Fox Nation: The Mexicans Are Coming!

As bad as you might think Fox News is, Fox Nation is worse.

The website boasts writers who are practiced at taking rather tepid stories and transforming them into headlines that expertly inflame nativist sensibilities. For example, their top story right now is about Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announcing that the Global Entry Program, which “expedites pre-approved passengers through the airport customs and security process when they arrive in the U.S.,” will be extended to Mexican citizens. As the report they link to makes clear: “Mexicans who have undergone background checks and are deemed low security risks will be able to fly into major U.S. cities and breeze through customs without being questioned by U.S. Customs agents.” All in all, not very exciting.

The Fox Nation headline to the article, however, is another story: “Napolitano Letting Mexicans Bypass Some Airport Security?”

So while the article makes clear that only Mexican citizens who have passed background checks will be approved for this special program, Fox Nation's headline just blares that “Mexicans” are going to bypass airport security. It's misleading and stokes racial animosity and anger towards the Democratic White House.

And that, of course, is the point.