Misinformation in Spanish About Los Angeles Immigration Protests Reinforces Familiar Narratives

A wave of false or misleading content related to the protests in Los Angeles has been spreading across social media, particularly among the Latino community and in Spanish. Many of these posts seek to connect the protesters to socialist or communist governments.

One post on X has garnered over 600,000 views, alleging ties between immigration protest groups in the U.S. and entities such as “the Venezuelan mafia,” the Communist Party of Cuba, and Mexico’s Morena Party. However, no specific evidence or groups are provided to substantiate these claims.

This type of misinformation mirrors similar narratives that emerged during the 2020 George Floyd protests and the 2024 pro-Palestinian student demonstrations. In response to President Donald Trump’s strict immigration policies, protests against immigration raids have occurred in Los Angeles and other cities, with some incidents involving violent confrontations, such as cars being set ablaze.

While a few far-left groups may have glorified violent protests, the influx of posts in Spanish appears to aim at associating these protests with leftist governments in Latin America, often expressing support for Trump and his policies. Evelyn Pérez-Verdía, president of We Are Más, remarked on the noticeable uptick in misinformation since the start of the Los Angeles protests, noting that it has shifted from more hidden platforms to being openly shared on social media.

This misinformation often portrays the protests as orchestrated actions from leftist regimes rather than genuine responses to immigration enforcement. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom have also been misrepresented as proponents of communism, with manipulated images circulating online.

While Bass has historical ties to Cuba, the misinformation attempts to paint a direct connection to Fidel Castro. Pérez-Verdía highlights how the misleading narratives differ based on language, targeting specific elected officials in Spanish posts.

False information has occasionally reached federal government levels. Some conservative and pro-Russian social media outlets have circulated misleading claims about Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

During a recent briefing, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused her of inciting violent protests, which Sheinbaum has publicly denied. The prevalence of fake accounts sharing misleading narratives in Spanish is greater than in English.

Social media platforms tend to identify and shut down English-speaking accounts more effectively, contributing to the misinformation landscape. Professor Darren Linvill indicates that the rise of marketing strategies involving fake accounts has further complicated the issue.

Ultimately, the spread of misinformation is exacerbating political division and distrust, undermining our ability to achieve a shared understanding necessary for governance. The interaction between motivated misinformation campaigns and the inherent nature of social media makes it challenging to discern the root causes of the problem.