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Was Dr. Phil’s ICE ride-along a spectacle or effective? Bias Breakdown

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President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration has begun, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents making thousands of arrests in the first week of Trump’s second term. However, the media’s portrayal of ICE raids varies significantly depending on the political leanings of the outlets.

Media Landscape

See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this data
Left 40% Center 23% Right 36%
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Media coverage over Dr. Phil’s ride-along with ICE

One recent example of contrasting media narratives involves Dr. Phil’s participation in a ride-along with ICE agents and “border czar” Tom Homan during an operation in Chicago, Illinois. The event has sparked polarized reactions across news outlets.

Some left-leaning media outlets criticized the ride-along, calling it a spectacle. CNN highlighted Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s comments, referring to Dr. Phil’s involvement as “ridiculous.”

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Meanwhile, Fox News defended the operation. The network noted that it provided transparency into ICE’s efforts to target criminal migrants.

The Chicago Tribune, critical of Dr. Phil’s presence, wrote, “granting largely unrestricted access to a well-known television personality during high-stakes law enforcement encounters raises questions about the propriety of the operation. It also underscores the extent to which Trump … relies on spectacle and showmanship to convey his message.”

In contrast, a Breitbart report focused on Dr. Phil’s comments about the targeted nature of the ICE mission. The publication highlighted that the operation was aimed at known criminals and terrorists.

Breitbart wrote, “Dr. Phil also said that Tom Homan, border czar for President Trump, had clear objectives to detain criminals and shut down the United States border as opposed to the common misconception of sweeping neighborhoods and rounding random Hispanics up for deportation.”

Debate over media access and ICE ride-alongs

While the appropriateness of Dr. Phil’s involvement has sparked debate, it’s not unusual for federal agencies to grant media access to operations. Dr. Phil, known for his talk show and reality TV career, started his own news media company, Merit Street Media, last year.

Dr. Phil isn’t the first to be granted such access. Fox News reporter Bill Melugin was embedded with ICE agents during a bust in Boston just days before Dr. Phil’s ride-along. Recently confirmed Homeland Security Director Kristi Noem also joined ICE agents for a ride-along in New York City.

The Bigger Picture: ICE operations nationwide

Across the country, from Chicago to Boston and New York City, ICE agents are conducting hundreds of arrests each day. Media coverage of these operations varies widely based on the political leanings of the network. Left-leaning outlets like CNN and MSNBC focus on the fear and anxiety within migrant communities while right-leaning outlets like Fox News emphasize the removal of criminal migrants.

How do Americans feel about it?

Polling data suggests widespread concern about the country’s immigration system, with 88% of Americans supporting the deportation of migrants with criminal records. A majority of Americans (55%) also favor deporting all immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally.

Conclusion: Ongoing media debate over operations

As President Trump’s administration pushes forward with its immigration priorities, media debates over the ethics and effectiveness of ICE operations continue.

While controversies over ICE raids and deportations persist, operations are well underway. The debate between left and right-leaning media outlets on how these operations should be conducted — and what constitutes ethical enforcement — shows no signs of abating. As the administration focuses on immigration reform, the nation remains divided on addressing the issue.

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[Karah]

WELCOME TO BIAS BREAKDOWN.

I’M YOUR HOST KARAH RUCKER.

CONFLICTING REPORTS OVER ICE OPERATIONS.

PRESIDENT TRUMP’S CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS UNDERWAY WITH ICE AGENTS ALREADY ARRESTING THOUSANDS IN WEEK ONE.

BUT HOW THE MEDIA IS REPORTING ON ICE RAIDS LOOKS A LOT DIFFERENTLY BETWEEN OUTLETS WITH A LEFT AND RIGHT POLITICAL BIAS.

THAT INCLUDES THE MEDIA’S PERCEPTION OF A RECENT “ICE RIDE ALONG” WHICH INCLUDED DR. PHIL.

HOW ICE OPERATIONS ARE BEING REPORTED IS THE FOCUS OF TODAY’S BIAS BREAKDOWN.

FIRST –

WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT A RECENT ICE RAID DR. PHIL TOOK PART IN.

THEN – LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE OF HOW ICE RAIDS ARE LARGELY BEING SCRUTINIZED BY LEFT-LEANING OUTLETS AND PRAISED AS A SUCCESS BY RIGHT-LEANING OUTLETS.

“Are you a citizen? My mom is a citizen. You’re mom is a citizen, but you’re not? Nope. have you ever been deported before? You’re dr phil? Yeah how do you know me? I’ve seen dr phil, you know.”

“This is an example of sanctuary cities, youve got an illegal alien convicted of sex crimes with children walking the streets of chicago.”

  1. PHIL’S RIDE ALONG WITH ICE AGENTS AND BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN IN CHICAGO PRODUCED TWO DIFFERENT MEDIA NARRATIVES.

SOME LEFT LEANING OUTLETS – PORTRAYING IT AS A SPECTACLE.

AND RIGHT LEANING OUTLETS – PORTRAYING IT AS EFFECTIVE.

TAKE THE CONTRAST IN HEADLINES BETWEEN CNN WITH A LEFT BIAS AND FOX WITH A RIGHT BIAS.

CNN – HIGHLIGHTING THE ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL’S COMMENTS CALLING DR. PHIL’S RIDE-ALONG “RIDICULOUS.”

AND FOX NEWS – CRITICIZING CNN PUNDITS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS FOR “ATTACKING” THE RIDE-ALONG AS A “MOCKERY”.

Do you know why dr phil is getting involved in all of this, getting all this access, what is going on?

I think its ridiculous, its making a mockery of what’s supposed to be a focused, focusing on criminals, you don’t invite folks like that to be embedded within.”

