Today, Documented, the New York based nonprofit newsroom dedicated to coverage of the city’s immigrant communities, announced it will expand its newsroom with four new hires and a new guest columnist. Eileen Grench joins to report on immigration enforcement, Denia Pérez joins as Latino community correspondent, Julia Malleck as writer for the Early Arrival newsletter, Natalia Gutiérrez as social and audience producer, and Dara Lind as guest columnist.
“This is a critical time for immigrant communities in New York City, where trusted journalism matters more than ever,” said Ethar El-Katatney, Documented’s editor-in-chief. “I am thrilled to welcome this brilliant new cohort of reporters and bring fresh expertise to our social audience team so that we can expand our ability to deliver important news and explainers to immigrant audiences in nimble and innovative ways.”
Documented provides original, responsive reporting and actionable resource guides in English, Spanish, Chinese and Haitian Creole, representing a radically different community-driven approach to journalism and information that impacts the everyday experiences of immigrants. The outlet publishes on its website, as well as via WhatsApp, WeChat, and NextDoor, where reporters directly engage with readers to share news, address misinformation and disinformation, and source stories.
Eileen Grench joins Documented to report on immigration enforcement and immigration policy.
Previously, she covered the impact of the criminal justice and immigration systems on communities in New York City, Houston, and beyond. Eileen also worked as an investigative reporting fellow at the Global Migration Project, where she reported for outlets such as The New Yorker, The Intercept, The Nation and Documented. She was a 2021 Livingston Award finalist for her coverage of inequities in child welfare, and won the Newswomen’s Club of New York Front Page Award in Local Investigative Reporting. Eileen graduated from Columbia University School of Journalism and is also an Olympic fencer representing Panamá.
As Latino community correspondent, Denia Pérez will write legal and service journalism guides and spearhead audience engagement and expansion via WhatsApp. She is an immigration lawyer by training with deep expertise on the immigrant rights movement.
Denia’s experience as a DACAmented person and her parents’ experience in removal proceedings profoundly impacted her desire to attend law school and serve her community. In 2018, she became the first DACAmented person admitted to the Connecticut bar and has dedicated her professional life since then to ensuring that policies and resources for the undocumented and Latino community are created with intention and input from those communities.
Julia Malleck will serve as Documented’s Early Arrival newsletter writer, where she will curate immigration news in New York City and nationwide and analyze immigration news trends.
She has previously written for Quartz and Digital Frontier on topics spanning technology, labor rights, international affairs, business, and pop culture. Julia earned her BA in international relations and English literature from Tufts University, and master’s degrees in public policy from Peking University and the London School of Economics and Political Science. Julia has previously lived in Beijing and London. She now lives in New York City.
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Natalia Gutiérrez joins the team as Documented’s social and audience producer.
A bilingual engagement journalist passionate about connecting diverse audiences with meaningful journalism that champions community engagement, innovation, and inclusion, Natalia has held audience roles in leading newsrooms across the U.S. and Mexico, including The Associated Press, The New York Times and Los Angeles Times. Her work focuses on deepening impact, building loyal readerships, and experimenting with innovative storytelling formats — from social media to newsletters and live blogs. Natalia holds an M.A. in Engagement Journalism from CUNY’s Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. Originally from Mexico and raised in Venezuela, she now lives in Brooklyn, New York, guided by a mission to bridge audiences with trustworthy, high-quality reporting that informs and inspires.
Dara Lind joins Documented as a guest columnist.
She will share her insight and expert perspective on federal policy that impacts New York’s immigrant communities, as well cover the policymakers, nonprofits, lawyers, and businesses focusing on immigrant rights. Dara is a journalist and serves as senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, specializing in immigration policy. She is a former reporter for Vox and ProPublica, and co-hosted the podcast The Weeds. Lind has been covering immigration for over a decade.
