Immigration And U.S.

Does a video titled "Operation Metro Freeze" show real footage of a deportation flight in Minnesota? No, that's not true: AI made that clip. Early versions of it showed a watermark pointing to a specific generative AI tool and it's unlikely a military transport plane would have a tail number like the one in the video. The claim appeared in…

Did the man charged with planting pipe bombs found near the Republican and Democratic headquarters in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021, sue the Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security over illegal immigration? No, that's not true: Legal disputes referenced in a Daily Wire article making that claim confused suspect Brian Cole Jr. with his father Brian Cole Sr. It…

Does a viral video document mass deportations of Walmart workers carried out by ICE? No, that's not true: The clip was produced by AI. It displayed the telling signs pointing to the artificial nature of the video, such as an ICE officer lacking his head. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) published on TikTok on October 22, 2025.…

Did U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement "rebrand" itself to be publicly known as Homeland Security Investigators, not ICE? No, that's not true: ICE still exists under the same old name. "Homeland Security Investigators" discussed in social media posts is not a brand-new entity -- it has operated since 2010 as one of the major divisions within ICE, but the correct…

Does authentic video show U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detaining cats and dogs, as of October 9, 2025? No, that's not true: Viral clips showing cats and dogs being seized were products of generative AI. Their early versions displayed a removable watermark pointing to a specific app. They originated as online satire. The claim appeared in a post (archived here)…

Did Nike or Under Armour donate face masks and clothing to ICE agents involved in arresting undocumented immigrants in the United States? No, that's not true: The TikTok host making the claim gave no supporting information about how he confirmed the claim. Lead Stories found no evidence to support the claim and several red flags raising questions about the credibility…

Do California and New York issue commercial driver's licenses with no name given, and did Oklahoma arrest 125 "illegals" with such CDLs? No, that's not true: The so-called "No Name Given" commercial driver's licenses include a mononym, which is a single name. The use of mononyms is legal in the United States and is even accepted for U.S. passports. State…

Did Antifa firebomb rapper Ice Cube's tour bus after they mistook it for an ICE vehicle on a Portland street? No, that's not true: As of September 27, 2025, investigators had not revealed any suspects or motive for the tire fire that damaged the front of the bus early Tuesday, September 23, 2025. There have been no news reports supporting…

Did Hyundai make an announcement that it was canceling its $4 billion EV battery plant in Georgia after the raid where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained 475 workers on September 4, 2025? No, that's not true: There is no impact to Hyundai's U.S. vehicle manufacturing operations following the ICE raid a company spokesperson told Lead Stories. Hyundai's president and…

Is Roland Beainy, the co-owner of Trump Burger restaurants in Texas, being deported? Here is what we know: A spokesperson for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency told Lead Stories that ICE officers arrested Beainy on May 16, 2025, and he was placed into immigration proceedings. He was released from custody on bond by an immigration judge while the…