Tracking statements from local, state and national organizations supporting press freedom in Minnesota

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The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) is outraged and deeply alarmed by the arrests of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort by federal agents, and by the government’s escalating effort and actions to criminalize and threaten press freedom under the guise of law enforcement.

Let us be perfectly clear: The First Amendment is not optional and journalism is NOT a crime. A government that responds to scrutiny by targeting the messenger is not protecting the public, it is attempting to intimidate it, and considering recent incidents regarding federal agents, it is attempting to distract it.

These arrests follow Lemon’s and Fort’s coverage of an anti-ICE protest in Minneapolis at Cities Church and appear intended to single out such messengers who were simply onsite to do their jobs. “As journalists, our first obligation is to bear witness and to inform,” said NABJ President Errin Haines. “When those obligations are met with detention or prosecution instead of protection, we must ask: what message are we sending about who gets to report and who gets silenced? A free press, not a penalized one, is essential to democracy; especially, when coverage intersects with contentious public issues.”

This moment is bigger than two journalists. It is about whether the First Amendment has meaning when reporting is inconvenient to those in power. The selective targeting of journalists— especially, Black and LGBTQIA journalists— raises urgent concerns about unequal enforcement and retaliatory policing of the press. It also mirrors a broader pattern in which government actors appear quick to criminalize those documenting injustice, while accountability for official misconduct remains elusive.

When will this stop? When will journalists be allowed to do their jobs without becoming targets? When will the constitutional rights of the press stop being tested, stretched, and ignored to make an example out of those who tell the truth?

NABJ calls on federal authorities to immediately clarify the legal justification for these arrests and to halt all retaliatory posture toward journalists that undermine constitutional press protections. We further call on media organizations, newsroom leaders, press freedom advocates, civil rights groups, legal experts, and allies across the country to not only stand together, organize, and act, but to also closely monitor these cases and unapologetically speak out against any actions that threaten the ability of reporters to do their jobs safely and without interference. The normalization of arrests during lawful newsgathering poses risks to ALL journalists.

Journalism that holds power to account strengthens democracy. That mission must be defended, not punished. Not now. Not this way, and again, NOT ON OUR WATCH!

In Solidarity,

National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ)

Aegis Safety Alliance

Amnesty International USA

Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association

Asian American Journalists Association

Association of Foreign Correspondents in the USA

Capital B

Center for Journalism & Democracy

Committee to Protect Journalists

Defending Rights and Dissent

First Amendment Coalition

Free Press Action

Freedom of the Press Foundation

GLAAD

Human Rights First

Institute for Nonprofit News

International Women’s Media Foundation

Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE)

James W. Foley Legacy Foundation

Journalism & Women Symposium

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Media and Democracy Project

Multicultural Media and Correspondents Association

National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ)

National Association of Science Writers

National Black Justice Collective

National Council of Negro Women

National Press Photographers Association

National Writers Union

Online News Association

PEN America

Radio Television Digital News Association

Reporters Without Borders

SAG/AFTRA

Society of Environmental Journalists

Society of Professional Journalists

South Asian Journalists Association

The 19th

The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists (NLGJA)

The Intercept/Freedom Defense Fund

The News Guild/CWA

The Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education

The Trust Project

Tiny News Collective

Trans Journalists Association

URL Media

Whistleblower & Source Protection Program (WHISPeR) at ExposeFacts

WURD

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Federal agents arrested independent journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort on Thursday and Friday, charging them with violating federal law during a protest inside a Minnesota church earlier this month.

Gabe Rottman, vice president of policy for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, made the following statement:

“It’s obviously concerning any time journalists are arrested in connection with their reporting. To our knowledge, it’s unprecedented for the Justice Department to deploy the federal laws it has previously cited in this case against journalistic activity.

“Historically, the limited number of cases that have been brought against a journalist documenting a protest on private property have been handled as trespass cases at the state level. Those charges are almost always dropped, or if the cases go to trial, the journalists typically prevail.”

