Civic News Company, parent company of the nonprofit newsrooms Chalkbeat, focused on telling the story of education in America; Votebeat, dedicated to in-depth reporting on elections and voting; and Healthbeat, covering public health and health policy both nationally and locally, is seeking a Chicago Reporter, Chalkbeat to lead coverage of Illinois education policy and contribute to reporting on Chicago Public Schools for our award-winning Chicago bureau.

This reporter will cover how policy and politics shape education in Illinois and Chicago, tracking state efforts to strengthen early childhood education, improve math scores, address student mental health, and increase accountability for student academic performance. The role will also include monitoring how clashes between the Trump administration and Illinois’ Democratic leaders reverberate through schools.

This position reports to the Chicago Bureau Chief, Chalkbeat. 

The key responsibilities for this role include:

• Conceiving and executing impactful stories that help people understand education in Illinois and Chicago. 

• Writing stories ranging from breaking news to classroom-focused features to long-term enterprise projects. 

• Building relationships with readers and key players through newsletters and the reporting process.

• Collaborating with reporters and editors at Chalkbeat, including data, visuals, and engagement teams.

• Representing Chalkbeat at community events and in media appearances.

• Working closely with editors to revise and refine stories based on feedback.

• Ensuring the highest levels of accuracy, balance, and clarity in reporting and writing.

TO APPLY:
Use this link: https://borderlessmagazine.applytojob.com/apply/ypcm2UIrHF/Senior-Immigration-Enforcement-Courts-Reporter

Position: Senior Immigration Enforcement & Courts Reporter

Company: Borderless Magazine NFP

Status: Full-Time Exempt Employee

Location: Chicago with hybrid remote and in-person work

Compensation: $70,000 to $80,000+ Plus benefits; Salary is contingent on experience

Application Due Date: Rolling

Approximate Start Date: March 2, 2026

Website: www.borderlessmag.org

Borderless Magazine is an award-winning nonprofit news outlet that is reimagining immigration journalism for a more just and equitable future. We report and publish stories in both English and Spanish through our online publication. We work with immigrants and their allies to tell their own stories, and we train journalists to report on immigration issues. We won the 2024 Next Challenge’s “Future of Local Journalism” award for our community-centered reporting. Find out more at www.borderlessmag.org.

Borderless is seeking a Senior Immigration Enforcement & Courts Reporter who will lead our coverage of immigration enforcement, detention, deportation proceedings, and related court cases, with a focus on how federal and local policies impact immigrant communities in the Chicagoland area.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to join a diverse leadership team at an organization that values work-life balance. This is a new role, and we are seeking an individual who is ready to hit the ground running.

• Produce compelling, accountability-driven reporting on immigration enforcement practices, ICE operations, and immigration court proceedings
• Develop and maintain relationships with sources, including immigrants, attorneys, advocates, law enforcement officials, and court personnel
• Cover federal immigration policy developments, their local implementation and impact
• Investigate systemic issues within the immigration enforcement and judicial systems
• Attend court hearings, community meetings, and other relevant events
• Collaborate with editors and other reporters on enterprise and investigative projects
• Engage with readers and community members through events and social media
• Mentor junior reporters and contribute to the newsroom's immigration coverage strategy

• Manages a high volume of work efficiently: Able to juggle competing demands and prioritize without sacrificing quality. Plans backward to make deadlines. 
• Attention to detail: Notices and fixes errors that others might overlook. Acknowledges mistakes and turns them into learning opportunities. Has a track record of leaving things better than they found them.
• Strong sense of ownership and resilience: Plans ahead and finds alternative paths, when needed, to get to the finish line. Bounces back from setbacks and rejections. Holds a high bar even when things are hectic.
• Proactive problem solving: Proactively develop solutions to challenges, including constantly looking at big-picture progress and flagging any potential upcoming challenges in the organization overall.
• Flexibility: Ready to take advantage of unexpected opportunities; quickly adapts as things change.

Our ideal candidate will:

• Minimum 10+ years of professional journalism experience, with demonstrated expertise in immigration, legal, or investigative reporting
• Must be based in or willing to relocate to Chicago, Illinois
• Proven ability to cultivate sources and break news in sensitive, complex subject areas
• Strong understanding of immigration law, enforcement procedures, and court systems
• Excellent writing skills with the ability to make complex legal and policy issues accessible to general audiences
• Experience reporting on marginalized communities with cultural sensitivity and ethical rigor
• Ability to work independently and meet tight deadlines
• Commitment to accuracy, fairness, and ethical journalism practices

• Spanish language proficiency
• Experience covering federal courts or criminal justice systems
• Familiarity with Chicago's immigrant communities and local immigration enforcement landscape
• Data journalism skills and experience with public records requests
• Multimedia storytelling capabilities

Benefits
The Senior Immigration Enforcement & Courts Reporter will have access to:

• Subsidized medical, dental, and health insurance for themselves and their spouse/children
• 20 days of vacation accrued per year
• 10 days of sick/mental wellness days
• 10 paid holidays plus the week between Christmas and New Year’s off
• Six weeks of paid family leave, plus additional subsidized leave available through short-term disability insurance
• The opportunity to invest in Borderless’ 403(b) retirement plan
• A one-month paid sabbatical for personal enrichment after working full-time at Borderless for five years

Time Expectations

Borderless Magazine operates from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The majority of the Senior Immigration Enforcement & Courts Reporter’s work will happen during these hours, but the deputy editor will occasionally need to work evenings or weekends for a special event or deadline.

Location

The Sr. Immigration Enforcement & Courts Reporter will be expected to work in person at Borderless’ office in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood at least twice per week.

Borderless’ Values

• People-Centered: We approach our coworkers and the people we interview, train, and mentor with humility and an appreciation of their innate human dignity. We never deceive each other or the people who entrust us with their stories.
• Community First: We are deeply connected to immigrant community members. We prioritize the expertise, desires and needs of immigrants and those who care about them.
• Resilience: We see strength and power in each other and uplift one another in everything we do. We see suffering in the world, but find ways to take care of each other — and ourselves — as we serve our community.
• Fearless: We bravely report the truth of our communities. We are not beholden to political or financial interests. We hold ourselves and others accountable as we help build a more just future.
• Equity: We strive to create spaces and opportunities for people who do not traditionally have power or a platform in the journalism industry, particularly BIPOC and immigrant community members.

Weigel Broadcasting Co. is a family-owned media company based in Chicago, Illinois. The company owns and operates national television networks, as well as local broadcast stations throughout the country. Weigel is a leader in broadcast television with MeTV, Memorable Entertainment Television, the number one rated classic TV entertainment network, as well as the Movies! Network in cooperation with the Fox Television Stations, the Catchy Comedy Network, the H&I - Heroes & Icons Network, the Start TV Network and the Dabl Network in association with the CBS Television Stations, the Story Television Network, the MeTV Toons Network in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery, and WEST- Western Entertainment Series Television Network. Weigel produces the original network TV programs Svengoolie, Toon In With Me and Collector’s Call. Weigel's local stations include CBS, ABC, The CW, MyNet, Telemundo and Univision network affiliates and independent stations, offering a mix of entertainment programming, local news and professional and college sports broadcasts in 29 U.S. markets including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Weigel is the creator of the nationally syndicated music format MeTV FM. For more information on Weigel, visit: https://www.weigelbroadcasting.com/.

WDJT-TV, Weigel Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate in Milwaukee Wisconsin, is searching for a Full-Time Floor Director. Join our growing team that brings viewers in Southeastern Wisconsin unbiased news that matters to the communities we serve. This is an entry level position and the perfect opportunity for someone interested in the Broadcasting and News industry.

The floor director is responsible for preparing the news studio and making sure that all equipment is accounted for and in working order.  Will work closely with talent and technical director, facilitate communication between the control room and studio, and set up and break down the studio for each show. Must be able to multi-task, prioritize, take direction, and focus in an exciting fast-paced news studio.    Excellent listening, communication, and organizational skills with a working knowledge of windows operating systems is required.  This position is second-shift (2:30PM – 11:00PM) including weekends and holidays.

We are a family-owned company committed to storytelling in our local communities. We have an entrepreneurial spirit and are dedicated to digging deep into what our local viewers want to know about.  We offer a comprehensive benefit package including health and welfare benefits, no cost life insurance and in person counseling, generous 401k match, and paid time off!

Weigel Broadcasting Co. maintains an Equal Employment Opportunity Policy for all applicants and employees. We give fair consideration to all qualified persons and afford all our employees opportunities for advancement according to their individual abilities, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age or sex, or other protected categories. No opportunities for promotion, transfer or any other benefit of employment will be diminished through discriminatory practices. Employees or prospective employees have the right to notify an appropriate local, state or Federal agency if they believe they have been discriminated against.