New York
New York is home to some of the country’s busiest immigration courts and some of its most contested detention facilities. Reporters from Syracuse University traced the journey of asylum seekers from upstate holding centers to lower Manhattan courtrooms, uncovering long delays, limited legal representation and communities left waiting for answers.
Syracuse University
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
Behind the Docket
Story by Project Staff
One month, six universities, 62 students, 1,025 proceedings: Scenes from an overstrained immigration system in America.
Coming to Cuse Podcast
Story by Project Staff & Jai’La Du Rousseau & Patricia Diaz
Graphics by Cayla Israel
A podcast series about immigrating to the Salt City
Oswego’s Safe Haven Museum CNY’s ‘forgotten’ Holocaust refugees
Story by Julia Boehning
Photos by Cassie Roshu
Fort Ontario was the only Holocaust refugee camp in the U.S. Its leaders say its story matters more than ever.
Life inside Upstate New York’s ICE detention center
Story by Project Staff
A delayed Christmas, detainee testimony and a surprise DHS inspection offer a rare window into conditions inside the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia.
ICE split her family apart
Story by Elany Romero Cruz & Megan Ebken
Photos by Ella Chan
A Central New York father of two was deported without a hearing, devasting the wife and sons he left behind.
Interpreters can shape asylum hearings
Story by Wesley J. Pérez Vidal & Ben Butler & Olivia Boyer
Photos by Cassie Roshu
Immigration courts heavily rely on remote interpreters. When things go wrong, it can have life-altering consequences.
Venezuelan mother worries family will be separated
Story by Elany Romero Cruz
Photos by Ike Wood
A Venezuelan mother recalls the fear of walking into immigration court, where every hearing carries uncertainty for families seeking to stay in the U.S.
ICE expansion after 9/11 attacks
Story by Cooper Andrews & Jack DiNapoli & Patricia Diaz
Photos by Ike Wood
The 9/11 attacks preceded the signing of the Homeland Security Act in 2002, which led to the creation of ICE. Now, it’s the U.S.'s highest-funded law enforcement agency.
Immigration courts backlog has grown since 2012
Story by Duncan Green & Brenne Sheehan
Photos by Ike Wood
Immigration cases have swelled since 2012. Though courts have moved faster the past two years, critics say the Trump admin’s “efficiency” comes at the expense of due process.
How Syracuse’s immigrants navigate a changing system
Story by Sara Oppenheimer & Evan Edmiston
Photos by Christine Kao
As backlogs grow and ICE enforcement expands, immigrants across New York face a process that feels more uncertain than ever.
Syracuse’s Italian Americans keep culture alive through charity
Story by Sofia Kissel
Photos by Rebecca Beckas
From shoe drives to church food pantries, Syracuse’s Italian Americans carry forward a legacy of generosity.
European hockey prospects fight for their spot in the NHL
Story by Will Broad & Josh Solomon
Photos by Ike Wood
European hockey players dream of making it to the NHL, but the journey to first playing in the American Hockey League isn’t easy.