Rachel Barnhart
@rachbarnhart.com
Former journalist. Current Monroe County Legislator. Posts are personal views unless noted as official. Not allowed: threats, defamation, obscenity, harassment or spam. Rochester, N.Y.
We should do this in Rochester
“Municipalities across the state would be eligible for an opt-in after reviewing the success of the program.”
“Municipalities across the state would be eligible for an opt-in after reviewing the success of the program.”
State of the State Exclusive: Hochul Will Push 'Stop Super Speeders' Bill Through Her Budget - Streetsblog Empire State
New York City motorists with a documented pattern of excessive speeding would be required to install speed-limiting devices inside their cars, Gov. Hochul is expected to announce today.
empire.streetsblog.org
January 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM
We should do this in Rochester
“Municipalities across the state would be eligible for an opt-in after reviewing the success of the program.”
“Municipalities across the state would be eligible for an opt-in after reviewing the success of the program.”
ICE agents barged into his cabin while he and his wife we sleeping. They thought he was someone else.
"Martinez questioned why the agents didn’t just ask him or the cruise line for his identifying information before entering his room and taking him."
"Martinez questioned why the agents didn’t just ask him or the cruise line for his identifying information before entering his room and taking him."
This Phoenix man was unexpectedly detained by Border Patrol agents on cruise ship in Miami
A Phoenix man returning from a Caribbean cruise with his wife was unexpectedly detained by Border Patrol agents on Monday in Miami, Florida. He says it could happen to anyone next.
www.kjzz.org
January 13, 2026 at 1:35 PM
ICE agents barged into his cabin while he and his wife we sleeping. They thought he was someone else.
"Martinez questioned why the agents didn’t just ask him or the cruise line for his identifying information before entering his room and taking him."
"Martinez questioned why the agents didn’t just ask him or the cruise line for his identifying information before entering his room and taking him."
That 30% number is pretty consistent when it comes to MAGA. Have to stop saying the country is divided on this stuff.
It’s not.
A majority believes what they see with their own eyes.
It’s not.
A majority believes what they see with their own eyes.
"Do you approve or disapprove of the DOJ opening a criminal investigation into Jerome Powell over the renovation of a central bank office building?"
All:
Disapprove: 37%
Approve: 30%
Approve Among:
Republicans: 55%
Independents: 21%
Democrats: 14%
YouGov / January 12, 2026
All:
Disapprove: 37%
Approve: 30%
Approve Among:
Republicans: 55%
Independents: 21%
Democrats: 14%
YouGov / January 12, 2026
January 13, 2026 at 1:24 AM
That 30% number is pretty consistent when it comes to MAGA. Have to stop saying the country is divided on this stuff.
It’s not.
A majority believes what they see with their own eyes.
It’s not.
A majority believes what they see with their own eyes.
Despicable
Fundraiser for Minneapolis ICE shooter that’s already raised $178,000 casually points out that the mayor is Jewish 😬
January 13, 2026 at 1:23 AM
Despicable
I was waiting for the news to make this connection.
Jay has been a fixture here in NWV.
ICE didn't capture this criminal on the lam.
He was right here, making great food, raising his family.
He was living openly, even doing news stories.
Turns out a judge deferred his deportation.
Jay has been a fixture here in NWV.
ICE didn't capture this criminal on the lam.
He was right here, making great food, raising his family.
He was living openly, even doing news stories.
Turns out a judge deferred his deportation.
Behind the ICE arrest of a popular halal shop owner in Rochester
ICE highlighted the arrest of restaurant owner Waheed Allah Mohammad in Rochester as part of their "worst of the worst" deportation campaign.
www.democratandchronicle.com
January 12, 2026 at 11:52 PM
I was waiting for the news to make this connection.
Jay has been a fixture here in NWV.
ICE didn't capture this criminal on the lam.
He was right here, making great food, raising his family.
He was living openly, even doing news stories.
