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Lesson of 2014: Check the facts behind Mexico border claims

Texas

By W. Gardner Selby December 23, 2014

Thousands of border crossings resulted in dramatic claims about the Texas-Mexico border in 2014.

And these fact checks landed among our 10 most-read stories of 2014:

* Ted Cruz incorrectly said Barack Obama has promised amnesty to illegal immigrants

* Pants on Fire: Duncan Hunter makes unconfirmed claim Border Patrol caught at least 10 ISIS fighters

* Rick Perry claim about 3,000 homicides by illegal immigrants not supported by stat

These three border[-related fact checks all landed among our 10 most-read stories of 2014:

* Ted Cruz incorrectly said Barack Obama has promised amnesty to illegal immigrants

* Pants on Fire: Duncan Hunter makes unconfirmed claim Border Patrol caught at least

* Rick Perry claim about 3,000 homicides by illegal immigrants not supported by stat

stated on October 25, 2018 in a TV ad:

Says Ken Paxton "shut down the world’s largest human trafficking marketplace."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on October 22, 2018 in a rally for Republican candidates in Houston:

Says Beto O’Rourke "voted to shield MS-13 gang members from deportation."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on October 16, 2018 in a debate televised from San Antonio:

Says "only one other senator from either party over the last 25 years" has "a worse record on bipartisanship" than Ted Cruz.

true

true

Alexander Strenger

stated on October 1, 2018 in response cited in an interactive voter guide:

Says 60 percent of Austin’s "waterways are found to be contaminated with fecal matter and deemed unsafe to swim."

half-true

half-true

stated on September 29, 2018 in an Austin rally:

Says that in Texas, "you can be too gay to adopt" a foster child "who needs a loving home."

half-true

half-true

stated on September 21, 2018 in a debate at Southern Methodist University:

Says Beto O’Rourke described police as "modern-day Jim Crow."

barely-true

barely-true

stated on September 21, 2018 in a debate at Southern Methodist University:

Says he "did not try to leave the scene of the accident" that led to his arrest for driving while intoxicated.

barely-true

barely-true

stated on September 12, 2018 in a TV ad:

Says Beto O’Rourke voted "against body armor for Texas sheriffs patrolling the border."

false

false

stated on August 26, 2018 in an interview on Fox & Friends:

Says Texas has "had over 600,000 crimes committed by illegals since 2011. Over 1,200 homicides."

pants-fire

pants-fire

stated on August 30, 2018 in a TV ad:

Says Texas "high school graduation rates are at all-time highs."

true

true

stated on September 4, 2018 in a video:

Says Beto O’Rourke said he’s grateful that people are burning or desecrating the American flag.

false

false

stated on August 28, 2018 in an online video ad:

Says Beto O’Rourke "voted against" Hurricane Harvey "tax relief."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on August 21, 2018 in an interview on Spectrum Cable's "Capital Tonight":

Says U.S. Rep. John Carter "hasn’t held a town hall in five years."

mostly-true

mostly-true

stated on July 26, 2018 in an ad in the Houston Defender:

Says "black Americans have 10 times less wealth than white Americans."

mostly-true

mostly-true

Silvestre Reyes

stated on May 22, 2012 in a TV ad:

Says Beto O’Rourke "has a criminal record that includes DWI and burglary arrests."

true

true

X posts
stated on October 13, 2024 in a post:

Screenshots of documents show a former student of Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz has lodged sexual abuse allegations against him.

By Sara Swann • October 17, 2024
Michigan Republican Party
stated on October 8, 2024 in an X post:

Elissa Slotkin “signed a secret agreement with a CCP-linked Chinese battery company.”

By Caleb McCullough • October 17, 2024
JD Vance
stated on October 16, 2024 in a campaign event:

Says former President Donald Trump did not lose the 2020 election.

By Amy Sherman • October 17, 2024
Donald Trump
stated on October 15, 2024 in a rally in Atlanta:

Vice President Kamala Harris' plan “will raise taxes for the typical American family by an estimated $3,000."

By Louis Jacobson • October 17, 2024
Viral image
stated on October 12, 2024 in a Threads post:

Says Donald Trump posted on Truth Social it “should be illegal” and is “election interference” for Barack Obama to criticize him.

By Ciara O'Rourke • October 17, 2024
Dan Bongino
stated on October 12, 2024 in a Facebook post:

CBS exposed “the fact” that Kamala Harris’ crowd sizes are inflated because her campaign bused hundreds of attendees to her New Hampshire rally.

By Sofia Ahmed • October 16, 2024
Viral image
stated on October 7, 2024 in a Facebook post:

The Sept. 10 presidential debate was edited to cut comments from Vice President Kamala Harris about “$6,400 relief checks.”

By Ciara O'Rourke • October 16, 2024
Threads posts
stated on October 11, 2024 in Threads posts:

Journalist Bob Woodward posted on X that Donald Trump wears adult diapers.

By Sofia Ahmed • October 16, 2024
Social Media
stated on October 9, 2024 in social media posts:

“FEMA helicopters caught disrupting North Carolina supplies by using a ‘rotor wash’.”

By Mia Penner • October 16, 2024
Instagram posts
stated on October 7, 2024 in una publicación en Instagram:

La administración de Joe Biden tomó dinero de ayudas de FEMA para usarlo en inmigrantes.

By Maria Briceño • October 16, 2024