Overview

• FCC Chairman Brendan Carr claims Comcast outlets distorted coverage by downplaying Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s alleged MS-13 ties and portraying him as a law-abiding U.S. resident.
• Carr suggested that Comcast’s broadcast licenses could be at risk, though the FCC’s news distortion policy only applies to deliberate factual distortion by broadcasters, not cable networks like MSNBC.
• Garcia, a lawful U.S. resident, was deported to El Salvador in March despite a 2019 court order barring his removal, a deportation the Supreme Court has since ruled an administrative error requiring correction.
• Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez and free speech advocates warn that Carr’s actions represent a politicization of the FCC’s licensing authority to target critical media outlets.
• Comcast has not responded to Carr’s accusations, which come amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to pressure news outlets over unfavorable coverage.