At Documented, our work remains deeply rooted in our commitment to New York City’s immigrants. We aim to do more than tell stories — we amplify the voices of immigrant communities, connect people to essential resources, and hold those in power accountable. Through our work, we address critical challenges these communities face and highlight the progress being made.
Here’s a look at six ways our reporting throughout 2024 made a difference.
Combating wage theft: legislative action and accountability
The Documented Wage Theft Monitor highlighted systemic violations and set the stage for reform. In January, our reporting inspired three new state bills designed to combat wage theft, a significant win for workers. NYC Comptroller Brad Lander also created an employer violation tracker modeled on our work, further amplifying accountability.
Empowering communities through direct engagement
This year, Documented journalists connected in-person with over 400 immigrant attendees, providing vital clarity on misinformation and access to essential resources and opportunities.
Empowering Haitian immigrants through ‘Konekte’
Reporter Ralph Thomassaint Joseph connected with over 100 Haitian immigrants at the “Konekte” resource fair. This event aimed to support new Haitian immigrants in navigating career opportunities in the U.S.
Combatting misinformation for undocumented workers
In partnership with the New York Legal Assistance Group, reporter Rommel H. Ojeda, engaged in person with over 150 recently arrived immigrants and members of our WhatsApp community to address misinformation about working as undocumented migrants in New York.
Resource fair for Chinese immigrants
At an immigrants rights fair we co-hosted with the Committee of 100 and Glow Cultural Center, over 100 Chinese immigrants received Chinese-language resource guidebooks from reporter April Xu to help them navigate city services like healthcare and public transportation. Many attendees emphasized the importance of in-language services, underscoring the need for tailored community support like Documented provides.
Supporting asylum seekers at St. Paul and St. Andrew Church
In May, we presented to over 100 asylum seekers at St. Paul and St. Andrew Church, ensuring that Spanish-speaking and Haitian immigrants received the crucial support they needed to navigate life in New York.
Connecting readers to critical resources
Through our digital platforms, we have directly connected readers to the assistance they needed in meaningful and practical ways. Through conversations with Documented Community Correspondents, a WhatsApp reader was able to secure help from a wage theft attorney, while a migrant from Texas found shelter upon arriving in New York City. Similarly, a WeChat user successfully navigated Section 8 housing applications, and a Caribbean reader discovered volunteer opportunities to support fellow immigrants. These everyday connections highlight how responsive journalism can empower individuals by bridging the gap between information and action.
Investigative reporting that drives accountability
In April, our collaboration with THE CITY on corruption in the Mayor Eric Adams administration led to some major developments. First, we uncovered that Winnie Greco, who was under FBI investigation, stepped down from her role in the Adams administration. Then, reporter April Xu brought attention to a hotel project by developer Weihong Hu, resulting in a stop-work order, a federal raid on Hu’sproperty and a look into the abuse of the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. These stories show how our investigative work isn’t just about reporting — it’s about holding powerful figures accountable and protecting immigrant communities from harm.
Exposing exploitation: justice for victims
After our investigation last year exposed Bronx attorney Kofi Amankwaa’s fraudulent practices which put his clients at risk of deportation, he was arrested this year by federal authorities for defrauding immigrants and the U.S. government. In September, he pleaded guilty to large-scale immigration fraud, marking a significant victory in the fight against predatory practices targeting immigrants.
Amplifying stories that shape the news agenda
We were the first to connect the dots that Uzbek developer Tolib Mansurov was likely the “Businessman-4” mentioned in the indictment against Mayor Adams, who was charged with bribery, corruption, wire fraud and soliciting and accepting donations from foreign nationals. The indictment detailed allegations of Adams orchestrating straw donations to his campaign as part of this broader scheme.
Our reporting also shed light on the involvement of Ahsan Chughtai, the mayor’s former Senior Advisor on South Asia and Muslim Affairs, before the FBI and the NYC Department of Investigation raided his home. After our initial coverage, outlets like Gothamist and WSJ followed up with more reporting on Mansurov.
Is there a story that you think we should investigate? Please email us at tips@documentedny.com.