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The Society of Professional Journalists strongly condemns today’s arrest of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort in connection with their reporting on a Jan. 18 demonstration at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota.

SPJ calls on the U.S. Department of Justice to drop all charges against Lemon and Fort – and any journalists detained while lawfully reporting. The Society urges local authorities to fully explain the circumstances surrounding these arrests. And the Society reminds law enforcement agencies of the importance of clear policies and training that protect journalists’ right to observe, document and report on matters of public concern without fear of retaliation.

Arresting newsgatherers violates the public’s foundational democratic right to full, fair, comprehensive and contextualized accounts of daily events. Journalists are not the story – they are the eyes and ears of the public. Arresting them for covering the news is a dangerous step toward eliminating government accountability and weakening democracy. A democracy cannot function when journalists face handcuffs for bearing witness.

“Journalists covering demonstrations play a critical role in documenting events of public interest, ensuring transparency and holding institutions accountable – especially during moments of heightened tension,” said Chris R. Vaccaro, SPJ national president.

Lemon clearly told viewers of his live online broadcast that he was at Cities Church in St. Paul to cover the demonstration, adding, “I’m not here as an activist. I’m here as a journalist.” That distinction matters because journalists routinely cover demonstrations and controversial gatherings as part of their duty to inform the public. Law enforcement should recognize and respect that role, not criminalize it. Arresting a journalist for reporting from a public demonstration undermines the First Amendment and sends a dangerous message to reporters nationwide.

“By arresting these journalists, the administration is signaling that journalists are unworthy of equal protection under the law,” Vaccaro said. “By egregiously flouting the constitution, the Trump administration is threatening speech rights more broadly. If they can arrest reporters for doing their jobs, government officials can arrest anyone speaking in public in ways that the government dislikes, regardless of a person’s motives or reasons for speaking.”

Participants in the demonstration said they were at the church because one of its pastors, David Easterwood, also leads a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office.

“Detaining or arresting journalists who are documenting a demonstration involving powerful institutions and government officials sends a dangerous message: that scrutiny will be punished,” said Caroline Hendrie, SPJ executive director. “These actions chill coverage, erode public trust in authorities charged with upholding the law, and deprive the public of firsthand, on-the-ground reporting that is essential to an informed democracy.”

SPJ’s Ethics Committee underscored those concerns, pointing to the Society’s Code of Ethics which calls on journalists to “seek truth and report it,” “support the open and civil exchange of views,” and fulfill a “special obligation to serve as watchdogs over public affairs and government” to ensure transparent governance.

Fort and Lemon were among those arrested Thursday afternoon and Friday morning in connection with the demonstration.

In a letter to the appeals court before Friday’s arrests, Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz, an appointee of President George W. Bush, wrote, “Two of the five protestors were not protestors at all; instead, they were a journalist and his producer. There is no evidence that those two engaged in any criminal behavior or conspired to do so … The government’s arguments about the urgency of its request makes no sense. As the government says, ‘dozens’ of protestors invaded Cities Church on Sunday. The leaders of that group have been arrested, and everyone knows that they have been arrested.”

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The International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) condemns the arrests of journalists Georgia Fort and Don Lemon, who were taken into custody earlier today by federal agents following their coverage of a January protest inside Cities Church in St. Paul. Amid the U.S. government’s mounting efforts to suppress press freedom, this is an outrageous violation of reporters’ First Amendment rights.

The IWMF joins the National Association of Black Journalists as a signatory on its news release affirming that journalism is not a crime, and arresting reporters for documenting matters of public concern is retaliatory policing of the press. We also note that women journalists and journalists from marginalized communities are disproportionately targeted for their work.

As the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press cited, cases involving journalists covering protests on private property have historically been handled – when charges exist at all – as limited state-level trespass matters.

The current administration’s efforts to delegitimize and criminalize journalism threaten not only reporters, but the public’s right to know. When the press is censored, so is the truth.

We join the broader press freedom community in condemning these arrests. We also call for authorities to immediately disclose the legal basis for these arrests, to cease the escalating use of the criminal legal system to intimidate journalists, and to be held accountable for this violation of constitutional rights.

