U.S. journalists face war-zone conditions at home - Editor and Publisher

Covering immigration enforcement in the U.S. is no longer just a beat — for many journalists, it has become a physical safety risk once associated with foreign war zones. As federal crackdowns intensified in 2025, reporters from Los Angeles to Chicago faced detention, injury and intimidation while doing their jobs. In response, local newsrooms began building grassroots safety networks, sharing training, protocols and resources once reserved for international correspondents. Reporting by Diane Sylvester shows how these efforts are reshaping what it means to protect journalists at home.