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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

Facebook posts
stated on April 14, 2024 in a Facebook post:

Dr. Mehmet Oz said singer Adele used a “coffee trick” to lose weight.

By Sofia Ahmed • April 26, 2024
Megyn Kelly
stated on April 18, 2024 in a Facebook post:

“School allows students to be terrorized by colleagues who identify as ‘furries’”

By Madison Czopek • April 26, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on April 13, 2024 in a Facebook post:

"The administration (has) passed a new bill to help Americans with $15,000+ in credit card debt to write off their balance by 50%."

By Jeff Cercone • April 26, 2024
Sean Hannity
stated on April 18, 2024 in a video:

President Joe Biden was “ignored by virtually everyone” at a Pittsburgh-area gas station.

By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu • April 26, 2024
Threads posts
stated on April 20, 2024 in a post:

CNN reported “Trump soils himself in court.”

By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu • April 26, 2024
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
stated on March 31, 2024 in a post on X:

"The much-trumpeted job growth in the last year was ENTIRELY part-time jobs."

By Louis Jacobson • April 26, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on April 24, 2024 in a Facebook post:

Photo shows Hillary Clinton holding an anti-Donald Trump T-shirt.

By Sara Swann • April 26, 2024
Facebook posts
stated on April 23, 2024 in a Facebook post:

Video shows Tucker Carlson discussing a diabetes cure created with Pfizer and certified by the FDA.

By Jeff Cercone • April 26, 2024
Viral image
stated on April 22, 2024 in a Threads post:

Lauren Boebert posted, “If they charge President Trump for his crimes, they could charge any of us for our crimes. The rule of law means nothing to these people.”

By Ciara O'Rourke • April 26, 2024
Kelly Daughtry
stated on April 1, 2024 in a campaign advertisement:

“Brad Knott was a lawyer for Joe Biden.”

By Paul Specht • April 25, 2024