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Federal agents late this week arrested journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort for doing their jobs, which was reporting on the outrageous actions being perpetrated by ICE in Minneapolis and the justifiable public protests.

Journalism is not a crime, but government actions like this are intended to impede the free press from doing its work. It is intended to chill freedom of the press and to discourage all of us, journalists and residents alike, from exercising the rights guaranteed under the First Amendment. The charges are even more remarkable because they had been rejected last week by a federal magistrate and a federal appeals court. That makes the intent now even more clear.

Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freedom of speech.” We cannot, and will not, allow the press to be subdued in this moment.

The work we do here at UC Berkeley Journalism is part of the bedrock of American democracy. As long as we do this work, there is hope — hope that the voices of the overlooked will be heard, hope that those who abuse power will be held to account, hope that humanity will have better tomorrows.

Journalists like Lemon and Fort are in the vanguard, but so are you — so are all of us — and we will continue to find strength, inspiration and resolve by standing up for democratic principles and standing up for freedom of the press. In the end, we will prevail.

Sincerely,
Michael D. Bolden
Dean and Professor

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National Press Club President Mark Schoeff, Jr. today issued the following statement:

“The National Press Club is deeply alarmed by the arrest of journalist Don Lemon by federal agents Thursday night in Los Angeles while he was covering the Grammy Awards.

Jailing a journalist for doing their job is dangerous — not only for press freedom, but for the public’s right to know. When reporters risk arrest for documenting events of public interest, the result is fewer witnesses, less accountability, and a more uninformed public.

Mr. Lemon’s arrest is linked to his reporting during a Jan. 18 protest at a Minnesota church that included speaking to the pastor, members of the church and protestors. Mr. Lemon was simply practicing the core elements of constitutionally protected journalism: documenting the protest and providing context for the actions unfolding before him. He has stated he was not part of the demonstration.

A magistrate judge previously declined to sign a criminal complaint related to that reporting, yet Mr. Lemon has remained subject to federal enforcement.

The National Press Club is also concerned by reports that other independent journalists may have been detained in connection with this coverage. If confirmed, such actions would signal a troubling pattern of targeting journalists for newsgathering.

Journalism is not a crime. Arresting or detaining journalists for covering protests, public events, or government actions represents a grave threat to press freedom and risks chilling reporting nationwide.

The world is watching closely, and the implications of this case extend far beyond any one reporter.

The National Press Club will continue to monitor this matter closely as more information becomes available.”

Press Forward’s statement on the arrest of journalist Georgia Fort, who was charged with violating federal law while reporting on a protest at a Minneapolis church

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"The recent arrests of Black journalists for documenting threats to immigrant communities are an absolute threat to press freedom. We stand in solidarity with our sibling journalism organizations in condemning such actions. 

As a Black trans journalist, it is also not lost on me how these efforts intersect with the ongoing attacks on trans rights and communities. 

We either want to protect and defend the conditions under which truth-telling and accountability are firmly-held and enforced values, which necessarily requires the humanity of trans people to be properly regarded, or we don't. " 

— TJA Executive Director Tre'vell Anderson

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The arrests of journalists Georgia Fort and Don Lemon for reporting on a protest set a dangerous precedent for press freedom. Bearing witness is not a crime. Reporting at moments of civic tension — especially where government power and community response intersect — is core to journalism’s role in a democracy, and the First Amendment exists to protect precisely this work.

Through our Fault Lines® framework, we know the risk is not evenly shared. Journalists working at the intersections of race, immigration, power, and community — often independent or community-based reporters — are the first to feel the chilling effect when newsgathering is criminalized.

If they are pushed out, the voices and communities journalism has worked to include are pushed out too. We stand with the National Association of Black Journalists and the wider journalism community in condemning these arrests and calling for the protection of journalists’ constitutionally protected rights.
 

