CNN faced a torrent of ridicule Monday after blurring out signs showing criminal migrants who have been arrested during a White House media event. The move was slammed by critics as an outrageous attempt to shield the public from the grim reality of illegal immigration.

The signs, featuring the photos and offenses of 100 deported illegal immigrants, were planted along the White House driveway and placed deliberately in the line of TV news cameras to highlight President Donald Trump’s progress on border enforcement during his second term’s first 100 days. Both CNN along with MSNBC blurred the images of placards.

‘They really don’t want you to miss it,’ CNN anchor Jake Tapper said before launching into a commentary dripping with sarcasm over the signs. ‘They subtly and tastefully decked the White House north lawn with dozens of yard signs featuring photos of people that the Trump administration claims are in the country illegally. Each poster staying “Arrested” and listing the alleged offense with which they have been charged.’

The list of names included illegals arrested for heinous crimes such as [expletive], murder, the sexual assault of children, and dealing drugs. However, because names were not listed, CNN claimed it could not verify the details – prompting their decision to blur the faces. ‘CNN is working to confirms their identities and if there are actual allegations against these people, until then we are blurring their identities,’ Tapper went on. The network, along with MSNBC which also blurred the signs, was quick to be ridiculed for its actions.

For many viewers, it was a damning visual with the White House putting the accused front and center, while major media outlets literally blurred them out. ‘This is a win-win. For the White House it shows they are protecting America against an invasion of foreign terrorists. And the media blurring out the images shows inconclusively that the left doesn’t give a damn about Americans,’ concluded one user on X. Another slammed both CNN and MSNBC for what they called partisan bias: ‘CNN & MSNBC blurred the faces on the signs bc they had to show some sign of rebellion against Trump. They can’t possibly just report the news. Mainstream lib media have been blurring the signs out. They do not want to acknowledge or show these signs…,’ added a third.

One user saw it as the media attempting to conceal the truth, tweeting: ‘You blurred the White House lawn signs in your report, attempting to protect criminal illegal aliens while silencing victims’ pain. These are real faces of crime – sexual assault, violence, betrayal. The public deserves unfiltered truth, not your filtered shame so tagging you so your viewers see unfiltered truth. Stop lying!’ The White House began the day with an early morning press conference with Trump’s border czar Tom Homan. Photos saw Homan walking past the rows of signs, each emblazoned with “ARRESTED” and listing the alleged offenses. ‘You can’t have national security if you don’t have strong border security,’ he said.

Trump’s communications team is kicking off a week of messaging surrounding the president’s first 100 days, beginning with his efforts to secure the border. On Sunday, Trump celebrated a successful immigration raid in Colorado by sharing footage of agents raiding an underground nightclub. More than 100 alleged illegal immigrants were arrested during the raid as authorities said members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, MS-13, and the Hells Angels were present at the club.

‘A big Raid last night on some of the worst people illegally in our Country — Drug Dealers, Murderers, and other Violent Criminals, of all shapes and sizes, and Judges don’t want to send them back to where they came from,’ Trump wrote. ‘If we don’t win this battle at the Supreme Court, our Country, as we know it, is FINISHED! It will be a Crime ridden MESS. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’

Trump also reacted to news coverage of his administration’s first 100 days, citing New York Times and ABC/Washington Post poll numbers showing his approval ratings down. ‘We don’t have a Free and Fair “Press” in this Country anymore. We have a Press that writes BAD STORIES, and CHEATS, BIG, ON POLLS. IT IS COMPROMISED AND CORRUPT,’ he wrote. ‘SAD!’

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