Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) visited two migrant detention centers near the Texas border with other members of Congress this week.
Since touring the facilities, Ocasio-Cortez and others in her group have been vocal about the squalid conditions, with harrowing descriptions of overcrowded cells, abusive guards, and detainees told to drink from toilets.
The members of Congress who viewed the facility were told to surrender their electronic devices, but Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX) was able to smuggle his into the center, revealing the appalling conditions.
Americans across the country were outraged by what they saw. Others—like infamous far-right commentator Tomi Lahren—weren't.
Lahren chose to call out Ocasio-Cortez instead.
You have zero awareness of what our @CBP officers do on a daily basis. Are you surprised they don’t want to be arou… https://t.co/ptS9gGoDyw— Tomi Lahren (@Tomi Lahren) 1562010967.0
Lahren's comments came less than a day after a 9,500 member border agent Facebook group proved to be rife with jokes regarding immigrant deaths and lewd doctored images of Ocasio-Cortez.
It didn't go well at all.
@TomiLahren @CBP Yeah, those CBP officers were really doing a Great Patriotic Job when they were telling women to d… https://t.co/kcbzU48N4Y— Glenn Rocess (@Glenn Rocess) 1562013082.0
@TomiLahren @CBP There is literally nothing of substance in this tweet. This is pure primal screeching.— Paul Wu-Tang Clan ⚛︎👨🏻🏫 (@Paul Wu-Tang Clan ⚛︎👨🏻🏫) 1562035013.0
@TomiLahren @CBP She was literally there and witnessed their actions, dumbass.— Rage Donkey™️ (@Rage Donkey™️) 1562011041.0
@TomiLahren @CBP You speak as though you have any clue what it’s like there, @TomiLahren. Your entire life revolves… https://t.co/ebVN2Rn0fw— Brooke Binkowski (@Brooke Binkowski) 1562018782.0
@TomiLahren @CBP Tomi, I wanted to alert you. It appears your Twitter account has been hacked by a privileged elem… https://t.co/54YZFQ7Weo— John Pavlovitz (@John Pavlovitz) 1562069617.0
People immediately began sticking up for Ocasio-Cortez.
@TomiLahren @CBP When you get elected to Congress, let us know. She was watching that the officers do on a daily ba… https://t.co/bCbMOfhHaO— Jeff Manas (@Jeff Manas) 1562011928.0
@TomiLahren @CBP When was the last time you were at the border? @AOC got elected to Congress with 78% of the vote… https://t.co/iYulMPVpm9— Voice of Reason (@Voice of Reason) 1562012953.0
@TomiLahren @CBP So the sexually explicit memes and photoshopped pictures of @AOC shared to that @CBP group were ap… https://t.co/J3N0GtbW1V— AltNSA (@AltNSA) 1562022697.0
As she often does, however, Lahren stayed mad.
Hey @aoc below is one of the many photos of our lovely hotel California. Is this CBP’s fault too? Or is it the Demo… https://t.co/O0e4c8oP5x— Tomi Lahren (@Tomi Lahren) 1562182967.0
Attention @AOC please have someone read this to you. https://t.co/5aaofX8kVs— Tomi Lahren (@Tomi Lahren) 1562170615.0
The Left hates law enforcement, period. Gets in the way of growing their precious illegal immigrant voting bloc. Th… https://t.co/xI46mTM5Cg— Tomi Lahren (@Tomi Lahren) 1562019344.0
Some had theories as to why Lahren's ire for AOC was so strong.
@TomiLahren @CBP Gee what is it about @AOC that gets Tomi so riled up that she feels the need to constantly attack… https://t.co/upKDenhrzo— Jeff Hoyle (@Jeff Hoyle) 1562026075.0
@TomiLahren @CBP You lack self-respect and decency, Tomi. That’s why you’re attacking a person with compassion who… https://t.co/oekx3AgI2l— John Pavlovitz (@John Pavlovitz) 1562033781.0
Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez and other members of Congress who have actually visited the facilities, continue to get the word out.
The book The Fox Effect: How Roger Ailes Turned a Network into a Propaganda Machine is available here.