Gigafact is a nonprofit technology and information company working with newsrooms to correct misinformation. As part of our partnership, AZCIR will produce fact briefs to address statements about recent events or policies circulating online, deeming the claims accurate or inaccurate and providing documentation to back up our calls.
We’ll use this platform to push back on mis- and disinformation, publishing several fact briefs per week. This work isn’t about political opinions or clickbait, but rather providing fact-based, neutral analyses to help clarify topics that are important to our state and nation.
By adding these fact briefs to our existing investigative journalism, we can reach readers in new ways, often in a more timely and responsive manner.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
