Feb 2024 Right Wing Media Report

February Summary

During the February tracking period, there were 4,918 negative immigration mentions across right-wing media outlets to an estimated audience of 19,290,219,057 people worth an estimated $666,826,638 in publicity. There were 51,739 mentions on X (formerly known as Twitter) to an audience of 431,210,925 people.

In contrast, during the January tracking period there were 5,960 negative immigration mentions across right-wing media outlets to an estimated audience of over 27,149,001,098 people worth an estimated $781,979,623 in publicity. There were 62,352 mentions on X to an audience of 573,958,746 people.

• The largest spike in February occurred on the 6th, when a vigilante group named the Guardian Angels led by right wing fringe figure Curtis Silwa assaulted a man live on Hannity’s Fox News program due to mistaking him for a migrant due to his Spanish accent. There was also reaction by lawmakers to the failed impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas. Senate Democrats also blocked a resolution to deem the situation at the border “an invasion.”
• Another large spike occurred on February 2nd, with articles claiming that an Arizona election law may enable non-citizens to vote in the 2024 presidential election. Another series of articles claimed that Minnesota is attempting to become a ‘sanctuary state’ despite a possible terrorist apprehended in the state. A video of Dr. Phil visiting the southern border while criticizing Biden and Harris went viral on X.
• The second largest spike in February occurred on the 29th, due to the dueling visits to the border by both Biden and Trump. There were articles detailing a call between Trump and the parents of Laken Riley, the young woman from Georgia murdered by an immigrant from Venezuela. Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick attacked Biden for his handling of the border.

Smaller spikes occurred throughout the month as right-wing media continued to fixate on the border:

• On February 9th, Breitbart ran an article claiming that the mayor of Denver announced reduction in city services to offset costs related to migrants. Washington Examiner ran an article on Trump predicting ‘100% chance’ of a terrorist attack in ‘not-too-distant future’ due to the border crisis. The Daily Caller ran a headline regarding a “15-year-old migrant arrested after allegedly shooting tourist inn NYC
• On February 14th, Rep. Tony Gonzales, whose district in southern Texas includes hundreds of miles of the U.S. border, said during an interview that he believes Mexican drug cartels are dialing back their human smuggling operations ahead of the 2024 presidential election in an effort to help Biden. A Daily Caller article claimed that Border Patrol agents recorded more than 18,000 encounters of Chinese migrants crossing the southern border illegally in just four months.
• On February 21st, the Daily Caller ran an article claiming that Chicago residents are “blasting” city officials over the “migrant crisis”, claiming that they are being “pushed out.” Another Daily Caller article detailed how New York City Mayor Eric Adams aims to “cut funding to migrants.” In November 2023, Adams authorized city-wide budget cuts where New Yorkers would have public services eliminated because of what he claims are cost allocated to support the influx of migrants into the city. An article from Twitchy claimed that “more illegals entered under Biden than the population of 36 states.”
• On February 27th, Breitbart ran an article about the White House snubbing the Border Patrol Union President on Biden’s Border Trip, but Trump inviting him on his visit. Megyn Kelly claimed on Newsmax that “Biden’s border killed Laken Riley.”