Why wasn’t the media pouncing on this?
Democrats are facing renewed scrutiny after a former Biden White House official reignited debate over a tragic immigration case that occurred while President Joe Biden was still in office — a fact critics say many on the left now prefer to ignore.
Andrew Bates, a former senior communications official in the Biden White House, sparked criticism this week after amplifying a Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats post about the 2023 death of Anadith Danay Reyes Alvarez, an 8-year-old who died while in the custody of U.S. Border Patrol. Reports indicate the child had both sickle cell anemia and a serious heart condition.
In his post, Bates claimed the tragedy was “not about Democrat or Republican,” calling the situation “absolutely wrong.” However, conservatives were quick to point out that the child’s death occurred in 2023 — during Biden’s presidency — while Bates himself was serving in the White House.
Former Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh responded by criticizing what he described as selective outrage, noting that the incident took place under the very administration Bates worked for. Trump White House rapid response manager Greg Price made a similar point, asking who was leading the country at the time of the child’s death.
Bates later defended his comments, saying he stood by his statement and arguing that Americans are increasingly rejecting what he described as aggressive immigration enforcement. He added that he hoped critics could agree the situation should never have happened. Fox News Digital reached out to Bates for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
The online exchange comes as immigration enforcement in Minnesota has come under intense national attention. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently launched “Operation Metro Surge,” a large-scale enforcement effort that began in December 2025 and sent thousands of federal agents into the Minneapolis area.
The operation has drawn controversy after federal officials detained a 5-year-old child, Liam Conejo Ramos, along with his father, an Ecuadorian national authorities say is in the country illegally. Both are currently being held at a federal immigration detention facility in Texas.
Scrutiny has increased further following two deadly incidents involving federal agents in Minnesota. Over the weekend, Customs and Border Protection agents fatally shot Alex Pretti, a Veterans Affairs intensive care nurse, while he was recording immigration enforcement activity in Minneapolis. The agents involved were placed on administrative leave pending review.
Pretti’s death came just weeks after another fatal shooting involving federal agents, in which 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was killed. The Department of Homeland Security has described both incidents as acts of self-defense. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed that the Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into Pretti’s death.
As the controversy grows, public opinion appears to be shifting. A recent Fox News poll found that 59 percent of voters now believe ICE’s immigration tactics are “too aggressive,” a notable increase from earlier polling — underscoring growing national concern over enforcement practices, accountability, and transparency.