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Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) strongly condemns the arrests of independent journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort, who covered a Jan. 18 protest against immigration enforcement at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Don Lemon worked more than 15 years at CNN. Georgia Fort is a three-time Midwest Emmy Award-winning journalist.

Journalists have a duty to witness, document and inform the public. Both journalists have stated they were at the protest in their official capacity. Arrests like these are blatant attacks on press freedom and meant to have a chilling effect on the willingness of journalists to cover future events. We stand with Don, Georgia and all journalists lawfully exercising their First Amendment rights.

“They keep turning the screws, trying to stop us from doing our job of reporting the actions of our government,” said IRE Executive Director Diana Fuentes. “It’s not going to work. Journalists have a constitutionally protected right — and deep responsibility — to keep the people informed and we will not stop.”

IRE, the nation’s largest journalism association, calls on the federal government to drop these charges and to acknowledge and respect the rights of journalists covering protests across the country. 
 

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As a community foundation committed to civic health, democratic values, and community well-being in service to all people, we are deeply concerned by the detention of a Minnesota-based journalist in connection with coverage of public events.

A free press, due process, and the protection of civil liberties are foundational to a healthy democracy and to public trust in our institutions. Journalists play a critical role in documenting events, informing the public, and ensuring transparency—particularly during moments of heightened community tension.

We believe accountability, transparency, and adherence to the rule of law are essential for maintaining public confidence and safeguarding the rights of all community members.
 

Journalism is not a crime. 

Freedom of the press is protected under the First Ammendment.

The Center has joined the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and many other journalism and press freedom organizations, in collective outrage over the arrest of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort.

The arrests are in connection with a protest held at a St. Paul, MN church. 

A journalist reporting on a protest to share it with their audience is not a crime. These tactics are meant to create a chilling effect on holding power to account.

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The arrest of independent journalists, Don Lemon and Georgia Fort, is an egregious attack on the First Amendment and especially journalists of color nationwide.

Like other journalists in Minnesota, Don and Georgia were doing their jobs when they were reporting on the community’s response to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operation in the state.

Reporting the facts, shining a light on the truth, and most importantly, holding the powerful accountable is not a crime — it’s a constitutionally protected right that we have as journalists, publishers, and newsrooms. The First Amendment is clear: The work we do as journalists is not only protected, but plays a critical role in our society.

URL (which stands for Uplift, Respect, and Love) Media is a network built to uplift Black and Brown newsrooms, audiences, and journalists nationwide. Earlier this week, we hosted a solidarity mixer with the Committee to Protect Journalists in New York City, showing our clear support for journalists facing unprecedented attacks.

We take this action — of solidarity — not just seriously but as a founding pillar of our own organization. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.

We stand with Don Lemon and Georgia Fort and with every journalist unfairly silenced or criminalized for doing their jobs.

In solidarity,

Sara Lomax, President and CEO of WURD Radio, LLC
S. Mitra Kalita, CEO and Publisher of Epicenter NYC
Co-founders of URL Media 

RICHFIELD, As CEO of Santamaria Broadcasting—owner of KMNV La Raza (95.7 FM / 1400 AM) and KMNQ Amor Radio MN (1470 AM)—I express our strongest condemnation of the federal arrests of journalists Georgia Fort and Don Lemon. These actions represent a targeted retaliation against the press for documenting matters of significant public interest.

On January 30, federal agents executed arrest warrants for both journalists following a grand jury indictment. These charges stem from their presence at the Cities Church in St. Paul on January 18, where they were providing on-the-ground coverage of a citizen demonstration. While the government characterizes their work as a "coordinated attack," the reality is clear: these
individuals were present in a purely journalistic capacity to report on the intersection of community activism and federal immigration policy.