Turns out a judge deferred his deportation.
Jay has been a fixture here in NWV.
ICE didn't capture this criminal on the lam.
He was right here, making great food, raising his family.
He was living openly, even doing news stories.
Turns out a judge deferred his deportation.
This guy isn't meeting people where they are. The mass deportation campaign is about a lot more than training issues. But this is the guy who voted to thank ICE. (Which has never been reported on save a question on Connections.)
ICE officers aren't being adequately trained, Morelle says
Congressman Joe Morelle also called on the Senate to pass legislation restoring lapsed Affordable Care Act tax credits that made insurance plans more affordable.
www.wxxinews.org
January 12, 2026 at 10:00 PM
This guy isn't meeting people where they are. The mass deportation campaign is about a lot more than training issues. But this is the guy who voted to thank ICE. (Which has never been reported on save a question on Connections.)
Salzman works for Bello at the county. Given the vindictiveness of Morelle/Bello (though who knows, maybe they're easier on the guys), it's hard to see Salzman doing this without their quiet blessing unless he's quitting. Shocking, I know.
Salzman seeks to replace Moehle as Brighton town supervisor
The last time Brighton had a Democratic primary for town supervisor was 2011, the year Moehle was first elected.
www.wxxinews.org
January 12, 2026 at 9:54 PM
Salzman works for Bello at the county. Given the vindictiveness of Morelle/Bello (though who knows, maybe they're easier on the guys), it's hard to see Salzman doing this without their quiet blessing unless he's quitting. Shocking, I know.
The screen is not damaged so this has to happen from the inside. This is my enclosed porch. Any ideas on how it broke? Probably decades old glass. Yikes.
January 12, 2026 at 7:04 PM
The screen is not damaged so this has to happen from the inside. This is my enclosed porch. Any ideas on how it broke? Probably decades old glass. Yikes.
"Gothamist reached out to nearly 50 major retailers last week...Most have not responded, but many — including CVS, Target, Stop & Shop, Burlington, Marshalls, TJ Maxx and HomeGoods — said they do not. Other retailers, such as Macy’s, confirmed they use the tech, at least at some local stores."
Not just Wegmans: More NYC retailers using facial recognition as tech outpaces law
As the software becomes more common, so too are questions about consumer privacy and business ethics.
gothamist.com
January 12, 2026 at 4:01 PM
"Gothamist reached out to nearly 50 major retailers last week...Most have not responded, but many — including CVS, Target, Stop & Shop, Burlington, Marshalls, TJ Maxx and HomeGoods — said they do not. Other retailers, such as Macy’s, confirmed they use the tech, at least at some local stores."
Nuance is hard.
I support BWCs.
I don’t support this particular BWC policy.
I also think arming all probation officers without telling us is bad.
And it’s bad to not have cameras for all armed officers.
This is tricky because it’s just bad policy making.
I support BWCs.
I don’t support this particular BWC policy.
I also think arming all probation officers without telling us is bad.
And it’s bad to not have cameras for all armed officers.
This is tricky because it’s just bad policy making.
We're voting on equipping probation officers with body worn cameras, which raises privacy concerns. Draft policy is really bad.
And during vetting of BWCs, we learned new probation officers now must be armed, which raises accountability concerns. Legislature never informed. 1/
And during vetting of BWCs, we learned new probation officers now must be armed, which raises accountability concerns. Legislature never informed. 1/
January 12, 2026 at 2:44 PM
Nuance is hard.
I support BWCs.
I don’t support this particular BWC policy.
I also think arming all probation officers without telling us is bad.
And it’s bad to not have cameras for all armed officers.
This is tricky because it’s just bad policy making.
I support BWCs.
I don’t support this particular BWC policy.
I also think arming all probation officers without telling us is bad.
And it’s bad to not have cameras for all armed officers.
This is tricky because it’s just bad policy making.
Finally getting the leaves!
