Parents are suing New York City over coercive, traumatizing home searches

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     February 21, 2024 As many of you are likely familiar, my colleague Julia Lurie has been investigating the rampant [mismanagement and greed]( plaguing America's various care systems. And one of the hallmarks of Julia's reporting is the empathy she brings to the [central characters of her stories](, oftentimes vulnerable young people whose lives have been seriously upended by our failing welfare policies. I thought about that empathy as [I read Julia's latest today](, a story on a class-action lawsuit against New York City's child protective services agency that alleges unconstitutional, coercive, and traumatizing tactics to enter and search the homes of families they’re investigating, more than 80 percent of whom are Black or Hispanic. Julia goes into the troubled history of warrantless searches and the national impact that this lawsuit could have if successful. But [the lede is where Julia's trademark empathy]( shines through, as she reports on one mother's encounter with the system: In May 2021, investigators from New York City’s child protective services agency showed up at the home of Ebony Gould, a Black mother living in Queens. They were checking on the wellbeing of Gould’s three children—ages 4, 6, and 16—and needed to search the home. The investigation proved to be unfounded. No children were removed, no court case filed. But soon, the investigators were back for another search, and then another. Over the next two years, the Goulds were subject to at least a dozen investigations by the city’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), all of which proved to be baseless, according to a recent lawsuit. Though the caseworkers didn’t have warrants for the home searches, they allegedly told Gould the inspections were mandatory, threatening to remove her children if Gould didn’t allow them in. Once inside, investigators searched every room and even went so far as to strip-search the children, who showed no signs of physical abuse. [I very much encourage you to read](. —Inae Oh Advertisement [House Bookshop Ad]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [Parents Are Suing New York City Over Coercive, Traumatizing Home Searches]( The class-action suit alleges the city's child protective services agency uses unconstitutional tactics. BY JULIA LURIE SPONSORED CONTENT BY THE NATION TRAVELS   [Native American Voices with Dakota Wind Goodhouse and Bird Red]( May 12 – 20, 2024 Travel through the vast and gorgeous countryside of the Dakotas and Colorado as we meet with community and tribal leaders on this one-of-a-kind learning excursion. We’ll seek insight into some of the pressing political issues, innovative activism, and rich diversity of Native American cultures. [Trending] [Biden administration cancels more than $1.2 billion in student loans]( BY ARIANNA COGHILL   [Anti-trans bills keep citing the New York Times]( BY HENRY CARNELL   [Shoebox Lady is not alone—Americans got scammed for more than $10 billion in 2023]( BY ABBY VESOULIS   [Report: Trump-branded NYC real estate plummeted in value since 2016]( BY JULIANNE MCSHANE Advertisement [House Donation Ad]( [Special Feature] [Special Feature]( [Tribal nations are taking back their food systems]( A new farm bill program aims to undo centuries of federal mismanagement. BY BRIDGET HUBER [Fiercely Independent] Support from readers allows Mother Jones to do journalism that doesn't just follow the pack. [Donate]( Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by [forwarding]( it to a friend or sharing it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Donate Monthly]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755