It is critical to highlight the following facts that underscore the overreach of this prosecution:

• Judicial Rejection of Warrants: Prior to the grand jury indictment, a federal magistrate judge and the Chief U.S. District Judge both reviewed the government's evidence and refused to issue arrest warrants, noting that the journalists committed no acts of violence. The journalists were arrested in spite of a lack of Judicial Warrants.
• Immediate Release: Following her arrest today, U.S. Magistrate Judge Dulce Foster ordered the immediate release of Georgia Fort, rejecting the federal prosecution’s rhetoric that her work constituted a "crime of violence." The court further denied the government’s request for restrictive "stay-away" orders, affirming her right to move freely as a member of the media.
• Constitutional Violation: The use of the FACE Act and conspiracy charges to criminalize newsgathering is an unprecedented escalation that threatens the First Amendment. Documenting a protest—even one that occurs in a place of worship—is a social responsibility, not a criminal act.

As broadcasters, we will not remain silent while the federal government attempts to chill protected speech. We stand in total solidarity with Georgia Fort and Don Lemon. We are united by a commitment to our audiences and the fundamental right of the public to be informed.

When the press is intimidated, the entire community’s right to know is violated. Freedom of the press is non-negotiable, and we will continue to defend the exercise of a free press without fear of censorship or persecution.

Maya Santamaria CEO, Santamaria Broadcasting

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We write as Black British broadcasters and journalists in solidarity with Don Lemon and Georgia Fort, who were arrested while carrying out their professional duties as members of the press.

We recognise this moment for what it is: Black journalists being criminalised for doing our jobs.

When Black reporters are arrested for bearing witness, documenting protest, and telling the truth, it is not an isolated incident - it is an attack on press freedom that disproportionately targets us.

An attack on them is an attack on all Black journalists, wherever we work.

Too often, Black journalists are singled out, over-policed, and obstructed from reporting - particularly when covering state power, protest, racism, or injustice.

Our credibility is questioned, our presence challenged, our rights treated as conditional, and our employment status is often precarious.

This pattern is familiar on both sides of the Atlantic.

The arrest of Don Lemon - a journalist with three decades of experience - and Georgia Fort, Vice President of the National Association of Black Journalists’ Minnesota chapter, sends a chilling message.

It suggests that Black journalists can be punished simply for showing up, filming, and doing the work that democracy depends on. That is unacceptable.

Though both Lemon and Fort were released from custody without bail on Friday 30 January, investigations into the pair remain ongoing.

We stand with our colleagues in the United States and call on both the US and UK governments to uphold their commitments to press freedom, and the fundamental right of journalists to report without fear of arrest, intimidation, or retaliation.

These protections must apply to all journalists - not only when it is comfortable or convenient.

Silencing Black journalists has always been an effective way to silence Black truths. We refuse that silence.

Signed,

Marcus Ryder, writer, broadcaster, charity CEO

Lenny Henry, comedian, actor, author

Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, author and activist

Afua Hirsch, broadcaster, author, professor of journalism

Afua Hagan, journalist and broadcaster

Scarlette Douglas, presenter and TV Host

Warren Haughton, media consultant

Nels Abbey, writer & broadcaster

Jayson Mansaray, broadcast journalist & producer

Isha Sesay, journalist & CEO of Okayplayer & OkayAfrica

Marvyn Harrison, broadcaster and founder of Dope Black Dads

Keme Nzerem, broadcaster and journalist

Misan Harriman

Maxine Watson, executive producer

Patrick Younge, journalist and executive producer

Jonte Richardson, executive producer

Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, actor

Adrian Lester CBE, actor

Donu Kogbara

Katie Mark, deputy editor

Annika Allen, journalist & co-founder

Gary Younge, professor and writer

Sinai Fleary, journalist, broadcaster & founder

Dee Kahlon, talent executive

Colin Grant, author

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NEW YORK—According to news reports, the federal government arrested journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort, last night and this morning respectively, for their reporting on an anti-ICE protest that took place earlier this month at a Minneapolis church. The Knight Institute calls on the Department of Justice to drop the prosecutions.

The following can be attributed to Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.

“The Justice Department’s arrest of journalists reporting on anti-ICE protests is extremely alarming, especially given that multiple judges refused to approve arrest warrants just last week. Reporting on protests isn’t a crime—it’s protected by the First Amendment. The Justice Department should drop these prosecutions, or the courts should throw them out. We are especially concerned about these arrests because they take place against the background of a broader effort by the Trump administration to tighten the vise around press freedom.”

