Fake News From Media About Immigration Raids Is Irresponsible And Dangerous
Illegal immigrant felons are being found at their homes! This means.. Something. Be afraid, people!
Fearmongering On Immigration Raids Targeting Felons
An ongoing operation to remove violent and convicted felon illegal immigrants by ICE is being reported falsely by the media as an effort to remove all illegal immigrants.
Fake news in the form of false reports of checkpoints and sweeps are widely being reported by the media. In a statement from ICE officials in Texas, “reports of ICE checkpoints and sweeps are false, dangerous and irresponsible.”
The statement also said that “these reports create mass panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger. Any groups falsely reporting such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to support.”
The media reports appear to be intended to create fear and disseminate false information about ICE’s Operation Crosscheck, which is a program whose focus is on criminal illegal immigrants and those with court-ordered removal orders. Various politicians and leaders of civil rights groups have been questioning the recent arrests of illegal immigrants because of the media’s focus.
While not addressing the media’s current focus, ICE said that it regularly conducts enforcement operations of this type and that these are no different. The agency also noted that it conducts these operations with the same professionalism and respect that its officers exhibit on a daily basis.
News reports have indicated that hundreds of criminal illegal immigrants have been arrested over the past few days due to this operation. A total of 44 were taken into custody in Texas this week.
Democratic Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro confirmed that the arrests were part of Operation Crosscheck, but then questioned the threat that those arrested actually posed. Austin City Councilman Greg Casar went even further and said that these arrests were retaliation for opposing President Trump’s immigration plans. Neither of these are true.
In California, 160 illegal immigrants were arrested in the past few days. California Senator and President pro Tempore of the California Senate Kevin de Leon also questioned the reason behind the arrests. He said that he has asked ICE for specific details and also said that he is monitoring the situation.
California Senator Dianne Feinstein said in a statement that the reports of numerous arrests “show the serious consequences of the President’s Executive Order.”
However, Democratic leaders like Rep. Castro and Sen. Feinstein had no complaints following the same ICE operation in 2015. During that five-day operation, with the same name, and which was carried out under former President Obama’s administration, more than 2,000 criminal illegal immigrants were rounded up.
Then Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas praised the efforts of ICE to remove criminal illegal immigrants from our country. He said that “this nationwide operation led to the apprehension of more than 2,000 convicted criminal aliens who pose the greatest risk to our public safety.”
Virginia Kice, ICE spokesman, said “our operations are targeted and lead driven, prioritizing individuals who pose a risk to our communities. She also said that “examples would include known street gang members, child sex offenders, and deportable foreign nationals with significant drug trafficking convictions.”
The operation is ongoing in several states, including North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. ICE is expected to release a full statement about Operation Crosscheck on Monday.
Do you think that the media and politicians are intentionally trying to mislead people, or are they just victims of their own biases? We’d like to know what you think. Please let us know in the poll below or on our Facebook page.
