USA / Americas

For data on press freedom violations in the U.S., visit the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, a partnership between CPJ and Freedom of the Press Foundation.

Read CPJ’s report on the Biden administration and the press.

  
A traveler arrives at New York's JFK airport. Suggestions by the Homeland Security Secretary that passengers be asked for social media passwords would impact journalists. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

CPJ calls on Homeland Security secretary to reject password proposal

The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly’s suggestion to a committee hearing that the U.S. could request social media profile and password information as a condition to entering the country. Such requirements would have an impact on journalists by undermining their ability to protect sources and work product,…

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Coalition calls for charges to be dropped against Standing Rock journalists

CPJ and a coalition of other organizations request that the Morton County State’s Attorney’s Office drop the charges against journalists arrested during protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline or justify the arrests of reporters in the course of their work.

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Reporters gather after being denied access to an informal White House press secretary briefing. (AFP/Brendan Smialowski)

Reporters barred from U.S. press secretary briefing

New York, February 24, 2017–The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned by the decision today to bar nine news outlets from an informal briefing known as “a gaggle” by President Donald Trump’s White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. Separately, at the Conservative Party Action Conference in Maryland today, Trump said that journalists should not be…

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A banner is unveiled near a camp of Dakota Access pipeline protesters. Several journalists covering the Standing Rock protests are facing charges. (AP/David Goldman)V(AP Photo/David Goldman)

Journalists covering Standing Rock face charges as police arrest protesters

For months, environmental protesters have clashed with police and private security companies over plans for the Dakota Access Pipeline, a $3.7 billion project that opponents say will destroy Native American sites and affect the region’s water supply. While mainstream media have covered flashpoints in the protests, a core of mostly freelance, left-wing, and Native American…

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CPJ Safety Advisory: US executive order on immigration

On Friday January 27, 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order making significant changes to the country’s immigration system. In the week since the order was issued, there has been great uncertainty about how to interpret the changes and how these are being implemented by the U.S. agencies charged with immigration and border…

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BBC journalist questioned by US border agents, devices searched

New York, February 1, 2017–Customs and Border Protection officers should respect the rights of journalists to protect confidential information when subjecting international reporters to screening on their arrival to the U.S., the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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Police stand guard as a limousine set on fire by activists in Washington burns in the background, January 20, 2017. (Reuters/Adrees Latif)

Journalists charged with rioting in Washington

New York, January 24, 2017–Authorities in Washington D.C. should drop rioting charges against at least three journalists arrested while covering protests on the day of the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

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Transition to Trump: When a president-elect tweets, the trolls take aim

As a new presidential administration prepares to take over the U.S., CPJ examines the status of press freedom, including the challenges journalists face from surveillance, harassment, limited transparency, the questioning of libel laws, and other factors.

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Transition to Trump: Reporters must be allowed to protect their sources

As a new presidential administration prepares to take over the U.S., CPJ examines the status of press freedom, including the challenges journalists face from surveillance, harassment, limited transparency, the questioning of libel laws, and other factors.

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Senator Jeff Sessions at his attorney general confirmation hearing on January 10. Sessions was asked if he would commit to not jailing journalists. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty/AFP)

CPJ urges Sessions to commit to journalist protection if confirmed as attorney general

New York, January 11, 2016–In remarks before the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for attorney general yesterday, U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions said he was unsure whether he would commit to following guidelines adopted by Attorney General Eric Holder in 2015 that make it harder, though not impossible, for the Department of Justice to subpoena journalists’…

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