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MINNEAPOLIS – (Jan. 30, 2026) – NABJ-MN, the Minnesota chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, denounces the early morning arrest on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, of local journalist Georgia Fort and requests the dismissal of any charges.

It is the chapter’s understanding that Fort, the vice president of broadcast for NABJ-MN, has been arrested in connection with her coverage of a Jan. 18 demonstration at a St. Paul church. As a journalist, she was present to report on the protest, not as a demonstration participant.

Fort, an award-winning independent journalist, has covered numerous demonstrations for years, including the protests that erupted in the Twin Cities following the 2020 murder of George Floyd. Her professionalism and the trust she has built with community members have enabled her to deliver on-the-ground reporting that Minnesotans can’t find elsewhere.

The First Amendment protects the press and enables journalists to collect, publish, and disseminate information free from persecution. The arrests of Georgia Fort and reporter Don Lemon appear to be nothing short of retaliation by those who wish to erode the bedrock of Constitutional freedoms on which America was founded.

We stand with Georgia, Don and the American public, who deserve access to information unimpeded.

—The board of NABJ-MN

NABJ-MN chapter Co-President Sheree Curry will represent the chapter at an 11 a.m. press conference in support of Georgia Fort at the Minneapolis Federal Courthouse.

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MINNEAPOLIS – (Jan. 31, 2026) – NABJ-MN, the Minnesota chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, applauds the release on Friday, Jan. 30, of independent journalist and NABJ-MN Vice President Georgia Fort by U.S. Magistrate Judge Dulce Foster. While we are relieved she is no longer in custody, we continue to demand the immediate dismissal of all charges against Fort.

Journalists must never face arrest or prosecution for doing their jobs. Any action that chills newsgathering, intimidates reporters, or criminalizes coverage of public demonstrations is an affront to the First Amendment and to the public’s right to know.

We stand firmly with Georgia Fort and with all journalists who continue to do their work under increasing pressure and risk. A free press is not optional; it is foundational to democracy.

###

Allies may support GeorgiaFort through donations on her official page: GeorgiaFort.com.

NABJ-MN support can be made at NABJMN.org.

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As media outlets that regularly report on newsworthy events, we, the undersigned, vigorously condemn the recent arrests of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort.

Lemon and Fort were arrested after covering a January 18 protest at a church in Minneapolis. They were conducting the constitutionally protected activities of a working journalist: observing, recording and documenting a newsworthy event and attempting to obtain quotes from participants.

Their arrest on charges of allegedly obstructing a place of worship, and even worse, under federal conspiracy law, alarm all of us who believe in the First Amendment and seek to do our jobs without fear of obstruction by law enforcement or retaliation by agents of the government.

The principle of a free press animated the founding of the United States of America 250 years ago, and countless Americans have fought valiantly for it. We cannot allow colleagues to be subjected to spurious and unwarranted arrest for committing acts of journalism.

We call on federal authorities to drop all charges against Lemon and Fort and to publicly affirm their unqualified support for the work of professional journalists in this critical time.

Signatories:

THE CITY

Grist

The 19th

New York magazine, part of Vox Media LLC

The Cityside Journalism Initiative

CalMatters

NY Focus

Epicenter

Documented

The Intercept

Dallas Free Press

Florida Trident

The Jersey Vindicator

Cardinal News

El Paso Matters

Wasau Pilot and Review

Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting

InDepthNH.org

Lookout News

The Xylom

The Lens

ecoRI News

The Providence Eye

San Francisco Public Press

Block Club Chicago

Injustice Watch

South Side Weekly

Invisible Institute

The TRiiBE

La Voz Chicago

New Bedford Light

Vox Populi

The Trace

Center for Investigative Reporting

The Jersey Bee

Capital B

Wisconsin Watch

Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

San Francisco Public Press

Philadelphia Hall Monitor

The Guardian US

The Journal of Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater

The Marshall Project

Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism

FaVS News

East Lansing News

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💪🏽 We stand with NAHJ (National Association of Hispanic Journalists) and more than two dozen journalism organizations nationwide in urging law enforcement and the courts to respect journalists’ First Amendment rights and allow them to work without harm or interference. The intimidation, physical force and deployment of chemical agents experienced by journalists covering immigration enforcement actions and protests across the country must end.

