EXCLUSIVE: A brand new Media Analysis Heart examine revealed that the Large 4 Information Apps relentlessly smeared President Donald Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement in what amounted to a coordinated marketing campaign of hostile, one‑sided protection that amplified assaults from leftist broadcast networks.
The brand new MRC evaluation discovered that Apple Information, Google Information, MSN and Yahoo Information flooded their platforms with a staggering 86% of detrimental and uncontextualized headlines about ICE operations in Minneapolis, Minn., following the deadly capturing of Renee Good by a federal agent.
The examine encompassed all tales with headlines about ICE’s presence within the state from Jan. 7 by Jan. 21. MRC’s findings pointed to a broader effort by the Large 4 Information Apps to form public notion by selective article curation.
MRC’s Findings:
- The Large 4 Information Apps ran 118 tales with headlines on ICE operations in Minnesota. An amazing majority of the articles’ headlines, 101 (85.6%), had been detrimental or lacked essential context, whereas 16 (13.6%) had been impartial. Just one story (lower than 1%) gave ICE constructive protection.
- The Large 4 Information Apps’ detrimental protection of ICE was made attainable by an imbalance of leftist tales, with 101 tales (86%) coming from leftist sources, 13 (11%) from heart retailers, whereas a mere 4 (3%) got here from right-leaning sources.
- The 4 right-leaning articles pushed by the Large 4 Information Apps all got here from a single supply: Fox Information. MSN featured two, whereas Google Information and Yahoo Information every shared one.
- Not one of the headlines pushed by the Large 4 Information Apps talked about that Good struck ICE agent Jonathan Ross along with her car or referenced crimes dedicated by unlawful aliens.
The Knowledge Defined: MRC researchers examined the highest 20 featured tales from Apple Information, Google Information, MSN and Yahoo Information for 15 days beginning on the date of the deadly capturing of Good by Ross. In that interval, MRC recognized the 118 promoted tales that targeted on ICE in Minnesota.
To evaluate bias, MRC utilized AllSides media bias rankings to categorise every outlet’s ideological leaning. Researchers then reviewed headlines and content material, evaluating claims and context to find out whether or not articles had been constructive, detrimental, impartial or lacked key context (See extra about this within the Methodology part).
Throughout the 4 main information apps, MRC discovered a single dominant narrative: protection framed Trump’s administration and ICE as chargeable for turmoil in Minnesota, usually omitting key context or different views.
The Large 4 Information Apps Promote Sensational and Concern-Mongering Headlines
Past narrative framing, MRC discovered that the Large 4 Information Apps routinely elevated headlines that relied on sensational and inflammatory language, blurring the excellence between straight reporting and political advocacy.
On the uncommon events that the Large 4 Information Apps-promoted headlines didn’t mirror partisan viewpoints, they usually used alarmist or crisis-oriented rhetoric. At occasions, these apps employed charged phrasing to current the presence of ICE in Minnesota as inherently threatening, leading to headlines like:
Apple Information
- “Medical doctors in Minnesota decry worry and chaos amid Trump administration’s immigration crackdown,” by The Related Press.
- “‘This isn’t sustainable’: the ICE surge in Minneapolis fuels chaos,” by Apple Information
- “How Twin Cities eating places are altering amid ICE surge: ‘We’re just about again to COVID’” by The Minnesota Star Tribune.
Google Information
- “It seems like an invasion‘: Minnesotans shocked as federal officers flood their state,” by NBC Information.
- “ICE Now So Hated Even Their Personal Brokers Are Terrified,” by The Day by day Beast.
MSN
- “‘Sloppy’: Journalist who went by ICE’s hiring course of particulars expertise to CNN,” by CNN.
Yahoo Information
- “How Kristi Noem turned ICE into the Proud Boys,” by Salon.
- “‘It’s going to occur once more’: Residents say ICE is treating Minneapolis as a ‘battle zone,’” by Salon.
The Large 4 Information Apps Practically Solely Promoted Leftist Sources for Minnesota ICE Protection
The MRC additionally discovered that the Large 4 Information Apps overwhelmingly promoted left-leaning retailers of their protection of ICE border enforcement operations in Minneapolis. The imbalance was stark, amounting to 86% left-leaning sources versus simply 3% right-leaning.