OTHER OUTLETS TOOK A SIMILAR APPROACH – QUESTIONING DR. PHIL’S PRESENCE ON SCENE.

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE WROTE “granting largely unrestricted access to a well-known television personality during high-stakes law enforcement encounters raises questions about the propriety of the operation. It also underscores the extent to which Trump — who parlayed his turn as a reality TV star into a political career powered by harsh rhetoric on illegal immigration — relies on spectacle and showmanship to convey his message.”

BUT NEWS OUTLETS ON THE RIGHT REPORTED ON DR. PHIL’S RIDE ALONG AS A GLIMPSE OF TRANSPARENCY INTO HOW ICE OPERATIONS ARE SUCCESSFULLY ROOTING OUT MIGRANTS WHO HAVE COMMITTED CRIMES.

FOX NEWS WROTE Dr. Phil revealed on the show that he had to be briefed on extensive security protocols as part of the “high-risk mission.”

“This truly is a targeted ICE mission because they’re not sweeping neighborhoods like people are trying to imply,” he said. “I know that because I’ve been involved heading into this. They’ve identified 270 high-value targets, and what I mean by that is that these are known criminals and terrorists.”

BREITBART – ANOTHER NEWS OUTLET ON THE RIGHT – WROTE “Dr. Phil also said that Tom Homan, border czar for President Trump, had clear objectives to detain criminals and shut down the United States border as opposed to the common misconception of sweeping neighborhoods and rounding random Hispanics up for deportation.”

WHILE “DR. PHIL’S PRESENCE BEING SUITABLE DURING ONE OF ICE’S OPERATIONS” HAS BEEN OPENED TO DEBATE IN THE MEDIA –

IT ISN’T UNUSUAL FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES TO ACCEPT REQUESTS FROM **MEDIA TO DO “RIDE ALONGS” ON CERTAIN OPERATIONS.

AND WHILE DR. PHIL HAS A HISTORY OF REALITY TV AND TALK SHOWS – 

HE STARTED HIS OWN NEWS MEDIA COMPANY “MERIT STREET MEDIA” LAST YEAR. PHIL HASN’T BEEN THE FIRST TO BE GRANTED THIS SORT OF ACCESS.

FOX NEWS REPORTER BILL MELUGIN WAS “EMBEDDED WITH ICE AGENTS” DURING A BUST IN BOSTON – SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO DR. PHIL’S RIDE ALONG IN CHICAGO.

AND KRISTI NOEM – PRESIDENT TRUMP’S HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY – WAS ALSO GRANTED ACCESS BY ICE FOR A RIDE ALONG DURING AN OPERATION IN NEW YORK CITY.

FROM CHICAGO TO BOSTON AND NEW YORK CITY –

ICE IS ON THE GROUND – CONDUCTING HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS A DAY. 

AND TV COVERAGE OF ICE OPERATIONS IN A BROADER SCOPE RATHER THAN JUST THE ONE DR. PHIL SHADOWED –

WIDELY DIFFERS DEPENDING ON THE POLITICAL LEAN OF THE NETWORK.

LEFT-LEANING NEWS OUTLETS LIKE CNN AND MSNBC ARE REPORTING ON FEARS FROM WITHIN MIGRANT COMMUNITIES OVER ICE RAIDS.

WHILE NEWS OUTLETS ON THE RIGHT LIKE FOX NEWS ARE TOUTING THE REMOVAL OF MIGRANTS WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS.

FIRST YOU’LL HEAR MSNBC ANCHOR NICHOLLE WALLACE, CNN REPORTER PRISCILLA ALVAREZ, AND THEN FOX NEWS HOSTS SEAN HANNITY. TAKE A LISTEN.

“One thing we don’t have to wonder about is how it feels if you’re undocumented in america right now, or even if you worry you could be mistaken as undocumented because of the color of your skin or your name.” 

“It could very well affect many other undocumented immigrants in the united States if they are in te path of these operations. Its not off the table they may be taken into custody as well, as the fear within the immigrant community as this continues in the weeks to come.” 

“Another ICE arrest was a dominican man who beat his pregnant wife to death, in colorado, 50 tren de aragua members gathered up. Other ice raids busting rapists, suspected terrorists.only someone truly unhinged would have a problem with these deportations.

POLLS SUGGEST THE MAJORITY OF BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS –

BELIEVE THE COUNTRY’S IMMIGRATION SYSTEM IS “BROKEN.”

88 PERCENT OF AMERICANS POLLED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES SUPPORT DEPORTING MIGRANTS HERE ILLEGALLY WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS.

AND A MAJORITY – 55 PERCENT – **SUPPORT DEPORTING ALL IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE HERE ILLEGALLY.

WEEK ONE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SECOND TERM SUGGESTS IMMIGRATION WILL BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION.

AND WHILE CONTROVERSIES ARISE IN THE MEDIA – WITH LEFT AND RIGHT NEWS OUTLETS DEBATING WHAT CONSTITUTES THE **RIGHT OR **ETHICAL WAY TO CARRY OUT THESE DEPORTATIONS – 

OPERATIONS ARE UNDERWAY – AND JUST BEGINNING.

AND THAT’S YOUR BIAS BREAKDOWN.

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SOMETIMES – FACTS OF A NEWS STORY ARE TWISTED INTO A POLITICAL NARRATIVE.

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AND SHOW HOW ITS BEING TOLD **DIFFERENTLY IN THE MEDIA –

BASED ON NEWS OUTLETS’ LEFT AND RIGHT POLITICAL BIAS –

SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN WALK AWAY WITH A MORE COMPLETE PICTURE RATHER THAN JUST ONE PERSPECTIVE.

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