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Susan Ferriss

Susan Ferriss is a reporter specializing in children's issues at the nonprofit investigative news group the Center for Public Integrity in Washington, DC.

Susan Ferriss is a reporter specializing in children's issues at the nonprofit investigative news group the Center for Public Integrity in Washington, D.C. Among other stories, she's investigated policies that force farmworker kids out of school and excessive police ticketing of middle-school students in Los Angeles. As a Latin America correspondent for Cox Newspapers for nine years, Susan also reported on migration and transnational crime in Central America. 

A closeup photo of a blonde woman wearing a blue shirt beside her husband, whose face has been blurred for privacy.

Americans’ immigration emergency: Their spouses could be deported or exiled if they seek green cards

Under a 1996 law, US citizens who try to sponsor their undocumented spouses would require the spouses to endure a minimum 10-year exile from the United States. With kids in tow, US citizens are visiting Congress to plead for help.

Donald Trump stands with his hands raised at the front of the House of Representatives. Behind him, Nancy Pelosi looks on.

Commentary: Trump’s immigration blame game

a shrine at an accident scene

Tragic immigrant deaths fuel drive to ‘flip’ California GOP congressional district

Politics
Children stand next to a banner against the US President's proposed end of the DACA program

Thousands of immigrants with ‘protected status’ face possible deportation

Justice
Woman and man embracing with relative crying in foreground

This piece of legislation could change the way the US judges refugees

Conflict
Josue “Josh” Muniz, now 20, is suing the San Bernardino City Unified School District and a school police officer for excessive force and negligent training. The suit alleges that the officer grabbed Muniz, then 17, by the throat, pepper sprayed him and b

In San Bernardino County, there’s an epidemic of questionable arrests by school police

Justice

Soul-searching in San Bernardino County over school cops’ tactics and attitudes.

Moving to end two systems of punishment for pupils

Congress, Obama tackle unequal treatment of minors in juvenile justice system

Education

“The question is: Are we letting principals and parents deal with one set of kids and we call the police on another set of kids?” the president asked. “That’s not the right thing to do,”

Kayleb Moon-Robinson — who is diagnosed as autistic — had barely started sixth grade last fall in Lynchburg, Virginia, when a school resource officer filed charges against him. Kayleb was charged with disorderly conduct for kicking over a trash can and th

UPDATE: How kicking a trash can became criminal for a 6th grader

Justice

Some schools are wasting no time at reporting pupils, even very young pupils, to police and filing criminal complaints for classroom infractions. Those pupils reported are overwhelmingly of color, an investigation has found.

Maria_Sunset

Central American kids wait in life-or-death limbo to see if they can stay in the US

Justice

Tens of thousands of young Central Americans crossed the US-Mexico border this year, many fleeing violence. Now they must navigate the US asylum system to try and stay here legally, but the system is being overwhelmed by the huge numbers of children.