U.S. Press Freedom Tracker

Incident Database

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38 incidents recorded

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Incident
Incident Details
Category Details

Intercept reporter told “You are not a journalist” when stopped by border officials

Incident Details

Date of Incident
April 30, 2021
Location
Nogales, Arizona
Targets
Ryan Devereaux (The Intercept)

Border Stop

Border Point →
Nogales-Morley Gate Port of Entry
Stopped at border? →
Yes
Denied Entry? →
No
Stopped Previously? →
Yes
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked to display social media? →
No
Asked for social media passwords? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
No
Were devices searched or seized? →
No

Photojournalist stopped, strip searched while crossing back into U.S.

Incident Details

Date of Incident
April 30, 2021
Location
Nogales, Arizona
Targets
Ash Ponders (Independent)

Border Stop

Border Point →
Nogales-Morley Gate Port of Entry
Stopped at border? →
Yes
US Citizenship Status of Target →
U.S. citizen
Denied Entry? →
No
Stopped Previously? →
Yes
Asked for device access? →
Unknown
Asked to display social media? →
No
Asked for social media passwords? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes
Were devices searched or seized? →
No

CBP officer withholds journalist’s passport until he agrees to say he writes 'propaganda'

Incident Details

Date of Incident
October 3, 2019
Location
Dulles, Virginia
Targets
Ben Watson (Defense One)

Border Stop

Border Point →
Dulles International Airport
Stopped at border? →
Yes
US Citizenship Status of Target →
U.S. citizen
Denied Entry? →
No
Stopped Previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked to display social media? →
No
Asked for social media passwords? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes
Were devices searched or seized? →
No

BBC journalist questioned by border official, passport reviewed

Incident Details

Date of Incident
August 29, 2019
Location
Brownsville, Texas
Targets
Stephanie Hegarty (BBC News)

Border Stop

Border Point →
Brownsville & Matamoros International Bridge
Stopped at border? →
Yes
Target Nationality →
US Citizenship Status of Target →
U.S. non-resident
Denied Entry? →
No
Stopped Previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked to display social media? →
No
Asked for social media passwords? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes
Were devices searched or seized? →
No

CBP agent asks British journalist entering U.S. if he’s part of the ‘fake news media’

Incident Details

Date of Incident
August 22, 2019
Location
Los Angeles, California
Targets
James Dyer (Empire Magazine)

Border Stop

Border Point →
Los Angeles International Airport
Stopped at border? →
No
Target Nationality →
US Citizenship Status of Target →
U.S. non-resident
Denied Entry? →
No
Stopped Previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked to display social media? →
No
Asked for social media passwords? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes
Were devices searched or seized? →
No

Freelance reporter stopped while crossing border; passport card photographed

Incident Details

Date of Incident
May 24, 2019
Location
San Diego, California
Targets
Nate Abaurrea

Border Stop

Border Point →
San Ysidro Port of Entry
Stopped at border? →
Yes
US Citizenship Status of Target →
U.S. citizen
Denied Entry? →
No
Stopped Previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked to display social media? →
No
Asked for social media passwords? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes
Were devices searched or seized? →
No

Journalist stopped at the border for the third time, questioned about his work and FOIA request

Incident Details

Date of Incident
February 16, 2019
Location
Miami, Florida
Targets
Manuel Rapalo

Border Stop

Border Point →
Miami International Airport
Stopped at border? →
Yes
US Citizenship Status of Target →
U.S. citizen
Denied Entry? →
No
Stopped Previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked to display social media? →
No
Asked for social media passwords? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes
Were devices searched or seized? →
No

BuzzFeed News reporter aggressively questioned about reporting at passport checkpoint

Incident Details

Date of Incident
February 3, 2019
Location
New York, New York
Targets
David Mack (BuzzFeed News)

Border Stop

Border Point →
John F. Kennedy International Airport
Stopped at border? →
Yes
Target Nationality →
US Citizenship Status of Target →
U.S. permanent resident (green card)
Denied Entry? →
No
Stopped Previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked to display social media? →
No
Asked for social media passwords? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes
Were devices searched or seized? →
No
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