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January 23, 2026

ICE Rapid Response Trainings, Fresh Sharts & Fred Rogers Deepfakes

City Cast Pittsburgh

ICE Rapid Response Trainings, Fresh Sharts & Fred Rogers Deepfakes

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More than 500 Pittsburghers showed up for a training this week on how to safely witness and respond to ICE activity — including City Cast contributor Meg St-Esprit. She joins host Megan Harris and executive producer Mallory Falk to share what she learned from the newly-formed group Frontline Dignity. Plus, the team discusses AI-generated deepfakes of Mister Rogers, behind-the-scenes scheming to keep the Post-Gazette alive, and a viral KDKA typo.

Get your tickets to The Future of Pittsburgh Journalism, a panel featuring our very own Megan Harris and other local media experts. It's happening next Thursday, Jan. 29 at 5:30 p.m. at the Heinz History Center.

Get your tickets to hear Megan on a panel about the future of Pittsburgh journalism.

Notes and references from today’s show:

  • PODCAST: Can You Be Charged for Getting in ICE's Way? [City Cast Pittsburgh]
  • PODCAST: What Actually Happens During an ICE Raid? [City Cast Pittsburgh]
  • Coraopolis overturns ICE agreement following community pushback and council shakeup [Public Source]
  • Doubling down, doubling back: local departments diverge on ICE cooperation [Public Source]
  • Munhall, Stowe police walk back ICE partnerships after quietly inking agreements [Public Source]
  • Hundreds taken into custody at Pittsburgh ICE office, an emerging regional deportation hub [Post-Gazette]
  • The crass Fred Rogers of AI deepfakes has some Pittsburghers 'horrified' [Public Source]
  • Some Post-Gazette workers call for new union leadership [TribLive]
  • Investor group seeks to make Post-Gazette nonprofit [Axios Pittsburgh]
  • Pittsburgh school board members to vote next week on whether to reconsider building closures [WESA]

Learn more about the sponsors of this January 23rd episode:

Pittsburgh Opera

P3R

The Ascent by Christopher Walker

Become a member of City Cast Pittsburgh at membership.citycast.fm.

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