US immigrant news groups deliver trusted multilingual reporting through messaging apps
Independent, immigrant-focused news organisations across the US are using WhatsApp, social media and chat groups to provide reliable information directly to communities often overlooked by mainstream media. Their local, multilingual reporting is helping counter misinformation about immigration enforcement, scams and legal rights, while building trust by treating immigrants as people with complex lives rather than merely victims.
Documented runs Spanish-language WhatsApp, Chinese-language WeChat and Haitian Creole TikTok services, while Conecta Arizona’s WhatsApp group La Hora del Cafecito has attracted thousands of members and offers expert question-and-answer sessions. The Immigrant News Coalition, formed by several outlets, has received $1.5m from the Press Forward Foundation, alongside Democracy Fund support, to develop sustainable funding models and expand reporting designed with immigrant communities rather than simply translated for them.
- Independent outlets deliver trusted news directly to immigrant communities.
- WhatsApp and other platforms help combat ICE misinformation and scams.
- A $1.5m grant supports sustainable immigrant-focused journalism.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “These journalists share vital reporting with thousands of US immigrants – all by text and WhatsApp”.