Homeland Security’s ‘welfare’ check on Idaho migrant students raises school privacy questions
In other parts of the country, the welfare checks have resulted in children being taken out of their homes and put back into government custody
Rachel Spacek
Rachel Spacek is an investigative reporter covering migrant labor for InvestigateWest through Report for America. She is based in Boise and has covered Latino affairs in Idaho for the last five years.
What I Cover
As an investigative reporter, I cover migrant labor and equity. I interview workers, advocates and elected officials in English and Spanish about working conditions and labor issues. My recent stories focused on the lack of protection for outside workers in Idaho in the heat and the exploitation of migrant farm workers in Idaho.
My Background
I have been a journalist in Idaho for over five years, covering Latino affairs and local government. Before joining InvestigateWest, I was a local government reporter for the Idaho Statesman. I moved to Idaho in 2019 to cover Latino affairs at the Idaho Press, where I grew passionate about the often undercovered stories about the Latino community in Idaho. I am a founding board member of the Voces Internship of Idaho, a nonprofit organization that connects Latino college students with journalism internships in Idaho.
I grew up in San José, California, and am the granddaughter of former farmworkers in Mexico and Southern California. I live in Boise and when I’m not doing journalism, I enjoy trail running in the foothills and making pottery.
Ethics and Approach
I follow journalistic ethics outlined in the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics. I strive to be fair and accurate and minimize harm, while holding those in power accountable. I double and triple check facts and exercise care when talking to all of my sources.
Contact Me
Send me tips or feedback in English or Spanish.
Email: rachel@investigatewest.org
Phone: 408-300-3695
WhatsApp: 408-300-3695
X: @rachelspacek
Latest
Homeland Security’s ‘welfare’ check on Idaho migrant students raises school privacy questions
In other parts of the country, the welfare checks have resulted in children being taken out of their homes and put back into government custody
Union says Providence fired 15 nurses in retaliation for news coverage of girl’s suicide at Spokane hospital
Providence has accused nurses and other staff of violating patient privacy laws
In wildfire-prone Washington, ‘collaboration’ on forest management gives way to timber interests
Forest collaboratives formed in the wake of the Pacific Northwest’s “Timber Wars” have become major power players operating largely out of the public eye
Washington’s safety net clinics face ‘perfect storm’ of federal threats
Cuts to Medicaid and a change restricting services for some immigrants loom over the state’s 27 community health centers.