The death of a police officer, killed by an undocumented immigrant, is undeniably tragic. What makes it worse is that Fox News and his mother, an anti-immigration activist, continue to use his death to push their nativist agenda. Last week, Mary Ann Mendoza appeared on Fox to, again, push the Fox propaganda about bad, very bad "illegals."
Last Wednesday, a very sad faced Ainsley Earhardt began the segment as the words beneath her framed the VERY IMPORTANT FOX MESSAGE: "Immigration Injustice, Illegal Immigrant Kills Officer, Not Deported." She explained that "immigration is a critical issue in this presidential race" and that her guest "has a personal stake in this debate." As she reported on the death of Mary Ann Mendoza's son, she showed a photo and urged the audience to "get a good look at this face." She informed us that this tragic story, of somebody being killed by "an illegal immigrant" is something that "we are hearing way to often lately." She noted that Ms.Mendoza has "teamed up with an immigration activist to write a letter to GOP candidates to urging support for victims with similar stories."
Ms. Mendoza provided details about her son's death. Earhardt: "Unbelievable." Mendoza mentioned that, in addition to being undocumented, the man who crashed head-on into her son's car had been convicted of other crimes and not deported - a "familiar story." Earhardt provided validation with her comment that "we've reported on this way to often." (Meanwhile, the Murdoch owned Wall Street Journal reports that "Newcomers to the U.S. are less likely than the native population to commit violent crimes or be incarcerated.")
Mendoza explained that she and the group that she is connected to (The Remembrance Project) are asking the candidates "to acknowledge that victims of this illegal, criminal crime" need special assistance. Earhardt: "Wow." Mendoza asserted that her son was the victims of politics because of politicians who "are continually standing in the way of any and all legislation to secure our borders." The banner tugged at the heartstrings: "A Mother's Heartbreak, Son Killed By Illegal Immigrant Driving Drunk."
Never wasting an opportunity to attack Hillary Clinton, Earhardt asked Mendoza how she felt about Clinton's proposal to pay for health care for the "illegals" while his mother faced funeral bills and the loss of her son. Never wasting an opportunity to bring up BENGHAZI, Mendoza suggested that Clinton cares no more about her son than she did about Ambassador Stevens.
In keeping with the right wing message, Mendoza even added Syrian refugees to the propaganda pot: "It's time for politicians to stand up for Americans, to quit making illegals and Syrian refugees and everyone else who is trying to cross our borders, quit making them more important than us." She even brought in homeless veterans who, she asserted, deserve more attention than "a homeless illegal criminal." Earhardt acknowledged Fox's advocacy with her comment that Fox wants Mendoza's story to be told because "we care about you."
Earhardt didn't mention that Ms. Mendoza, last July, spoke at a Donald Trump rally. Nothing was said about how Maria Espinoza (Head of the Remembrance Project) is tied to white nationalists. And when Earhardt said that Hillary Clinton wants to pay for "illegals" health care, she didn't mention that Clinton feels that those who are undocumented should be able to purchase health care on the exchanges.
But hey, who needs facts when you've got propaganda to push. Thank you Fox & Friends!