The influx of right-wing influencers in Minneapolis has taken on a sinister tone, exploiting a tragic event to further their agenda. After the shooting death of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent, a masked federal officer, a swarm of social media personalities descended upon the city, capturing footage of protesters and interviewing agents.
These individuals, including Nick Sortor and Cam Higby, have churned out content that portrays Minneapolis as a lawless city and portrays the actions of agents like Jonathan Ross as justified self-defense. A video posted by Nick Sortor to X (formerly Twitter) exclaimed, "Consequences must be STEEP!" while Kevin Posobiec, creator for the far-right Human Events website, shared footage of protesters wearing high-visibility safety vests that allegedly obstructed ICE operations.
These clips are swiftly reposted and shared across social media platforms by right-wing aggregation accounts like End Wokeness. They even reach cable television channels, often serving as primary evidence in attempts to justify the Trump administration's surge on American cities. The narrative seems to be echoed by DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, who described Ross as following his training and fearing for his life.
This is not an isolated incident; right-wing influencers have been embedded with immigration officials during ICE raids since last summer, providing a narrative justification for the Trump administration's crackdowns. Even before Good's killing, Nick Shirley's viral YouTube video uncovered a purported $100 million fraud scheme involving Somali childcare centers sparked widespread attention and was shared by prominent figures like Elon Musk.
The Department of Homeland Security plans to spend around $100 million on content creators and geo-targeted ads to recruit future deportation officers. This raises concerns about the role influencers will play in shaping public opinion and influencing policy decisions.
These individuals, including Nick Sortor and Cam Higby, have churned out content that portrays Minneapolis as a lawless city and portrays the actions of agents like Jonathan Ross as justified self-defense. A video posted by Nick Sortor to X (formerly Twitter) exclaimed, "Consequences must be STEEP!" while Kevin Posobiec, creator for the far-right Human Events website, shared footage of protesters wearing high-visibility safety vests that allegedly obstructed ICE operations.
These clips are swiftly reposted and shared across social media platforms by right-wing aggregation accounts like End Wokeness. They even reach cable television channels, often serving as primary evidence in attempts to justify the Trump administration's surge on American cities. The narrative seems to be echoed by DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, who described Ross as following his training and fearing for his life.
This is not an isolated incident; right-wing influencers have been embedded with immigration officials during ICE raids since last summer, providing a narrative justification for the Trump administration's crackdowns. Even before Good's killing, Nick Shirley's viral YouTube video uncovered a purported $100 million fraud scheme involving Somali childcare centers sparked widespread attention and was shared by prominent figures like Elon Musk.
The Department of Homeland Security plans to spend around $100 million on content creators and geo-targeted ads to recruit future deportation officers. This raises concerns about the role influencers will play in shaping public opinion and influencing policy decisions.