Disinformation Campaign at the Border: The Tale of a Mysterious Flier and a Small Charity
TL/DR –
Two men who posed as volunteers at the Resource Center Matamoros turned out to be provocateurs, the Muckrakers, known for exposing alleged corruption in the US immigration system. A flier, purported to be from the center and encouraging migrants to vote for President Biden when in the US, was shared by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, leading to the center’s founder, Gaby Zavala, receiving death threats. The Rubin brothers, the individuals behind the Muckrakers, admitted to falsely identifying themselves as volunteers, but denied planting the flier; Zavala contends it is a crude fake designed to spread false, anti-immigration narratives in an election year.
US Immigration System Scandals Exposed by Provocateurs
At the Resource Center Matamoros, a Mexican border city’s migrant aid group, two mysterious men rang the bell, claiming to seek volunteer work. They were later revealed as provocateurs, committed to exposing alleged abuse and election fraud within the American immigration system.
Founder of the center, Gaby Zavala, only recognised their real identities after the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, shared an explosive flier bearing her group’s logo, linking her organization to a political scandal. This controversial message encouraged immigrants to vote for President Biden, further inflaming debunked theories surrounding illegal voting by immigrants.
The men turned out to be the Muckrakers, Anthony and Joshua Rubin, known for their hidden camera exposés and online provocations. They had earlier visited the center, under false pretenses, attempting to gain access.
As the Muckrakers continue to fuel anti-immigration narratives, Zavala maintains that the flier is a fake and the phone number listed is outdated. She believes their sole aim is to spread misinformation ahead of the election.
Mike Howell, the director of the Oversight Project that initially posted the fraudulent document, justifies their claims, despite the Muckrakers admitting to falsely identifying themselves as volunteers on the day of the incident.
The Muckrakers, known for their videos twisted towards conservative views, have found support amongst anti-immigration voices online, like Michael Yon, a former Green Beret who leads right-wing influencer tours to migrant crossing points.
The Heritage Foundation, standing by the Muckrakers’ account, has refused to comment on whether they fund the disruptive duo’s incendiary work or not.
The contentious flier, despite being widely discredited due to translation and grammatical errors, has caused a surge in anti-immigration sentiments since its online circulation, as per the Associated Press.
While the Oversight Project and the Muckrakers stand by their account, their claims regarding the fliers’ origin continue to shift. However, Zavala insists that their goal is only to aid migrant children who have suffered trauma.
With immigration scandals escalating, Jennifer Harbury, an immigration lawyer and member of Angry Tias & Abuelas, echoes Zavala’s concerns, stating, “There’s exaggeration and puffery and then there’s outright fabrication. And that’s not fair to Americans or immigrants.”
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