Immigrants use Snapchat to amplify their voices before Trump

Photo Illustration by Marianna Brady at Medill Reports
(Photo illustration by Marianna Brady/MEDILL)

By Marianna Brady

President-elect Trump has used Twitter during his campaign and after his presidential election victory to speak directly with the public. He’s harnessed Twitter as a way to quickly express his opinions. Undocumented immigrants and members of Congress are turning to the platform Snapchat to share their stories.

We used the messaging app Snapchat to talk to immigrants who spoke out about their thoughts and fears about President-elect Trump’s threats to deport 3 million undocumented immigrants and to reverse DACA – a program instituted under Obama that allows certain young undocumented immigrants to go to school and work without fear of deportation. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) also submitted snaps promising to stand behind immigrants in Congress. We collected them into the video below. You can follow Medill Reports on Snapchat at medillreports. Reporter Marianna Brady is also on Snapchat at mariannabrady.

(Photo illustration by Marianna Brady/MEDILL)