July 2024 Right-Wing Media Report

July Summary:

During the July tracking period, there were 3,434 negative immigration mentions across right-wing media outlets (-15% from June) to an estimated audience of 17,058,028,890 people (-19% from June) worth an estimated $411,511,912 in publicity (-41% from June). 

Mainstream media: 

During the July tracking period, there were 10,011 negative immigration mentions across mainstream media outlets (-3% from June) to an estimated audience of 54,632,066,879 people (+10% from June) worth an estimated $1,127,405,584 in publicity (+5% from June).

Throughout July, right-wing media sites framed their coverage of immigration and the border coupled with their favorite buzzwords:

• “Illegal immigrant(s)” and “illegals” was mentioned 746 times 
• “Border invasion” and “open border(s)” was mentioned over 360 times
• “Border crisis” was mentioned 270 times
• “Fentanyl” was mentioned over 230 times. 

Right-wing media also embraced the phrase “border czar” in July, mentioning the phrase over 455 times. The right-wing media’s use of “border czar” spiked when President Biden withdrew from the 2024 presidential race and endorsed VP Kamala Harris, demonstrating their attempt to degrade Harris’s immigration record by saturating their audience with the mischaracterization. 

In July, right-wing media tied Democrats and VP Harris to their open border and border crisis narrative, while also making the case that undocumented individuals will somehow be voting in the upcoming election:

• “Ted Cruz says ‘border czar’ Kamala Harris views illegal immigrants as future Democrat votes” (Washington Examiner)
• “If you really want to know how Kamala will govern, look at the border” (Fox News)
• “A Kamala Harris presidency would be great news for illegal immigrants” (Washington Examiner) 

Right-wing media continued to focus on the border and tie immigrants to crime and terrorism, especially during the RNC: 

• Fox News – “migrant crime” 
• Fox News – “migrant thieves shoplifting”

• Fox News – “new migrant caravan sets off towards US border”
• Hannity – “Harris will bring the caliphate here to the United States through her border”
• Washington Examiner – “families of crime victims blame Biden and plead for people to vote Trump”