The Warren Institute at Berkeley Law and the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism invite professional print, broadcast, and online journalists in the United States to apply to its second annual institute on covering immigration. Chosen journalists will be designated as New York Times Fellows and provided the opportunity to learn about the dynamics of America’s divisive immigration debate from an array of leading experts on immigration law and policy. Speakers will include: scholars, top-notch journalists, law enforcement officials, community leaders, legislators and immigrants themselves. This training is specifically designed for journalists who have some background on immigration but seek to enhance their knowledge and skills.
The 2011 seminar will focus on the increasingly complex landscape at the state and local level contextualized within the broader national debate. We will also delve into the cultural and political significance of the changing demographics of the United States and the dispersal of immigrants into new communities. We will examine the many ways that immigrants participate in the economy such as neighborhood business districts, high-tech start-ups, orchards and feed lots. Participants will look at the role of local governments and community organizations in providing or limiting access to public benefits for non-citizens. Recent developments in enforcement laws will also be explored, including: mandatory E-verify, state legislation (including Arizona’s SB1070 and other laws) and Secure Communities. We will examine these issues in the context of immigration history and the ways that immigrants are integrated into American daily life.
The institute will draw on its position in California – which has been at the leading edge on many aspects of immigration – and the wealth of resources at the University of California and beyond. Participants will leave the seminar well-equipped with new perspectives and insights backed by solid research and data, new sources, essential reporting tools, story ideas to deepen their coverage and to share with their newsroom colleagues, and, more importantly, a deeper understanding of immigration from the ground up.
