Many people, even a conservative independent like myself, are distressed about immigrants being sent to El Salvador and the new Alligator Alcatraz. While I fully support our beefed up southern border, some due process should be required for the current ICE grabs within the country. It appears as if the Morning Call went with a family's claim that their grandfather was grabbed in Philadelphia and deported to Guatemala. The family then updated their story that he was in a hospital in Guatemala, but didn't want to return to the USA. Guatemala claims that he was never there, in prison or hospital. Earlier in the month, Mayor Matt Tuerk asked a local judge to review ICE activity at the courthouse.
The Morning Call's disputed story on a supposed ICE-nap is featured on Jonathan Turley's column. Although the Call has walked the story back in bits and pieces, Turley thinks that left of center newspapers can't resist overlooking usual verification when the subject matter is ICE or other social justice issues, calling it advocacy journalism.
I initially hesitated about this post... but then I recalled that about a decade ago, when I was championing for Wehr's Dam, the paper was resisting publishing a letter of mine on the Opinion Page. The editor claimed that my letter was just my opinion, not verifiable facts. Imagine sending an opinion to the opinion page!
shown above Kristi Noem and prisoners checking each other out in El Salvador
I suspect the focus has been on illegal immigrants with criminal convictions, the pic you used do not look like who we want in the country. I suspect that those making an issue of deportations will be able to find mistakes and other isolated instances, but generally I believe most beleive many should go home.
ReplyDeleteTrump's mistake was letting his soft side spout that nonsense about 'the worst first.' Tell the resident of the South Bronx that illegal marauders terrorizing their neighborhoods aren't among the worst. When one goes fishing for blues and catches a striper...he doesn't throw it back.
DeleteDon’t forget that our mayor also tried to insert himself into the deportation hoax by trying to reach out to the family to assist, according to the MCall. I am sure the mayor had a private jet on standby (at taxpayer dollars) to fly down there himself and bring Mr Leon back to Allentown.
ReplyDeleteThis mayor never misses an opportunity to obstruct or deter. Moreover he never misses an opportunity for free publicity.
Thank you for this post, and for providing the link to Turley’s column. EVERYONE should read it.
ReplyDeleteIt’s all about the narrative.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see our failing Morning Call being criticized nationally in Johnathan Turley’s recent column for its sloppy handling of this fake news story. Just one of many, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteDo NOT trust the Morning Call delivers accurate reporting of news. It doesn’t. The political stuff it repeats from Associated Press is particularly odeous.
The Morning Call is less about presenting accurate depictions, for too many topics its goal is tell tales. Important to cross reference with alternate sources.
I wish Tuerk would pursue his liberal, socialist agenda as a private citizen and focus on quality delivery of essential services when he is at work.
ReplyDeleteanon@8:01: He certainly tries to make his liberal agenda city policy. While Wilkes-Barre inappropriately cancelled a band for their politics, Tuerk hired them for the same reason. Some of his agenda will have negative consequences...such as the lack of affordable housing myth.
DeleteYour comment that “some due process should be required” seems to ignore the fact that many of the illegals that are being removed have already had that opportunity. For example, when President Trump took office there were over 1 million Final Removal Orders waiting to be executed. Those were for illegal aliens who had already had their day in court. What additional due process do you think they need? And what about those who entered, were part of the “catch and release” under President Biden and failed to show for their scheduled court hearing? Since they failed to take advantage of the due process built into the system why should they get it now.
ReplyDeleteTruth be told, living here illegally and taking full advantage of benefits made possible by tax dollars provided by those who actually work is a strong lure. Especially so when you can game the system even more until caught.
ReplyDeleteThe Trump administration is doing all it can to reduce the costly amount tax dollars being poured over undeserving people living here. Better still, this administration is working to ensure none of these ‘visitors’ are able to vote in our elections.
You offered up a clean post this morning. I would have like some elaboration about the granddaughter but I presume she may also be a figment of the imagination and may instead be one of the radical political left whose identity should be disclosed so people can be more wary. Sad that things are such that we must be suspicious of what is purportedly put forth. And the Link was appreciated.
ReplyDeleteWilkes Barre should not have fired the band. Mayor Matt should not have hired the group.
ReplyDeleteBecause over 70% of those detained by ICE have no criminal conviction, and only 7% are rated at the highest threat level, i.e., serious criminals, folks are quite willing to believe this sort of story- the innocent person ICE-napped. Doesn't excuse the MCall's lack of due diligence though. https://fortune.com/2025/07/12/ice-raids-trump-immigration-crackdown-deportation-no-criminal-convictions/
ReplyDeleteIn 2023 there were approximately 48 million plus undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Delete48 million plus!
