Jaxon Van Derbeken has been a professional journalist for more than 20 years, working at newspapers in Los Angeles, Denver, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Marcus Stern of the Copley News Service is this year's honoree. His outstanding November 1997 series in The San Diego Union-Tribune, was a clear-eyed, insightful look at the role employment plays in promoting illegal immigration.
The need has never been greater for the Katz Award, now in its third year. Coverage of the important immigration issues over the past year — temporary visas for high-tech workers, long-term detention of undeportable aliens, amnesty for illegal Central Americans, etc. — all too often has been weighed down by treacle and cliche, with little of the discernment and inquisitiveness that marks good journalism.
The winner of this year's award is William Branigin of The Washington Post.
August Gribbin, recently retired from The Washington Times, and this year's recipient of the Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration.
Jerry Seper, immigration reporter for The Washington Times, recipient of the 2005 Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration.
