Last summer, federal agents from DHS — ICE and Border Patrol — were caught on camera attacking dozens of journalists in Los Angeles.
When you go after people whose job is documenting everything, there will be evidence.
Those journalists, joined by the Los Angeles Press Club and The NewsGuild, fought back — filing a federal lawsuit.
On April 1, they won a critical ruling. A federal court found that DHS overstepped at immigration-related protests in Los Angeles and that journalists have constitutional protections at those protests. The 9th Circuit affirmed that federal agents likely violated the First Amendment rights of both journalists and protesters by using retaliatory force — projectiles, tear gas — against them.
The case isn't over. But the courts have seen enough. Judges keep describing the evidence as an "avalanche."
The takeaway is simple: Keep recording.
Watch FPF’s Deputy Director of Advocacy Adam Rose explain — and if you're a journalist facing a press freedom violation, contact @uspresstracker at: [email protected]
If you're a journalist and you can't tell the story, you are the story.
LA demonstrators may have broken turnout records at No Kings 3 on March 28 — but LAPD broke the rules, violating a federal injunction that prohibits officers from restricting press coverage of protests.
Officers obstructed journalists, threatened them with arrest, and detained two freelance photographers. Three others who appeared to be press were taken away in LAPD vehicles.
Freedom of the Press Foundation Deputy Director Adam Rose was on the ground documenting the scene and helping reporters assert their rights.
L.A. Taco’s Lexis-Olivier Ray posted on Bluesky that he narrowly avoided arrest thanks to Rose advocating for him and other journalists.
Watch Rose explain what happened that day — and if you're a journalist facing a press freedom violation, email a tip to @uspresstracker[email protected]
The @uspresstracker has recorded nearly 200 press freedom violations involving @LAPDhq and journalists — including Pulitzer and Emmy winners.
This week, FPF's @adjoro challenged the LA police commission to prevent another international incident.
The stakes are increasingly global — LA will host the World Cup next month and the Summer Olympics in 2028.
Can the LAPD confront its press freedom problem before the international media arrives?
Press rights advocate @adjoro from @lapressclub and @freedomofthepressfoundation speaks at the May 5th 2026 LAPD Commissioners meeting. What do you think should be done about the LAPD’s continued abuse of press rights?
I spoke in a Stanford electrical engineering class called “Designing for Authenticity” (EE292J), tackling trust in digital media amid rise of AI. Hadn’t seen my Starling Lab colleagues in person for a while so we improvised a high five... but was it authentic?!?
“It’s not the role of the FCC or any other government agency to police any kind of speech,” Freedom of the Press Foundation’s Deputy Director of Advocacy Adam Rose told the BBC Wednesday.
This comes after Trump’s Federal Communications Commission moved to review the licenses of ABC-owned stations, following calls from Trump and his wife, Melania, for the firing of ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over a joke he told last week.
“When we see this level of interference,” said Rose, “it essentially threatens not only Jimmy Kimmel, but other broadcasters, other comedians, and news outlets in particular.”
In a statement issued Tuesday, FPF’s Chief of Advocacy Seth Stern said, “The First Amendment and the FCC’s mandate do not permit the agency to use broadcast licenses as weapons to punish broadcasters for constitutionally protected content they air. This is nothing but illegal jawboning intended to intimidate ABC into kissing the ring.”
Closed captioning is autogenerated and may contain inaccuracies.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Los Angeles Press Club invite you to join us on Sunday, May 3, 2026, in honor of World Press Freedom Day.
The event runs from 2-4 PM, featuring insights from experts on the state of press freedom — including major developments both foreign and domestic.
RSF North America Director Clayton Weimerswill present on his organization’s annual World Press Freedom Index, with the latest edition published just before the event.
Expert speakers include:
Georgia Fort – The 3-time Emmy-winning journalist has been a pioneering force in Minnesota. She captured the nation’s attention when federal agents arrested her at home in retaliation for covering an ICE protest, and now she’s casting a light on press freedom nationwide.
Mariel Garza – A former LAPC board member and leader in the local journalism community, she’s been an editor for opinion pages across the state — and resigned from the LA Times after the paper’s owner blocked the editorial board’s presidential endorsement.
Lucas Shaw – Overseeing media and entertainment coverage for Bloomberg News in Los Angeles, he also pens the award-winning Screentime newsletter. Covering the intersection of Hollywood and Silicon Valley gives him an insider view of corporate media ownership.
Peter Bibring – An experienced attorney and champion of the First Amendment, he represents the LAPC and individual journalists in several landmark cases. He’s won federal injunctions against both DHS (ICE, Border Patrol) and LAPD to protect the ability of the press to do their jobs.
A social hour will follow at 4 PM, including bites from a classic LA taco truck.
The entire afternoon is free thanks to generous support from the Golden Globe Foundation — but space is limited. Please make sure to RSVP! The Los Angeles Press Club is hosting with free parking on-site at 2535 W Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026. Questions? Email [email protected]@lapressclub #reporters #may #freedomday #joinus #rsvp
LA Police Chief Jim McDonnell absurdly claimed that his department’s “good” relationship with the press is unmatched nationwide.
“Our relationship with the working media, the traditional media, if you will, I don't think is as good anywhere in the country,” he said.
But the treatment of journalists covering protests in Los Angeles suggests a very different reality.
That’s why Freedom of the Press Foundation Deputy Director of Advocacy Adam Rose attended a recent @lapdcommission meeting to challenge McDonnell’s claim directly.
Rose detailed numerous incidents in which journalists were obstructed or subjected to force by LAPD officers — proving that @lapdpolicechief ’s statements are far from true, and it is high time that the @LAPDHQ stops denying it.
👀 ☁️ Journalists are doing an amazing job covering protests and immigration enforcement on the ground. But don’t forget to look up. The federal government is quietly changing the rules of the sky — making it harder and riskier to report on ICE.
The FAA quietly updated a nationwide ban on drones near “select locations” and “mobile assets” controlled by DHS. How are journalists, who use drones for reporting, supposed to identify these “mobile assets” when ICE drives around in unmarked vehicles?
“This new confusion puts everyone at risk,” said FPF’s Deputy Director of Advocacy Adam Rose. “We sent more questions to the FAA last week. We’re still waiting for answers.”
Watch @adjoro explain what exactly these new regulations mean for journalists, and follow us for more on how press freedom is being challenged — on the ground and in the sky.
“It's not going to hold up in court,” FPF’s @adjoro tells @gbnews about the indictment of Don Lemon by Trump’s DOJ.
Friday’s arrests of Lemon and independent journalist Georgia Fort raise alarm about a deeper issue. What's more important “are the implications, the chilling effect and the intimidation of journalists who are just doing their job.”
(Closed captioning was autogenerated and may contain inaccuracies.)
