Melvis Acosta is Information Integrity Lead at the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH), where he oversees DebunkIt, a rapid-response fact-checking project that detects and disrupts the spread of falsehoods, conspiracy theories, and other harmful narratives targeting at-risk communities in the United States.

Before joining CSOH, Melvis worked as a fact-checker for Mother Jones magazine and the Reveal podcast, where his work frequently focused on reporting about migrant communities. As a Ben Bagdikian Fellow at Mother Jones, he reported across multiple beats, including immigration and criminal justice reform.

During the 2024 election cycle, Melvis reported on the spread of false and misleading information about immigrants and examined reforms aimed at ensuring more humane treatment of migrants seeking to enter the United States. He also wrote news stories about attempts to cut off legal aid for unaccompanied minors arriving at the border, which would force many children to face immigration judges without any assistance from lawyers.

Melvis holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Computer Science from New York University.