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Eli Hager

Eli Hager is a reporter covering issues affecting children and teens in the Southwest.

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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters near Air Force One on August 03, 2025 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Red state workers could lose out on disability benefits as Trump admin rewrites eligibility rules

Eli Hager
Elon Musk during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, March 24, 2025. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

The untold saga of what happened when DOGE stormed Social Security

Eli Hager
Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in the 1st Summit Arena at the Cambria County War Memorial on August 30, 2024 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Trump claims he’ll fight for working-class Americans. His first presidency suggests he won’t

Eli Hager
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey speaks during a rally for President Donald Trump at the International Air Response facility on October 19, 2018 in Mesa, Arizona. (Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

Arizona became the model for school voucher programs. Then they blew a huge hole in its budget

Eli Hager
Mother and daughter. (fizkes/Getty Images)

The “death penalty” of child welfare: In six months or less, some parents lose their kids forever

Agnel Philip, Eli Hager, Suzy Khimm
Closeup father and son holding hands. (PeopleImages/Getty Images)

For Black families in Phoenix, child welfare investigations are a constant threat

Eli Hager, Agnel Philip, Hannah Rappleye
Volunteers hand out food during an aid distribution event. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The cruel failure of welfare reform in the Southwest

Eli Hager