U.S. News' Ruben Castaneda Awarded Dennis A. Hunt Fellowship for Health Journalism

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report's Ruben Castaneda today published the first of a multi-part series on how immigration policies from the Trump administration are affecting the physical, emotional and mental health of those impacted, including U.S. citizens nationwide who have at least one undocumented parent. The reporting is supported by the Center for Health Journalism's Dennis A. Hunt Fund fellowship, a competitive grants program awarded to journalists reporting on community health.

"Trump Stokes Anxiety Among U.S. Citizen Kids of Undocumented Parents" brought Castaneda to a third-grade classroom in Baltimore, Maryland, telling the story of 22 students who broke down in tears for fear of deportation shortly before this year's inauguration. These students join the currently 4.5 million U.S. citizen children of undocumented parents, and another 1 million children who are themselves undocumented.

In addition to Baltimore, Castaneda traveled to Los Angeles, California, and Portland, Oregon, to capture the fear, depression and anxiety students are experiencing around immigration. Subsequent articles publishing over the next four months include:

• In October, Castaneda will feature an advocacy group that has developed a mental health toolkit for those part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as "Dreamers." The group aims to help Dreamers cope with the stress of being undocumented so they can better advocate to save DACA, the executive order signed by former President Barack Obama's administration protecting a select group of undocumented immigrants who were children when they were brought to the U.S., from detention and deportation.
  
  
• In November, Castaneda will spotlight clinicians and educators who are helping children of undocumented parents, from scouting areas where ICE might be present to hosting "Know Your Rights" events with immigration attorneys offering advice about the rights of the undocumented.
  
  
• In December, an evaluation of how negative rhetoric around immigration affects the sense of identity for children whose parents are in ICE crosshairs.

"I'm honored to be selected for the Dennis A. Hunt fellowship and given the opportunity to explore the critical health issues facing underserved communities," said Castaneda, health and wellness reporter for U.S. News." "This series brings to light the mental health effects and challenges that tough immigration policies can have on the youngest U.S. citizens and undocumented children."

Formerly a longtime Washington Post reporter nominated for the Pulitzer Price, Castaneda is also the author of "S Street Rising: Crack, Murder and Redemption in D.C." The book chronicles D.C.'s crack epidemic in the late 1980s and early '90s.

This year's Center for Health Journalism 2017 National Fellows include journalists from Vox, NBC News, Huffington Post, Telemundo, New Orleans Times-Picayune and Hechinger Report.

About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is a digital news and information company that empowers people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. Focusing on Education, Health, Personal Finance, Travel, Cars and News & Opinion, USNews.com provides consumer advice, rankings, news and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 30 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

SOURCE U.S. News & World Report