ABC, NBC and CBS delivered 93% negative coverage on ICE after fatal Renee Good shooting, study finds
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been portrayed in an overwhelmingly negative light by ABC News, NBC News and CBS News, according to a new study.
The Media Research Center (MRC) analyzed all morning and evening newscasts on ABC, NBC and CBS from Jan. 7, when Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer, through Jan. 17. The incident has sparked heated debate across the country and ignited several violent attacks on federal immigration enforcement agents.
In the 10 days following the shooting, ABC, NBC and CBS were overwhelmingly negative about ICE, according to the MRC study. The study found 68 negative soundbites about ICE, compared to only five positive clips as ABC, NBC and CBS morning and evening newscasts were negative 93% of the time.
"No news network produces coverage this dishonest by accident. The elitist media’s abysmal reporting proves their intent, which is to nullify immigration law via manipulating public opinion," MRC President David Bozell told Fox News Digital.
ABC’s "Good Morning America" and "World News Tonight" aired 21 negative soundbites and only two positive ones, while NBC’s "Today" and "Nightly News" also aired 21 negative soundbites and only two positive ones, according to the study. Both networks were 91% negative.
CBS was negative about ICE 96% of the time, airing 26 negative soundbites and only a single positive one, according to the study.
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the ICE officer fired in self-defense after Good used her Honda Pilot SUV in a way that posed a threat. The ICE officer suffered internal bleeding to his torso when he was struck by her vehicle, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin confirmed to Fox News on Wednesday. The extent of the bleeding was not immediately clear.
The MRC also found that ABC and NBC only mentioned the officer being hit by the car once apiece despite covering the shooting and its aftermath for nearly 78 minutes.
On CBS, the only mention came when viewers were told Vice President JD Vance is "claiming" the officer was struck. Nobody on the network reported it as a fact, according to the study.
"Meanwhile, ABC brought in an outside observer who stated unequivocally that she hit him, and NBC actually had Good's own father-in-law admitting that she hit him," MRC senior research analyst Bill D'Agostino said.
The agent’s internal bleeding was only mentioned once by each network, according to the study. CBS News broke the story about the agent suffering internal bleeding.
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While the ICE shooting and its aftermath were covered for 121 minutes on "Good Morning America," "World News Tonight," "Today," "NBC Nightly News," "CBS Mornings" and CBS’ "The Evening News" combined, a small fraction of the time was spent covering undocumented immigrant crime when discussing ICE.
While criminal activity by illegal immigrants is the reason ICE agents have descended on Minnesota in the first place, their alleged crimes were only discussed for 12 seconds on ABC, 16 seconds on CBS and 89 seconds on NBC, according to the study.
ABC, NBC and CBS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.