By Committee To Protect Journalists
Photos: Wikimedia Commons
September marked an escalation of patterns CPJ has documented: using press access and immigration powers to control the narrative, instill fear, and encourage censorship. President Donald Trump barred CNN, Politico, and MS NOW from the White House, while restrictions on G20 coverage, efforts for tighter journalist visa rules, and the detention of exiled Nicaraguan journalist Luis Galeano further threatened independent reporting and the public’s right to know.
Yet there are reasons for hope. Courts temporarily restored White House credentials on due process grounds, and dismissed Trump’s lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and pollster J. Ann Selzer, affirming First Amendment protections. The court has not yet ruled on whether the White House ban violated the outlets’ First Amendment rights, and restrictions on Air Force One access continued.
CPJ rallied news outlets in a joint defense of independent journalism and supported their legal challenge. Bipartisan support and collaboration among press freedom and human rights organizations helped secure Galeano’s release on bond as he awaits his next immigration hearing. Together, these efforts show that solidarity, legal action, and sustained advocacy can protect journalists and the freedoms we all depend on.
— José Zamora, CPJ Regional Director, Americas
| The latest |
CPJ, partners urge ICE to release Nicaraguan journalist Luis Galeano CPJ and 14 partner organizations called for the immediate release of Luis Galeano, director of Café con Voz, after ICE detained him in Orlando, warning that deportation would put him in serious danger. Galeano fled Nicaragua’s media crackdown in 2018 and was stripped of his citizenship in 2023. He has a work permit and an asylum case pending for nearly seven years. We urged authorities to protect journalists fleeing persecution and warned of a broader pattern of immigration enforcement targeting journalists serving immigrant and underserved communities. Read more here. Leading news outlets unite to defend a free U.S. press CPJ organized a joint statement by leading news organizations condemning President Donald Trump’s ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. Signatories including the Associated Press, Reuters, and The New York Times warned that punishing outlets for their reporting threatens press freedom and the public’s right to information. Read more here. CPJ condemns Trump’s White House ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico CPJ condemned President Donald Trump’s order to bar CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from White House coverage, saying it violates First Amendment rights. We called on the administration to end its use of government power and press access to punish critical reporting and allow journalists to work without retaliation. Read more here. |
