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Steve Held on Muck Rack

Steve Held

(He/Him)
Chicago
As seen in: Unraveled, The Hill, Chicago Reader, Billings Gazette, Helena Independent Record, The TRiiBE, Laurel Outlook, Progressive Hub
Covers:  Policing, surveillance, extremism, corruption, state violence, liberation movements
Muckraker. Researcher. Cynical idealist, exposing corruption & systemic problems. Mostly posting at blue sky, now reporting at @UnraveledPress.

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Steve Held’s Biography

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Journalist reporting on policing and corruption in Chicago.

Steve Held’s Journalist Portfolio

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Eyes on the heartland

Eyes on the heartland

A vast network of new license plate cameras has exploded across Illinois in recent years-paid for by state gr…

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DEA agent used Illinois cop's Flock license plate reader password for immigration enforcement sea...

DEA agent used Illinois cop's Flock license plate reader password for immigration enforcement sea...

A federal Drug Enforcement Administration agent on a Chicago area task force used Palos Heights Detective Tod…

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The 15th floor

The 15th floor

Inside immigration court in Chicago, where expedited removal has now hit the “sanctuary city” thousands of mi…

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STRIPPED: The Chicago cops who lost their badges in 2024

STRIPPED: The Chicago cops who lost their badges in 2024

Officers accused of domestic violence, drug/alcohol abuse, and lying top the list

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Exposed: White nationalist group responsible for hate spree across Chicagoland

Exposed: White nationalist group responsible for hate spree across Chicagoland

Members of the Windy City Active Club include a USPS worker, a recent finance grad from DePaul, and a Polish …

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Suspensions issued to cops who killed Dexter Reed over pattern of violating constitutional rights

Suspensions issued to cops who killed Dexter Reed over pattern of violating constitutional rights

Investigations into four other traffic stops involving the tactical officers who shot and killed Dexter Reed …

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Articles

Chicago ICE team seen threatening drivers has roamed from Illinois to Minnesota to Virginia

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By Steve Held, Dave Byrnes, Raven Geary Verified
| Unraveled
A shocking but familiar scene unfolded on Monday when federal agents pointed a gun in a woman’s face as she sat behind the wheel of her vehicle. Two viral videos captured by the woman, Carolina Molina, show masked men cut off her car and jump out of their vehicles. Almost immediately, one of the agents points his firearm at her. ICE agent pointing his service weapon at Carolina Molina.
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Tensions between police accountability commissioners boil over

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By Zoë Takaki, Steve Held
| Unraveled
CCPSA commissioners meet on July 30, 2026. Photo: Zoë Takaki Members of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) brought the drama to Chicago’s northwest side on Thursday. The sparsely attended meeting inside the Copernicus Center closed out with factions sniping at one another in a dispute centered around which two commissioners should participate in a work group to help select nominees for Chicago’s next police superintendent.
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Police accountability commission under fire: “You have state power-fucking use it.”

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By Dave Byrnes, Steve Held
| Unraveled
Dozens of Chicago residents spoke Thursday night on instances when they said they witnessed Chicago police aiding federal immigration agents’ activities. Photo by Andres Alejandro Chavez. Hundreds of Chicago residents braved Thursday night’s torrential rain to gather for a special meeting of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA). The hearing was prompted by a community petition that gathered over 2,000 signatures over 21 days.
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See all 12 licensed articles (15 Total)