In a remarkable testament to the power of investigative journalism, Block Club Chicago has been honored with the Sigma Delta Chi Award for Investigative Reporting from the Society of Professional Journalists. This prestigious recognition underscores the newsroom’s commitment to uncovering the truth and providing a voice to the communities it serves.
The award-winning project, Chicago Under Siege: How Operation Midway Blitz Changed Our City delves into the unprecedented federal immigration enforcement action that took place in Chicago. Through a meticulous blend of investigative, archival, and analytical techniques, the project offers a comprehensive record of the events that unfolded during Operation Midway Blitz.
Uncovering the Truth Behind Operation Midway Blitz
The project, led by reporters Francia Garcia Hernandez and Madison Savedra investigated 16 key events from the fall of 2026. The team spoke to over 60 individuals, reviewed hundreds of pages of records and court documents, and analyzed hours of video footage. Their findings revealed significant discrepancies between the federal government’s version of events and the experiences of Chicagoans.
Award judges praised the project for its urgent, highly sophisticated accountability journalism noting the impressive blend of reporting, media criticism, and data analysis. The judges highlighted the project’s strength in showing the gap between official federal narratives and verifiable evidence from body-camera footage, ICE arrest records, and court findings.
Recognizing Excellence in Journalism
Chicago Under Siege has also been recognized as a finalist for the Scripps Distinguished Service to the First Amendment Award and a winner of the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Awards for Investigative Reporting. Additionally, the project received three Peter Lisagor Awards from the Chicago Headline Club.
Individual contributions were also honored. Garcia Hernandez, who covers Southwest Side immigrant neighborhoods, received the Uplifting Voices Award from Public Narrative and the Nonprofit Newcomer of the Year Award from the Institute for Nonprofit News. Director of Photography Colin Boyle won the LoSAH Center for Hope Community Champion Award for his work documenting the operation.
The project is also a finalist for two Local Independent Online News Sustainability Awards in the Public Service and Community Engagement categories.
The Growth and Impact of Block Club Chicago
Since its launch in 2018 with eight reporters and editors, Block Club Chicago has grown sustainably to a staff of 42, publishing over 32,000 stories. The newsroom has expanded its coverage to dozens of new neighborhoods, earning numerous accolades along the way. These include being named the Local Independent Online News Publishers’ Business of the Year and Publisher of the Year, Editor & Publisher’s Best News Site, the Institute for Nonprofit News’ Community Champion of the Year, and the city’s Best Newsletter six years in a row by the Chicago Reader.
The newsroom’s commitment to community-driven journalism has not only earned it prestigious awards but also transformed the way Chicago’s neighborhoods are perceived and understood. By providing a platform for diverse voices and relentlessly pursuing the truth, Block Club Chicago continues to set a high standard for investigative journalism.
