Breaking Barriers Award

2024 Winner

, Small Division

Borderless Magazine

Inhumane Conditions and the Early Warning Signs Ignored at Chicago’s Largest Migrant Shelter

Despite “warnings, numerous hospitalizations and dozens of reports,” Chicago officials housed thousands of migrants in an industrial warehouse used as a city-run shelter. A 5-year-old boy who lived there died of sepsis. Those are examples of what Borderless Magazine exposed through its investigation — storytelling one judge described as “excellent work.” “This is the kind of work I aspire to be able to publish in our newsroom,” another judge said.

Investigation: Migrants Describe Inhumane Conditions At Chicago’s Largest Shelter

5-Year-Old Boy Dies After Falling Ill At Chicago’s Largest Migrant Shelter

Chicago Mayor, Shelter Officials Respond To Living Conditions Following A Borderless Investigation

Investigation: Chicago Ignored Dozens Of Warnings Of Migrant Shelter Conditions Before Child’s Death