New England First Amendment Coalition

June 2025

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We Want to Hear From You!

As a member of the NEFAC Community, you are in the company of journalists, academics and other fans of the First Amendment and open government. We look forward to seeing you at our events and hearing from you about our programs.

Accessing Immigration Records

June 26 | 12 p.m. ET

Instructors: Jason Leopold, Renee Griffin, Lau Guzmán and Ellen Goodrich

With U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) detentions occurring across the country and many communities on edge, journalists must navigate federal and state laws to report on immigration policy and related action.

Obtaining public records, however, has become a significant challenge. Federal agencies are preventing local entities from disclosing information. Records on arrests and criminal charges aren’t always provided. The names of those arrested are often kept secret. Data on how many detentions have occurred can be difficult to find. The federal Freedom of Information Act often is of little help.

So what can local reporters do to get the records they need?

30 Minute Skills - Register Now

Recent Classes Available to View

Education Reporting 101

Instructor: Meg Woolhouse | GBH News

Education reporting is becoming an increasingly important part of all beats. Whether you're just starting to cover education policy or looking to learn more about the schools in your community, this class is the place to start. By viewing this lesson, you'll learn:

The educational landscape and how schools systems are structured.
How to find critical sources for your stories.
Where to find education-related data.

▶ All Previous Lessons

▶ Aug. 19 | Immigration Reporting 101

▶ Sept. 29 | Start a Non-Profit Newsroom

▶ Oct. 20 | How to Start Your Own Podcast

▶ Nov. 6 | How to Network and Find Your Next Great Opportunity

Newsroom Education

NEFAC Meets with MassLive to Discuss Newsgathering, Threats to First Amendment

Continuing its work with local newsrooms across the six-state region, NEFAC recently met with MassLive journalists in Worcester, Mass. Executive Director Justin Silverman discussed journalism practices and continued threats to the First Amendment.

Since January of this year, NEFAC has led more than a dozen in-person and virtual programs on topics ranging from First Amendment case law to student journalism.

▶ Request a Speaker for Your Next Event

First Amendment and the Free Press

Coalition Leads Transparency Lesson for Officials Representing Two Dozen Countries

NEFAC recently met with a delegation of government officials from 24 countries to discuss transparency and the public’s right to know.

The U.S. State Department sponsors short-term visits to the United States for foreign officials, executives, journalists and other professionals to learn about a variety of topics, including the First Amendment.

Since 2011, NEFAC has partnered with WorldBoston, a local non-profit organization, to coordinate presentations and educational programming during those visits.

▶ Learn More