“Daily Mail’s ‘reporting’ is an affront to journalism,” the DHS declared Friday after the news outlet claimed that DHS Sec. Kristi Noem is backing a reality show pitting immigrants against one another.
“ICE Barbie Kristi Noem is backing insane reality TV show where immigrants compete for fast-tracked citizenship,” blares the Daily Mail headline, posted and last updated Thursday.
“This is completely false,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Friday in a post titled “FAKE NEWS FRIDAY: DHS Torches Latest Media Hoax”:
“This is completely false. Daily Mail’s ‘reporting’ is an affront to journalism. Secretary Noem has not ‘backed’ nor is even aware of the pitch of any scripted or reality show.”
“This pitch has not received approval or rejection by staff,” McLauglin added.
“The Daily Mail published yet another false story,” the DHS post says.
Nonetheless, The Daily Mail article continues to claim that Noem is “backing” and “pushing for” the immigrant reality show and insists “the idea is for real”:
“She's been called 'ICE Barbie' for treating her Cabinet position like a TV production, but now Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is pushing for an actual reality show pitting immigrants against each other 'for the honor of fast-tracking their way to U.S. citizenship'.
“It may sound like a joke, but the idea is for real and is outlined in a 35-page program pitch put together in coordination with the DHS secretary, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.”
The article goes on to claim “Noem is even offering up officials from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to tally votes for the made-for-TV contest.”
Daily Mail even cites McLaughlin in its story – but, claims the DHS assistant secretary isn’t telling the truth:
“Tricia McLaughlin, the top spokesperson for DHS, acknowledged that agency staff are reviewing this pitch and had a call with the producer last week. She insisted Noem is yet to be briefed on the initiative.”
“However, DailyMail.com has confirmed that Noem supports the project and wants to proceed.”