Immigration policy remains one of the most contentious, consequential and misunderstood issues in the United States. For journalists, it’s more important than ever to inform immigration stories with reliable data — both to counter misinformation and to highlight the impact of national policies on local communities.

On February 25, 2025, The Journalist’s Resource hosted an hourlong, on-the-record webinar on how to improve immigration news coverage with data-driven reporting and original story ideas.

Panelists discussed:

·    Where to find reliable immigration enforcement data – and how to interpret it.

·    Common errors in news stories about immigration.

·    Tips for localizing and humanizing stories about national immigration policy.

·    Ethical considerations when interviewing immigrants and asylum seekers.

Panelists:

Linda Dakin-Grimm, an attorney who has represented more than 100 unaccompanied migrant children and separated families in the U.S. immigration system, and successfully challenged the first Trump Administration in federal courts. She is the author of Dignity & Justice: Welcoming the Stranger at Our Border.

Austin Kocher, an assistant professor at Syracuse University whose research focuses on immigration and border enforcement across the U.S. He specializes in demystifying complex data, and he will share graphics that journalists can share with their audiences.

Caitlin Dickerson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter and feature writer for The Atlantic who specializes in immigration coverage. She is currently writing a book about the impact of deportation on American society.

Moderator: Carmen Nobel, program director and editor-in-chief of The Journalist’s Resource.