With U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) detentions occurring across the country and many communities on edge, journalists must navigate federal and state laws to report on immigration policy and related action. Obtaining public records, however, has become a significant challenge. Federal agencies are preventing local entities from disclosing information. Records on arrests and criminal charges aren’t always provided. The names of those arrested are often kept secret. Data on how many detentions have occurred can be difficult to find. The federal Freedom of Information Act often is of little help. So what can local reporters do to get the records they need?
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Presented by the New England First Amendment Coalition and the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications.