Brenda Medina
ICIJ
New York, NY, United States
Contact Brenda
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
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Past articles by Brenda:
How the world’s richest defend their wealth, with help from a dedicated industry
Author and scholar Chuck Collins offers an insider's account of the ‘wealth defense industry’ and the inequality it perpetuates in his new book, “The Wealth Hoarders.” → Read More
These activists helped immigrants in Miami during a year of many challenges
The separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border, plans for a border wall and the death of two Guatemalan children who died while in Border Patrol custody were among the immigration-related news that dominated headlines in 2018. → Read More
Danna Flores, a brave little girl who’s battling monsters and cancer
On April 20, 2017, Danna Flores was diagnosed with neuroblastoma stage 4, a type of cancerous tumor that is born in the nervous tissue and normally develops in young children. Now her family needs to move to New York so she can undergo life-saving treatment. → Read More
These immigrants can’t vote. So they’re working hard to influence those who can.
Although President Donald Trump is not on the ballot, immigrants in Miami and around the country are trying to turn the midterm elections into a referendum on presidential policies and they view as anti-immigrant. → Read More
Can Trump really end birthright citizenship? South Florida experts, advocates weigh in
In Miami-Dade, where more than half of its almost 2.6 million residents are foreign born, immigrant rights groups and members of the South Florida congressional delegation — most notably Republicans — were quick to reject Trump’s plan. → Read More
Another immigrant caravan touring the U.S. has arrived in Miami
The federal government presented a plan to temporarily extend Temporary Protected Status for thousands of immigrants, in response to a court order that blocked the Trump administration’s plan to end that protection. → Read More
Inside the Mexican shelter holding hundreds of Honduran migrants from the caravan
Hundreds of Hondurans are being detained by Mexican authorities → Read More
They protested against ICE and now they are paying the price, activists say
South Florida immigration activists Bud Conlin and Tomas Kennedy are asking ICE to restore their visitations rights to Krome detention center, in Miami-Dade. → Read More
Haitians, immigration lawyers welcome ruling blocking Trump from ending TPS
Advocates for Haitians and Central Americans enrolled in Temporary Protected Status program welcome federal judge’s decision to halt efforts by the Trump administration to end the program. → Read More
Her husband went to an immigration interview about their marriage. He was detained by ICE
The detention of immigrants during USCIS interviews on marriage questions has become increasingly common in Florida, lawyers say → Read More
Cities were ranked based on opportunities for immigrants. The best weren’t in South Florida
Miami wound up in 29th place among 100 large U.S. cities in a study of the opportunities they offer to immigrants to integrate into society. The report, titled National Integration Index, was by New American Economy. → Read More
After being separated at the border, they began a quiet life in Miami. What’s next?
Many of the children separated from their parents at the border remain isolated and in detention. But that is no longer the case for 12-year-old Antonio. → Read More
Oprah and her Hollywood friends raised thousands to help these women in Miami
Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, a post #MeToo initiative by stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Ashley Judd and Salma Hayek, has distributed $750,000 in grants, including to four Miami organizations. → Read More
Naturalized Americans could lose their citizenship with thousands of cases under review
The Trump administration is reviewing thousands of files of naturalized U.S. citizens, looking to see whether they committed fraud during the the citizenship process. If so, they may be deported. → Read More
What we know about Trump’s proposal to punish immigrants who receive public benefits
Reports that the Trump administration wants to deny citizenship to immigrants who receive public assistance have unleashed much concern. But nothing has been approved yet and published reports are confusing. → Read More
For attorneys who represent migrant children, work is just beginning
Aside from helping thousands of other immigrants in Florida, Americans for Immigrant Justice is the only legal aid organization authorized to represent minors sent to shelters in South Florida by the federal government, including those separated from their parents at the border. → Read More
Undocumented immigrant turned over to ICE after fender bender sues Miami-Dade
Undocumented immigrants filed suit against Miami-Dade over compliance with the Trump administration’s demand that local governments extend detentions for people booked on local charges while being sought for deportation. → Read More
Honduran man separated from son at U.S. border 2 months ago fears he 'lost everything'
Jose Caceres is one of 36,580 Hondurans who have been deported this year from the United States – and one of more than 230 who have been separated from their children under the Trump administration’s short-lived “zero tolerance” policy. → Read More
Trump dialed it up to 10, but his predecessors often treated migrants with disdain
President Donald Trump's policy of family separation has been attacked as inordinately harsh, but U.S. policy has frequently been hard on migrants. → Read More
Her daughter spent more than 100 days at an immigrant shelter
The debate over immigrant children has centered on the more than 2,000 minors separated from their parents under the Trump administration's “zero tolerance” policy after crossing the U.S. border illegally. But some 9,000 other youths who are in shelters across the United States entered the country "unaccompanied," meaning without their parents. → Read More