Elitist media retailers like The New York Instances, The Washington Submit, CNN, Politico, NPR, CBS, ABC and NBC repeatedly appeared throughout all 4 digital gatekeepers. In distinction, right-leaning sources had been hardly represented, with solely 4 articles from Fox Information being included. Different right-leaning retailers had been solely excluded.
Notably, among the many most‑promoted retailers had been the Large Three broadcast networks. A separate MRC examine of ABC’s World Information Tonight, CBS’s Night Information and NBC’s Nightly Information discovered that these newscasts delivered 93% detrimental protection of ICE within the days following the Minneapolis capturing, largely specializing in outrage slightly than providing context in regards to the company’s mission or actions.
On high of the minimal presence of proper‑leaning sources, even the restricted Fox Information protection promoted by the Large 4 Information Apps not often challenged the left’s dominant narrative. As an illustration, MSN promoted one Fox Information article that targeted solely on Joe Rogan’s detrimental response to the deadly capturing in Minneapolis slightly than questioning protester conduct.
The one explicitly constructive headline recognized by MRC got here from Yahoo Information selling a Fox Information story: “Minneapolis police nowhere to be discovered as agitators seize management of avenue after ICE capturing.” That story centered on native legislation enforcement being lacking in motion following Good’s capturing.
The Large 4 Information Apps’ Headlines By no means Reported Good Struck Ross Earlier than Deadly Capturing
Essentially the most notable instance of the Large 4 Information Apps’ blatant bias was evident of their headline protection of the demise of 37-year-old, anti-ICE activist Good, who was killed by Ross in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.
Her demise, which Trump described as a “tragedy,” is interpreted by two completely different views. Leftist politicians declare that Good didn’t pose a menace to Ross, whereas ICE maintains that Good was shot in self-defense after she hit Ross along with her car.
Of the 44 tales about her demise promoted throughout Apple Information, Google Information, MSN and Yahoo Information, not a single headline famous that her car truly struck Ross earlier than he opened hearth.
The Large 4 Information Apps chosen solely 4 tales from Fox Information, however none of these articles talked about Good’s car hitting Ross both. In reality, one of many Fox Information tales promoted by MSN targeted solely on Trump ally and common podcast host Joe Rogan elevating issues in regards to the capturing: “Joe Rogan calls Minnesota ICE capturing footage ‘horrific,’ ‘very ugly’ to shoot somebody within the face.”
In the meantime, Yahoo Information promoted headlines from radical leftist retailers like Salon’s “‘Propaganda machine’: Trump and DHS embrace conspiracy theories tied to ICE killing” and The New Republic’s “MAGA Blames Minnesota ICE Capturing on Sufferer for Unhinged Motive.”
Mixed with these clearly detrimental headlines, the Large 4 Information Apps pushed different headlines in an obvious try to border Good’s tragic demise as an ethical indictment of the Trump administration, lengthy earlier than investigations make clear what transpired. The biased protection was evident in headlines like:
Apple Information
- “US immigration agent fatally shoots girl in Minneapolis, mayor disputes authorities declare of self-defense” by Reuters.
- “New video of deadly Minnesota ICE capturing, from officer’s perspective, brings contemporary scrutiny” by The Related Press.
- “ICE techniques and coaching underneath scrutiny after Minneapolis capturing,” by The Washington Submit.
Google Information
- “Trump Goon Waffles When Cornered on Smear Towards Minneapolis Sufferer,” The Day by day Beast.
- “ICE capturing of girl in Minneapolis sparks protests, condemnation,” The Washington Submit.
MSN
- “Lady fatally shot by ICE officer remembered as ‘one of many kindest individuals,’” by NBC Information.
Yahoo
- “Lady dies after federal agent opens hearth on her car amid immigration crackdown,” by Yahoo Information.
The Large 4 Information Apps Ignored Crimes Allegedly Dedicated by Unlawful Aliens in Minnesota
Along with the 44 articles associated to Renee Good, MRC recognized 74 different headlines masking Minnesota ICE developments.
These tales targeted on protests after the Minneapolis shootings, a second capturing of a Venezuelan unlawful immigrant, the surge of federal brokers within the state, reactions from Minnesota leaders and group worry and unrest.
None of those articles talked about crimes allegedly dedicated by unlawful aliens, despite the fact that the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) has repeatedly acknowledged that felony exercise is a central purpose for the company’s presence in Minnesota.
As a substitute, MRC discovered quite a few headlines that omitted key context, leaving readers with an incomplete image of occasions.
