How do New York Times journalists use technology in their jobs and in their personal lives? Miriam Jordan, a national immigration correspondent based in Los Angeles, discussed the tech she’s using.

What tech tools do you use most on the job?

My Lenovo laptop, printer and iPhone are the main tools of my trade. And I use the Voice Memos app exclusively to record news conferences.

But let me step back. While technology is great, there’s no substitute for building a rapport with someone, especially as an immigration reporter. I prefer face-to-face conversations, whenever possible.

Because I am frequently in the field talking to Spanish speakers in sometimes precarious situations, I find that just jotting down what people say in a notebook is more discreet than using the Notes app or recording a conversation. There is a formality inherent in recording that I feel inhibits folks from speaking freely, and many of the people I interview are undocumented. Keeping a record of what they tell me in a device makes them worry about being exposed to immigration authorities, especially in the current political climate.