New Book Reveals Influence of Immigration Media on U.S. Politics
A recent release, The Invisible Coup: How American Elites and Foreign Powers Use Immigration as a Weapon, by investigative author Peter Schweitzer, highlights the role of Immigrant TV, a channel initiated by the Mexican government aimed at steering immigrants’ political engagements in the U.S.
Schweitzer explains how Migrant TV, which targeted millions of Mexicans in the United States, showcased favorable coverage of Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President, while simultaneously airing negative portrayals of Donald Trump and his campaign during the 2024 election cycle.
“The mission was clear: mobilize Mexican interests for the 2024 U.S. elections. So, the Mexican government rolled out a channel called TV Migrante, broadcasting to tens of millions of Mexicans in the U.S.,” Schweitzer notes, adding that while some segments offered practical advice, the focus was heavily on political messaging.
He continues, “The channel aired a heartfelt video about Harris and portrayed Trump’s messages as ‘fake news and lies.’ Moreover, it repeatedly played the immigrant anthem, calling on viewers to fulfill their duty to their homeland.”
Even after Trump secured a second term, Immigration TV maintained its critical stance against him and his administration.
“Following Trump’s return to office in January 2025, the messages from immigration television included topics like ‘Racism, Hatred, and Business: The Trumpist Model,’ directed at millions of Mexicans in the U.S.,” Schweitzer remarks. They discussed how the Department of Homeland Security was perceived as the key mouthpiece of anti-immigrant sentiment, and they illuminated the operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement as an “oppression machine.”
Schweitzer points out that American media largely overlooked these efforts from the Mexican government aimed at influencing U.S. domestic politics, contrasting it with the intense focus on allegations of Russian meddling.
“The media has failed to highlight Mexico’s significant interference while condemning Russia’s activities,” he states. “When news breaks about Russian Facebook ads or social media campaigns, it spurs outrage, yet Mexico’s extensive involvement gets ignored.” He adds that the level of intervention from Mexico and other foreign actors in U.S. affairs is considerable and wouldn’t be tolerated if the roles were reversed. Rather than denounce this interference, he argues, many American progressives accept it as part of their opposition to Trump.
Interestingly, despite the promotional push from Migrant TV for Harris in 2024, Trump garnered more support from Hispanic voters than in past elections, according to Pew Research Center data. The analysis indicated a 48 percent turnout among Latinos, showing an increase in Trump’s support from 36 percent in 2020 and 28 percent in 2016.
In contrast, Democratic candidates witnessed a downturn in support over the same timeframe. Hillary Clinton captured 66 percent of the Latino vote in 2016, Joe Biden received 61 percent in 2020, and Harris saw just 51 percent nationwide in 2024.
Schweitzer’s The Invisible Coup is published by HarperCollins, and more information can be found online.
