U.S. Press Freedom Tracker

Incident Database

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2,684 incidents recorded

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Incident
Incident Details
Category Details

Independent filmmaker stopped for second time while crossing U.S.-Mexico border, car and phone searched

Incident Details

Date of incident
January 6, 2019
Location
San Diego, California
Targets
Anonymous documentary journalist 2 (Independent)

Border Stop

Border point →
San Ysidro Port of Entry
Denied entry? →
No
Stopped previously? →
Yes
Asked for device access? →
Yes
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes
Equipment searched or seized →
Status of equipment →
Returned in full
Search warrant obtained →
No

Journalist stopped at the US-Mexico border, questioned about immigration reporting

Incident Details

Date of incident
January 5, 2019
Location
Washington, District of Columbia
Targets
Manuel Rapalo (Freelance)

Border Stop

Border point →
Washington, D.C.
Target nationality →
US citizenship status of target →
U.S. citizen
Denied entry? →
No
Stopped previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes
Equipment searched or seized →
Status of equipment →
Returned in full
Search warrant obtained →
No

Photojournalist pulled into secondary screening at border

Incident Details

Updated on
January 26, 2026
Date of incident
January 5, 2019
Location
San Diego, California
Case number
1:19-cv-06570
Targets
Mark Abramson (Freelance)
Case status
Settled
Type of case
Civil

Border Stop

Border point →
San Ysidro Port of Entry
Target nationality →
US citizenship status of target →
U.S. citizen
Denied entry? →
No
Stopped previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes

Photojournalist questioned at San Ysidro border, separated from camera

Incident Details

Updated on
January 26, 2026
Date of incident
January 4, 2019
Location
San Diego, California
Case number
1:19-cv-06570
Targets
Ariana Drehsler (Freelance)
Case status
Settled
Type of case
Civil

Border Stop

Border point →
San Ysidro Port of Entry
Target nationality →
US citizenship status of target →
U.S. citizen
Denied entry? →
No
Stopped previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
Yes
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes
Equipment searched or seized →
Status of equipment →
Returned in full
Search warrant obtained →
No

Photojournalist questioned at U.S.-Mexico border for second time

Incident Details

Updated on
January 26, 2026
Date of incident
January 2, 2019
Location
San Diego, California
Case number
1:19-cv-06570
Targets
Ariana Drehsler (Freelance)
Case status
Settled
Type of case
Civil

Border Stop

Border point →
San Ysidro Port of Entry
Target nationality →
US citizenship status of target →
U.S. citizen
Denied entry? →
No
Stopped previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes

Photojournalist stopped and questioned at US-Mexico border

Incident Details

Date of incident
January 2019
Location
San Diego, California
Targets
Emilio Fraile (Freelance)

Border Stop

Border point →
San Ysidro Port of Entry
Target nationality →
US citizenship status of target →
U.S. non-resident
Denied entry? →
No
Stopped previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes

Photojournalist questioned at San Ysidro border

Incident Details

Updated on
January 26, 2026
Date of incident
December 30, 2018
Location
San Diego, California
Case number
1:19-cv-06570
Targets
Ariana Drehsler (Freelance)
Case status
Settled
Type of case
Civil

Border Stop

Border point →
San Ysidro Port of Entry
Target nationality →
US citizenship status of target →
U.S. citizen
Denied entry? →
No
Stopped previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes

Student photojournalist stopped at US-Mexico border for secondary screening

Incident Details

Updated on
January 26, 2026
Date of incident
December 29, 2018
Location
San Diego, California
Case number
1:19-cv-06570
Targets
Bing Guan (Independent)
Case status
Settled
Type of case
Civil

Border Stop

Border point →
San Ysidro Port of Entry
Target nationality →
US citizenship status of target →
U.S. citizen
Denied entry? →
No
Stopped previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes
Equipment searched or seized →
Status of equipment →
Searched without seizure
Search warrant obtained →
No

Photojournalist stopped at US-Mexico border for secondary screening

Incident Details

Updated on
January 26, 2026
Date of incident
December 29, 2018
Location
San Diego, California
Case number
1:19-cv-06570
Targets
Go Nakamura (Freelance)
Case status
Settled
Type of case
Civil

Border Stop

Border point →
San Ysidro Port of Entry
Target nationality →
US citizenship status of target →
U.S. citizen
Denied entry? →
No
Stopped previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes
Equipment searched or seized →
Status of equipment →
Searched without seizure
Search warrant obtained →
No

Independent filmmaker stopped while crossing U.S.-Mexico border

Incident Details

Date of incident
December 28, 2018
Location
San Diego, California
Targets
Anonymous documentary journalist 2 (Independent)

Border Stop

Border point →
San Ysidro Port of Entry
Target nationality →
US citizenship status of target →
U.S. citizen
Denied entry? →
No
Stopped previously? →
No
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
No

Filmmaker Saeed Taji Farouky has device taken and searched upon arrival in U.S.

Incident Details

Date of incident
December 23, 2018
Location
Florida
Targets
Saeed Taji Farouky (Independent)

Border Stop

Border point →
United Kingdom
Target nationality →
US citizenship status of target →
U.S. non-resident
Denied entry? →
No
Stopped previously? →
Yes
Asked for device access? →
Yes
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes
Equipment searched or seized →
Status of equipment →
Returned in full
Search warrant obtained →
No

Independent journalist cited for trespassing in Florida city hall

Incident Details

Updated on
December 2, 2019
Date of incident
December 20, 2018
Location
Punta Gorda, Florida
Case number
2:19-cv-00484
Targets
Andrew Sheets (Independent)
Case status
Withdrawn
Type of case
Civil

Arrest/Criminal Charge

Arresting authority →
Punta Gorda Police Department
Charges →
  • Trespassing
    • Dec. 20, 2018: Convicted
    • July 12, 2019: Pending appeal
    • Dec. 2, 2019: Convicted
Unnecessary use of force? →
No

NC news publisher charged with criminal contempt of court

Incident Details

Date of incident
December 3, 2018
Location
Franklin, North Carolina
Targets
Davin Eldridge (Trappalachia)

Arrest/Criminal Charge

Arrest status →
Arrested and released
Arresting authority →
Macon County Circuit Court
Charges →
  • Contempt of court
    • Dec. 3, 2018: Charges pending
    • Jan. 11, 2019: Convicted
    • Jan. 11, 2019: Pending appeal
    • Dec. 3, 2019: Convicted
    • Dec. 3, 2019: Pending appeal
    • March 12, 2021: Convicted
Unnecessary use of force? →
No
Equipment searched or seized →
Status of equipment →
Searched without seizure
Search warrant obtained →
Yes

Subpoena/Legal Order

Legal orders →
Legal order target →
Journalist
Legal order venue →
State

Journalist stopped at border for the fourth time, questioned about immigration reporting

Incident Details

Date of incident
November 24, 2018
Location
San Diego, California
Targets
Brooke Binkowski (Freelance)

Border Stop

Border point →
San Ysidro Port of Entry
Target nationality →
US citizenship status of target →
U.S. citizen
Denied entry? →
No
Stopped previously? →
Yes
Asked for device access? →
No
Asked intrusive questions about work? →
Yes
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