A free press depends on journalists being able to report safely, especially in moments of public tension and crisis.

✊ In solidarity.
🔗 Read the full statement and access safety resources: https://lnkd.in/e4Cfnhq7

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January 29, 2026 — The National Association of Hispanic Journalists stands with journalists who
have been physically and verbally attacked by federal immigration agents and law
enforcement while providing essential coverage in and near Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles,
New Orleans, San Antonio and other U.S. cities.

NAHJ and other journalism organizations implore all law enforcement officers and the courts to
respect journalists’ First Amendment rights and allow them to do their work without interference,
physical abuse, threats or intimidation.

On Jan. 25, federal immigration agents in Minnesota indiscriminately deployed pepper spray,
hitting reporters, including independent journalist and NAHJ member Nick Valencia, even after
he identified himself as a member of the news media.

Videos shared on social media show Valencia and other journalists covering the aftermath of
Alex Pretti’s killing on Saturday being subjected to chemical irritants and physical force by
federal immigration agents.

The incident is consistent with the experience of other journalists covering immigration raids
and related demonstrations who say they have faced similar treatment.

Chicago Sun-Times photographer and NAHJ member Anthony Vazquez was among reporters
and photographers whom federal immigration agents hit with tear gas and other chemical
irritants while covering demonstrations last fall in Chicago.

On Jan. 28 outside the Dilley ICE detention facility, about an hour from San Antonio, Texas, state
troopers deployed chemical irritants during a protest near the facility, hitting journalists with the
spray.

Journalism is protected under the U.S. Constitution. Law enforcement officers must respect the
vital role journalists play in providing the public with timely, accurate information, particularly
during tense and fast-moving situations that have involved serious injuries and fatalities.

The right of journalists to report from volatile and unfolding situations without risk to their health
or safety is fundamental. When these rights are violated, NAHJ will not remain silent.

Indiscriminate use of chemical irritants, tear gas, rubber bullets and other less-lethal projectiles
poses threats to the public, including journalists doing their jobs.

Courts have previously recognized these rights. In Chicago Headline Club v. Noem, legal action
secured an injunction against such abuses, and journalists have said they would pursue further
legal remedies if agents continue to target members of the news media.

As NAHJ stands with our members doing this critical work, we share again our safety resources
developed for journalists working in high-risk law enforcement environments.

Journalists who encounter abuse or intimidation while working in the field can access help from
the Committee to Protect Journalists at [email protected].

As immigration enforcement actions and public demonstrations intensify across the country,
law enforcement agencies and the courts must ensure that journalists can work safely and
without interference.

The rights and safety of all journalists is more than an ideal for NAHJ and all organizations
signing this letter. It is a founding principle and core to our mission. This is a commitment from
which we will not step back, a commitment upon which we will act. NAHJ will continue to
support journalists as they persevere in their work.

In Solidarity,
Asian American Journalist Association (AAJA)
National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ)
Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS)
The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists (NLGJA)
Local Independent Online News Publishers (LION)
American Press Institute (API)
Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)
Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA)
Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE)
Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism (AHCJ)
Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA)
Freedom of the Press Foundation
Tiny News Collective
Online News Association (ONA)
The Center for Journalism & Democracy
National Press Club
National Press Club Journalism Institute
CatchLight
Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW)
Military Veterans in Journalism (MVJ)
Latino Journalists of California (CCNMA)
The Trans Journalists Association
Pulitzer Center
The Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education
American Community Media (ACoM)
The Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ)
The Indigenous Journalists Association (IJA)
International Center for Journalists (ICFJ)
Aquí: The Accountability Movement
Latino Media Collaborative
GLAAD