For instance, 4 headlines masking the second ICE-related capturing in Minneapolis failed to say that the suspect was an unlawful alien from Venezuela who reportedly attacked federal officers.
In line with DHS, the officer fired solely after the suspect fled a visitors cease, crashed, tried to flee on foot and allegedly assaulted the officer, together with two different unlawful aliens, utilizing a snow shovel and broom deal with.
Of the 4 tales promoted by Google Information and Apple Information on the identical matter, not one of the headlines included important particulars in regards to the suspect. As a substitute, the headlines emphasised the capturing and protests: The Washington Submit’s “ICE agent shoots man in leg as Minneapolis protests flare,” The New York Instances’s “Federal Agent Shoots Man in Minneapolis, Prompting Tense Protests,” NPR’s “DHS: ICE officers in Minneapolis shoot Venezuelan man within the leg,” and Al Jazeera’s “Federal agent shoots Venezuelan immigrant in Minneapolis: What we all know.”
MRC additionally discovered that not less than 11 headlines pushed by the Large 4 Information Apps about escalating violence systematically downplayed unrest. Not one of the headlines used the time period “riots,” choosing sanitized phrases like “march,” “occasions” or “protests.”
Solely Yahoo Information pushed a Fox Information story referencing minor aggression, noting protestors had been “agitators” and native police had been “nowhere to be discovered.”
Different headlines amplified by the Large 4 Information Apps featured leftist condemnation of ICE with out mentioning alleged felony exercise, framing federal operations as politically aggressive slightly than responses to alleged crimes.
The Large 4 Information Apps additionally sided with Minnesota leaders within the federal-state battle, constantly selling headlines favoring Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Frey, whereas downplaying the Trump administration’s authorized authority or rationale.
Headlines that nominally supported the administration usually undercut themselves with scare quotes or framing that weakened the protection.
MRC discovered protection constantly portrayed ICE as a supply of worry and chaos. Headlines pressured group panic, threats to colleges and workplaces and dramatic incidents involving residents and immigrants. This left readers with a skewed notion of ICE.
MRC Free Speech America intern Joseph Schneider offered key analysis help for this report.
Methodology: The Media Analysis Heart examined headline framing throughout Apple Information, Google Information, MSN and Yahoo Information to evaluate how the Large 4 Information Apps introduced protection of Immigration and Customs Enforcement exercise and associated developments in Minnesota.
MRC reviewed the highest 20 featured AllSides-rated tales on every platform from Jan. 7 by Jan. 21, 2026 at roughly 10:00 AM ET from Jan. 7 – Jan. 11, 2026 and at roughly 8:30 AM ET from Jan. 12 – Jan. 21, 2026, totaling 1,200 tales. MRC researchers then reviewed the tales to determine protection straight associated to ICE exercise and Minnesota developments.
Solely tales that explicitly referenced ICE, federal immigration enforcement or associated developments in Minnesota had been included. Duplicate tales promoted throughout a number of days or platforms had been counted individually to mirror repeated publicity to customers. In whole, the Large 4 Information Apps promoted 118 tales that met the inclusion standards, and the headlines of these tales had been analyzed.
MRC relied on AllSides Media Bias rankings, which classify retailers as “left,” “lean left,” “heart,” “lean proper” or “proper,” to evaluate the ideological slant introduced by the Large 4 Information Apps and analyzed the outcomes.
Every headline and its corresponding article had been reviewed to find out whether or not protection was constructive towards ICE; detrimental towards ICE or lacking context; or Impartial.
To find out whether or not a headline lacking context, MRC evaluated whether or not it omitted related information or claims related to the underlying occasion, together with: 1) Allegations of felony conduct, 2) Disputed claims about occasions such because the Minneapolis capturing and verifiable law-enforcement accounts and three) Whether or not headlines omitted key information that had been a part of the general public report (i.e. particulars confirmed in subsequent reporting in regards to the Jan. 7 capturing).
Articles had been additionally marked as lacking context in the event that they used charged or sanitized language to omit violent protests, or in the event that they framed incidents as political controversies slightly than disputed occasions.
For instance, not one of the headlines in regards to the Jan. 7 Minneapolis capturing of Renee Good famous whether or not her car struck ICE agent Jonathan Ross earlier than she was shot, regardless of that declare being a part of conflicting public accounts.
Unfavourable protection was outlined as headlines that employed detrimental wording or emotional language towards ICE or federal border enforcement with out balancing context.