Latest ever, but we had the snowiest start to winter in a decade.
Latest ever, but we had the snowiest start to winter in a decade.
January 12, 2026 at 1:49 PM
Finally getting the leaves!
Latest ever, but we had the snowiest start to winter in a decade.
Latest ever, but we had the snowiest start to winter in a decade.
We're voting on equipping probation officers with body worn cameras, which raises privacy concerns. Draft policy is really bad.
And during vetting of BWCs, we learned new probation officers now must be armed, which raises accountability concerns. Legislature never informed. 1/
And during vetting of BWCs, we learned new probation officers now must be armed, which raises accountability concerns. Legislature never informed. 1/
January 12, 2026 at 1:09 PM
We're voting on equipping probation officers with body worn cameras, which raises privacy concerns. Draft policy is really bad.
And during vetting of BWCs, we learned new probation officers now must be armed, which raises accountability concerns. Legislature never informed. 1/
And during vetting of BWCs, we learned new probation officers now must be armed, which raises accountability concerns. Legislature never informed. 1/
An actual Fox News op-ed:
“What we are seeing across the country as organized gangs of wine moms use Antifa tactics…”
🍷
“What we are seeing across the country as organized gangs of wine moms use Antifa tactics…”
🍷
DAVID MARCUS: Impeding federal law enforcement is not protest, it's just crime
The death of activist Renee Good highlights the dangerous confusion between civil disobedience and criminal activity in modern ICE protests.
www.foxnews.com
January 12, 2026 at 1:47 AM
An actual Fox News op-ed:
“What we are seeing across the country as organized gangs of wine moms use Antifa tactics…”
🍷
“What we are seeing across the country as organized gangs of wine moms use Antifa tactics…”
🍷
Scores of young people have been shot dead while protesting.
Iran medics describe hospitals overwhelmed with dead and injured protesters
Hundreds of people are believed to have been killed and injured by the security forces, with more than 70 bodies brought to one hospital.
www.bbc.com
January 11, 2026 at 1:59 AM
Scores of young people have been shot dead while protesting.
They knocked on my door today! Thank you for the gift (chocolate!). What a wonderful way to say hello.
January 10, 2026 at 7:45 PM
They knocked on my door today! Thank you for the gift (chocolate!). What a wonderful way to say hello.
These headlines really bother me because the country is not split. A majority is not okay with Trump's immigration crackdown, and polls will show a majority don't think this was a clean shooting.
January 10, 2026 at 5:32 PM
These headlines really bother me because the country is not split. A majority is not okay with Trump's immigration crackdown, and polls will show a majority don't think this was a clean shooting.
She's right - our local law enforcement officers don't act like ICE. If they did, they wold be violating general orders all day long.
I wish more police leaders would speak out like she's doing.
I wish more police leaders would speak out like she's doing.
Philadelphia sheriff Rochelle Bilal:
“No law enforcement professional wears a mask…No law enforcement professional shoots at a moving vehicle.
“What Trump’s private army is doing…is not only against legal law, but moral law.”
Vows to arrest agents on site who commit crimes.
“No law enforcement professional wears a mask…No law enforcement professional shoots at a moving vehicle.
“What Trump’s private army is doing…is not only against legal law, but moral law.”
Vows to arrest agents on site who commit crimes.
January 10, 2026 at 3:15 PM
She's right - our local law enforcement officers don't act like ICE. If they did, they wold be violating general orders all day long.
I wish more police leaders would speak out like she's doing.
I wish more police leaders would speak out like she's doing.
"This is what a cover-up looks like."
Feds bashed for "shocking" lockdown of Minneapolis ICE shooting probe
"It's shocking," says a lawyer who was a defense attorney for Derek Chauvin.
www.axios.com
January 10, 2026 at 1:24 PM
"This is what a cover-up looks like."
Damning column on the culture of ICE.
"All of us, citizens and immigrants alike, are being ruled by people who think life is a privilege bestowed by authority, and death is a fair penalty for disobedience."
