Politicians bully homeowners off their land for a computer chip factory

New York's "investment of the century" comes at a high cost for the people whose homes must be bulldozed to make way for a Micron semiconductor plant.

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Britta Serog and her family have lived at the end of Burnet Road, on the outskirts of Syracuse, New York, for decades. Serog’s home and the surrounding lands are now under threat – thanks to a combination of federal subsidies and eminent domain, a legal concept that allows the government to forcibly take ownership of their property.

She is one of the few holdouts who remains steadfast in her opposition to the county's plan to seize land along Burnet Road in order to clear the way for a massive semiconductor factory. President Joe Biden has hailed the project as proof that his "Made In America" economic agenda is a success. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has called it "the investment of the century." For Serog and her neighbors, however, the project is something else entirely. It's the end of the place they have called home for decades.

"Taking somebody's private land and giving it to another private company. Is that the government's place? I don't think so."

Produced by Eric Boehm; camera by Qinling Li; edited by Danielle Thompson; additional graphics by Isaac Reese; audio production by Ian Keyser.

Music Credits: "Waiting" by Laurel Violet via Artlist; "Line" by Oak and Cherry via Artlist; "Cosm" by Amulets via Artlist; "Reverence" by Oliver Michael via Artlist; "Subdivide" by Stanley Gurvich via Artlist; "Woodland" by Laurel Violet via Artlist; "Unsettled" by Matt Stewart-Evans via Artlist; "Future Forests" by Ben McElroy via Artlist; "Sun Up" by Laurel Violet via Artlist.

Photo Credits: Mark Wilson/CNP / Polaris/Newscom; SMG/ZUMA Press/Newscom; Wang Ying / Xinhua News Agency/Newscom; Mike Groll/ Office of Governor Kathy Hochul; Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Newscom; CNP/AdMedia/SIPA/Newscom; Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Newscom; Ron Sachs - Pool via CNP/CNP / Polaris/Newscom; Institute for Justice.