Several officials from the Trump administration are responding to liberal media criticism regarding headlines and stories that they feel misrepresentation recent incidents involving ICE and Border Patrol. Recently, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) referred to an NBC article as “offensive, even if it’s fake news.”
DHS criticized NBC’s reporting on tear gas as “disgusting,” claiming the network left out critical details, like the arrests of violent undocumented immigrants and attacks on federal agents. U.S. Attorney Bill Esseri also rebuked a reporter from the Los Angeles Times for downplaying a serious threat posed by an armed man, arguing that anyone who attacks federal agents will face consequences.
On Wednesday, an NBC News article that drew backlash from the Trump administration featured the headline, “Chicago residents say children are being tear gassed in immigration enforcement.” It tells the story of “Leia, a 2-year-old with ginger hair,” who was reportedly exposed to tear gas while out for a walk with her mother.
Leia’s mother, Sarah Paris, recounted hearing her daughter cry out, “Mommy! Mommy! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!” Additionally, the article narrated Paris’s hurried return home, during which she claimed to hear train whistles and car horns. Reports on October 25 mentioned how Border Patrol operations in the area led to questions from a federal judge about the use of tear gas without prior warning.
This court inquiry was related to concerns raised by the Chicago Headline Club and other parties, questioning the Border Patrol’s use of non-lethal force in Chicago.
Interestingly, the article’s author, Natasha Koreki, has received the Chicago Headline Club’s prestigious Peter Lisagol Award for Best Journalism and is also involved in the lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security.
In a social media post, DHS voiced strong disapproval of the article, asserting:
The true narrative is that Border Patrol had previously apprehended illegal aliens from Mexico charged with assault. During the operation, agents were surrounded by a hostile group. Federal law enforcement issued multiple lawful orders, which were ignored. Ultimately, crowd control measures were necessary to ensure safety.
Our officers are facing a dramatic spike in attacks. The slander from @NBCNews adds fuel to the fire. It needs to stop.
Another article that sparked significant criticism from the Trump administration was published in the Los Angeles Times with the title, “Video: Armed operatives capture father, then flee in car with child.” This piece focused on a recent incident in Cypress Park, California, emphasizing the potential danger to the infant rather than the father, who was arrested.
DHS stated that Border Patrol agents alleged the child’s father, a U.S. citizen named Dennis Quinones, exited his vehicle wielding a hammer and threw rocks at law enforcement. At the time of his arrest, he was reportedly in possession of a stolen firearm and was the subject of an outstanding warrant.
In response to a post from one of the article’s authors, Brittney Mejia, U.S. Attorney Bill Esseri clarified on social media the circumstances surrounding Quinones’s arrest, stating that he had assaulted officers and should face legal consequences.
Esseri emphasized that anyone who obstructs federal officials will face serious charges.
