Feds accuse Chicago Tribune reporter of interference, sparking backlash: ‘Journalism is not a crime’

Experts say the federal government is using social media to try to discredit reporters and control the narrative around immigration enforcement in Chicago

Posted Monday, October 27, 2025 11:25 am

Patrick Filbin | Block Club Chicago

A top Homeland Security official publicly accused a Chicago Tribune reporter of interfering with federal operations last week — a move media experts say reflects an increasingly hostile posture toward journalists covering immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The exchange began when Tribune reporter Gregory Royal Pratt posted on X — formerly Twitter — Tuesday that ICE agents were operating on 26th Street in Little Village.

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Feds accuse Chicago Tribune reporter of interference, sparking backlash: ‘Journalism is not a crime’

Experts say the federal government is using social media to try to discredit reporters and control the narrative around immigration enforcement in Chicago

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