CBS Shows Skip DHS Alleging Drug Cartels Have Put Bounties on Immigration Officers
On Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, CBS’s flagship morning and evening newscasts — CBS Mornings and the CBS Evening News — refused to cover the horrifying revelation from the Department of Homeland Security that Mexican drug cartels have put bounties on the heads of federal law enforcement and Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) officers with upwards of $50,000 for any murdered senior official.
ABC and NBC mentioned it on their respective lead shows as part of wider reports on what they referred to as “clashes” between protesters (read: thugs) and law enforcement in Chicago and Portland, seemingly suggesting their presence was a provocation to political violence.
ABC’s World News Tonight anchor David Muir did just that in his framing:
Meantime tonight, Homeland Security issuing an alarming warning, saying Mexican cartels are now attempting to track, harass, and target immigration and Border Patrol operators with violence. These alleged threats come as tensions arise here in the U.S. over crackdowns in Chicago and Portland.
Chief Justice correspondent Pierre Thomas had the breakdown of DHS telling reporters “they’re seeing intelligence that Mexican cartels are attempting to track, harass, and target immigration and Border Patrol agents with violence” with rewards of “up to $50,000 for the assassination of high ranking officials”:
“The alleged new threats come amid rising tensions in Chicago and Portland involving immigration officials conducting broad deportation sweeps....Homeland Security officials fear that the cartels may inject themselves into an already tense situation where tension about the administration’s deportation campaign is steadily rising,” Thomas added.
Wednesday’s Good Morning America still mentioned the new threats, but dramatically downplayed it in a piece from correspondent Trevor Ault touting far-left Los Angeles County declaring a state of emergency to unlock tax dollars to help businesses and individuals too fearful to work or venture out in public (click “expand,” emphasis mine):
WHIT JOHNSON: Now to the rising tensions over immigration raids, as Los Angeles declares a state of emergency. Trevor Ault joining us now from LA with the latest. Trevor, good morning.
AULT: Good morning, Whit. So, overnight here in LA County, supervisors declared this a man-made emergency that they say was created by the federal government. And as immigration rates continue across the country, we are seeing local governments and protesters, and even potential cartels all fighting back in very different ways. This morning, authorities in Los Angeles County declaring a state of emergency over federal immigration raids. The declaration allows local officials to provide funding and assistance for families, workers, and small businesses impacted by ICE raids. And in Chicago, a dramatic crash led to a chaotic confrontation between residents and federal officers. Homeland Security officials say an undocumented immigrant inside that vehicle tried to flee and arrest, ramming into a Border Patrol vehicle, leading to a chase. Agents crashing into the SUV they say to try to stop it. Two people than fleeing on foot, both eventually arrested. A crowd at the scene growing hostile, throwing eggs and rocks at agents, firing tear gas, a confrontation highlighting increased tensions. Homeland Security officials say they’re seeing intelligence that Mexican cartels are attempting to track, harass and target immigration and border patrol agents with violence. In a statement, the department warned the cartels are offering $2,000 for gathering intelligence on federal officials and their families, 5000 to $10,000 for kidnapping or non-lethal assaults, and up to $50,000 for the assassination of high-ranking officials. So, one of the main functions of this LA County emergency declaration is it will allow local officials to provide rent relief to people who have fallen behind because of these immigration raids. And, as these rates continue, a lot of officials say immigrants settlements are not going to work. They are staying home on a fear.
Turning to NBC, Tuesday’s NBC Nightly News folded it into a segment about tensions in Chicago, showing the violent actions of one illegal immigrant to avoid being taken into custody:
Correspondent Shaquille Brewster had the Today report from the ICE processing center in the Chicago suburb of Broadview. He, like Ault, tucked into the end of his story that largely focused on “tensions running high in multiple areas around President Trump’s immigration crackdown” with both the Chicago confrontation Gutierrez mentioned as well as the LA County state of emergency.
Only after stating the Chicago crash was “the latest flare-up during the Trump administration’s so-called Operation Midway Blitz” did Brewster get to the bounties (click “expand”):
BREWSTER: But the dramatic confrontations come as Homeland Security officials are warning Mexican drug cartels are now offering cash bounties to target ICE officers and other federal agents including $5,000 to $10,000 for kidnapping or assaulting officers and up to $50,000 for the assassination of high-ranking officials.
TRICIA MCLAUGHLIN [on FNC’s America Reports, 10/14/25]: Our message to the cartels in these criminal ranks? We’re not backing down.
BREWSTER: Now back to the clashes that you saw here in Chicago yesterday, one of those detained was a 15-year-old boy, an American citizen. His attorney says he was zip tied for hours but released overnight. Governor Pritzker pointing to his arrest among many saying that DHS needs to answer for what he’s calling unchecked attacks on Chicago residents.
To see the relevant transcripts from October 14, click here (for ABC) and here (for NBC). To see the relevant transcripts from October 15, click here (for ABC) and here (for NBC).