The Morning Call has been a blatantly partisan paper for years. Never investigating Ed Pawlowski's obvious corrupt and painting the completely self serving incompetence of Allentown's city government and ASD leadership in rosy colors. Such partisanship played a huge role in Allentown's downward spiral. Honest reporting could have prevented so much of the damage. Sadlyfor Allentown partisanship was, and remains their priority. The Morning Call is our local example of what's wrong with the media in general. The truth is no longer what really is, but instead a malleable tool to use for cheap political advantage. When the news is no longer the truth, it is mere propaganda, clearly propaganda is what the Morning Call chooses to print. Those who still subscribe either fail to realize this or prefer narratives they are already inclined to endorse.
ReplyDelete10:23 said "Those who still subscribe either fail to realize this or prefer narratives they are already inclined to endorse. "
DeleteYou sir, are correct! i was discussing a topic with a good friend and had all the receipts... his answer- "I don't believe it!" I suppose we all have our individual ideas....
I think it’s time to accept that the democrat party has been taken over by socialists and communists. I know some are going to argue about this, but far too many democrat candidates and elected officials (like Bernie Sanders, Zorhan Mamdani, AOC, Karen Bass, Tim Walz, etc.) are either admitted communist/socialists or have travelled to socialist/communist countries in their past. Locally, we have socialists on city councils and school boards.
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, many of our institutions (like the formally independent press) have been similarly corrupted. Only they hide who they are better than the democrat/socialist politicians they support.
Why is this important? Because the truth matters little to the communist/socialist. All that is important is whether something furthers their goals.
The stories about ICE kidnappings are of course hoaxes, much like the stories about RAMPANT police brutality were. But the narrative is what’s important, as they are designed to further the purpose of those who wish to undermine our country with such nonsense like defunding the police and open borders.
I wish the current lies were limited to just being about ICE, but there are similar false narratives being spread in the Morning Call about every aspect of our lives, and about every level of government. Equally as important are the many stories that they don't cover, because it doesn't fit their chosen narrative.
The Morning Call and many other new outlets are no longer independent and trustworthy sources of news, and should be viewed as being part of the problem in our country.
I don’t have a problem with ICE picking up anyone who is in the country illegally. Those here illegally are taking jobs from American workers, depressing wages for American workers, and siphoning BILLIONS out of our economy by sending their earnings home. They are often collecting benefits that they didn’t pay for, taking money from the pockets of Americans who need those programs. They are also exasperating a nationwide housing crisis that we are all definitely paying for.
ReplyDeleteThose here illegally have already been given the opportunity to self deport (with payment)! I wouldn’t expect to enter and remain in another country illegally, and I don’t believe those here illegally should be allowed to either. I do expect that those apprehended for being here illegally will be treated humanely (and from what I’ve seen they are), but I also expect them to be removed quickly.
I see no difference in removing anyone here illegally than I do for ticketing people for double parking. The law is the law, and the law is clear. We speak often on this blog about the broken windows theory at the local government level. What ICE is doing is fixing the broken windows on immigration at the national level.
ICE agents are enforcing our laws and are often dealing with the most violent of those here illegally. They are literally risking their lives to enforce our laws and deserve our praise and gratitude.
As untrustworthy as the Morning Call is I believe the stink is mostly from the parent company, Tribune.
ReplyDeleteI do believe the Morning Call could find better balance by replacing most of its guest Editorials, and some local, willfully ignorant, highlighted opinions by Bill White and others.
The Morning Call started to stink when the Miller's sold it. It was slow at first but picked up steam as the years rolled on. By the time Pawlowski became mayor they were all in as a mere arm of the administration.
Deletescott@4:10: I believe that had a lot to do with the bias of the beat reporter at the time, D.N.. facts and objectivity were not his strong points. I note that former staff gets very offended when I make such claims... because of his premature death. One reporter even wrote that "he's not here to defend himself." Generally, the former staff gets defensive about their former employer, taking such criticism as a personal attack.
DeleteIronically, that former staff had much more institutional knowledge of the city than the current staff.
Mike, Glen Cranzly was a died in the wool liberal and was the partisan that followed him. They broke all the rules to allow their side to prevail and impugn us on their pages.
DeleteAnd let's not forget the not-too-long-ago editor who went on to do the impossible: turn the leftist Washington Post into the radical rag is has beccome.....only recently trying to add some balance....but not without squawking from liberal reporters.
ReplyDelete