As you've likely noticed, the latest messaging strategy from Democrats and their friends in the lapdog media is to take reports from immigration activists about people who were allegedly "quietly living" in the country, albeit illegally, before being violently and suddenly apprehended by federal agents and placed in detention. Every single time there's more to the story, but these outlets don't bother asking ICE or DHS for comment or even allow for the possibility that there's a valid reason for the person's apprehension or additional context needed.
RELATED: Trump Admin Makes Up for CA's Failures—Files Felony Charges Against Illegal Alien DUI Killer
Such is the case with a recent story out of Southern California, where federal agents picked up nine illegal aliens on Tuesday morning at a Pomona Home Depot parking lot in what was quickly characterized as a "federal raid" targeting "a group of day laborers.
A federal raid at a Home Depot store in Pomona has sparked concern as families and community members said a group of day laborers were taken into custody.
— KTLA (@KTLA) April 23, 2025
Details: https://t.co/1BiWOakLnb pic.twitter.com/STaCAuepEU
The X post from local news station KTLA makes it seem as though federal agents simply woke up that morning and decided to roll up to the Home Depot parking lot to see if they could find any hardworking "undocumented" husbands and fathers to harass and take into custody. (And even if they had just decided that a Home Depot parking lot is a target-rich environment, especially in the early morning hours, there's nothing wrong with that, though personally I prefer the prioritization the Trump administration is currently employing in deporting illegal aliens who already have valid final orders of removal or who have pending charges/warrants or criminal records.)
And that's how immigration activists want you to think it all went down, especially since we now know that Kilmar Abrego Garcia's deportation case started after he was apprehended at a Home Depot parking lot.
Here's how KTLA's story begins:
A federal raid at a Home Depot store in Pomona has sparked concern as families and community members said a group of day laborers were taken into custody Tuesday.
Immigrant rights advocates held a demonstration outside the store on South Towne Avenue, protesting the targeting of those they described as innocent civilians.
“Our people should not be living in fear,” one speaker said.
Members of what "community"? Who are "our people" the speaker references?
Hilton Beckham, Assistant Commissioner with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, provided additional information on those "community members" who were arrested and why federal agents were there to start with, telling Fox News' Bill Melugin:
“Agents conducted an operation in Pomona targeting an illegal alien with an active arrest warrant. During the operation, nine additional illegal aliens were encountered and taken into custody. Several of those apprehended had prior charges, including child abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, immigration violations, and DUI.”
Oh. Quite a different story. KTLA updated its story with DHS' statement, which is a start. It would be refreshing if the media was more conscientious in its reporting on this explosive issue, but I won't hold my breath.
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