied Alaska Aviation Deaths

Although Alaska has seen a spate of midair collisions in recent years, detailed analyses of crash patterns involving small commercial aircraft have been limited. Our investigation bridges some of these gaps.

The Bureau of Indian Education Hasn’t Told the Public How Its Schools Are Performing. So We Did It Instead.

New data shows Bureau of Indian Education schools do not teach kids fast enough to close an achievement gap that starts in early childhood.

How We Analyzed the Performance of Bureau of Indian Education Schools

The federal agency that funds 180 schools for Native American students has failed to tell the public how its schools compare. Our analysis fills in the gap.

Lawyers Who Were Ineligible to Handle Serious Criminal Charges Were Given Thousands of These Cases Anyway

In the only state with no public defenders, people charged with murder and other serious crimes can get assigned attorneys who are legally ineligible to take on their cases. The state claims it was unaware.

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