Dear Friend of Press Freedom:
Join us at 1 p.m. ET today for a conversation about a recent court victory shutting down deportations of international students based on their speech, and learn what the decision means for journalists and their sources. But first, the government is still prosecuting, investigating, and subpoenaing reporters, even as it uses journalists’ work — like Pablo Torre’s reporting on a massive NBA scandal — to launch investigations. All the more reason we need a federal shield law.
Pablo Torre shows why we need the PRESS Act
Federal prosecutors recently opened an investigation into allegedly fraudulent payments by the Los Angeles Clippers to star player Kawhi Leonard after Torre reported on the scheme, using information from confidential sources. But as Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) Executive Director Trevor Timm points out, while the Trump administration relied on a journalist’s legwork to find evidence of crimes, it’s still attacking journalist-source confidentiality.
That’s why it’s time to pass the PRESS Act and protect journalists from being forced to reveal their confidential sources.
Free Florida journalist Luis Galeano
On Monday, immigration authorities detained Miami-based journalist Luis Galeano. Galeano moved to the United States in 2018 after being exiled from his home country, Nicaragua. The Nicaraguan government has since stripped him and nearly 100 other regime opponents of their citizenship.
Galeano’s detention and possible deportation could put him in grave danger back in Nicaragua. FPF joined a coalition of press freedom advocates to demand his release.
MAGA lawmakers target journalist over reporting
FPF Deputy Director of Advocacy Adam Rose explains how a call by three Republican members of Congress for a federal investigation of journalist Max Blumenthal over his reporting on the funeral of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could easily be turned on them the next time Democrats control Congress.
Court strikes down DHS attempt to suppress foreign journalists
In a press freedom win this week, a federal court blocked the Department of Homeland Security’s proposed requirement that foreign journalists renew their visas every 240 days — an unreasonable administrative burden that could chill applicants’ reporting.
FPF’s Rose applauded the ruling, explaining that “the administration’s targeting of journalist visas is fundamentally un-American and a betrayal of the First Amendment.”
New York City wants to cut off public access to police radio
New York City is considering some of the most extreme antitransparency proposals in the nation when it comes to police radio, which many journalists depend on for real-time information on incidents in the city. This week, FPF called on the New York City Police Department to preserve public access to radio transmissions by leaving them unencrypted (with limited exceptions for tactical operations) and providing real-time access.
What we’re reading
Journalist, pilot, and pedestrian killed in LA news helicopter crash: What we know about the victims
Our thoughts are with the families and colleagues of photojournalist Eliana Moreno, helicopter pilot George Marciniw, and the victim on the ground, as well as NBC4 Los Angeles, Telemundo 52, and the entire LA journalist community.
DOJ seeking reporter’s LinkedIn records in secretive First Amendment court fight
Good for LinkedIn for pushing back on the government’s latest attempt to out journalists’ confidential sources. Forcing tech platforms to disclose data that could link journalists to their sources chills reporting that holds the government accountable.
Palestinian-American journalist Naqaa Hamed detained by Israeli forces after settlers targeted her
It seems naive to call on this administration in particular to stand up for a Palestinian-American journalist detained by Israel. But they should. It’s their job, and we can’t normalize inaction, no matter who is in office.
Entergy Arkansas drops lawsuit over newspaper’s publication of data center agreement details
“Entergy and its lawyers almost certainly knew their lawsuit was meritless when it was filed,” FPF Chief of Advocacy Seth Stern said about the utility’s lawsuit over a newspaper publishing its agreement details.
CPJ, partners call on Israel to protect NAZA filmmakers’ fundamental rights
Threats to denaturalize investigative journalists and filmmakers are illegal and outrageous and belie any claim that financing Israel’s wars advances democracy. FPF joined a coalition of press freedom groups in protesting Israeli authorities’ alarming conduct.