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/o...
"All of us, citizens and immigrants alike, are being ruled by people who think life is a privilege bestowed by authority, and death is a fair penalty for disobedience."
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/o...
January 9, 2026 at 2:28 PM
Damning column on the culture of ICE.
"All of us, citizens and immigrants alike, are being ruled by people who think life is a privilege bestowed by authority, and death is a fair penalty for disobedience."
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/o...
"All of us, citizens and immigrants alike, are being ruled by people who think life is a privilege bestowed by authority, and death is a fair penalty for disobedience."
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/o...
Excellent story on Wegmans and how it collects and uses our data. Erie County DA says facial recognition is NOT used in prosecution of shoplifters. Erie now considering disclosure law.
Wegmans in Buffalo surveilling shoppers, collecting reams of data
Wegmans has made headlines for its use of facial recognition technology in NYC. But the business is collecting tons of other shopper data, too.
www.investigativepost.org
January 9, 2026 at 2:19 PM
Excellent story on Wegmans and how it collects and uses our data. Erie County DA says facial recognition is NOT used in prosecution of shoplifters. Erie now considering disclosure law.
Reposted by Rachel Barnhart
Editorial in the National Catholic Reporter: "The vice president's comments justifying the death of Renee Good are a moral stain on the collective witness of our Catholic faith. His repeated attempts to blame Good for her own death are fundamentally incompatible with the Gospel."
Catholic Vice President Vance takes to social media to justify killing of Renee Good
After the tragic shooting of Renee Good at the hands of ICE, the Catholic vice president of the United States took to social media to justify the killing.
www.ncronline.org
January 8, 2026 at 10:51 PM
Editorial in the National Catholic Reporter: "The vice president's comments justifying the death of Renee Good are a moral stain on the collective witness of our Catholic faith. His repeated attempts to blame Good for her own death are fundamentally incompatible with the Gospel."
The story is good because it makes clear, we really don't know why crime dropped. (It dropped nationwide.)
But what good news for our community.
But what good news for our community.
Rochester’s peace wave - Rochester Beacon
In 2025, the number of violent crime incidents in the city was lower than almost any year since 2011. And property crime incidents hit a record low.
rochesterbeacon.com
January 9, 2026 at 1:27 AM
The story is good because it makes clear, we really don't know why crime dropped. (It dropped nationwide.)
But what good news for our community.
But what good news for our community.
Good wasn’t even protesting. She has just dropped her kid off at school.
Woman killed by ICE agent in Minneapolis was a mother of 3, poet and new to the city
The woman shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis was a U.S. citizen and mother of a 6-year-old. In social media accounts, 37-year-old Renee Nicole Macklin...
www.mprnews.org
January 8, 2026 at 9:03 PM
Good wasn’t even protesting. She has just dropped her kid off at school.
Good video explainer that makes it clear the shooter was not in the path of Good's vehicle.
Video: Videos Contradict Trump Administration Account of ICE Shooting in Minneapolis
An analysis of footage from three camera angles show that the vehicle appears to be turning away from a federal officer as he opened fire.
www.nytimes.com
January 8, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Good video explainer that makes it clear the shooter was not in the path of Good's vehicle.
"Percassi did not respond when asked if the company plans to respond to a letter issued by Monroe County Legislator Rachel Barnhart, who excoriated the company for its quiet rollout of powerful biometric scanners."
A bill sponsored by a Central New York state senator could stop biometric surveillance at stores like Wegmans
State Sen. Rachel May, D-Syracuse, sponsored a bill that could stop biometric data collection in places like grocery stores like Wegmans.
centralcurrent.org
January 8, 2026 at 2:44 PM
"Percassi did not respond when asked if the company plans to respond to a letter issued by Monroe County Legislator Rachel Barnhart, who excoriated the company for its quiet rollout of powerful biometric scanners."