The New York Times is taking political fearmongering to an interesting new low, and it involves children.
A new article, titled “Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Pervades Long Island Suburbs,” contains complaints that students in the area are “intimidating” other children by waving American flags at school. Yes, only in the modern United States would kids waving their country’s flag at school not only be considered newsworthy, but also controversial.
From the article:
ICE agents have turned Nassau County’s fire stations into rest stops, pulling into parking lots to take a break from patrolling. Sandra Valencia, who runs a youth leadership program on Long Island through Rural & Migrant Ministry, an advocacy group, said that agents park outside schools after classes are released, frightening parents.
“Children of Republican parents have intimidated our kids,” Ms. Valencia said in Spanish. “They showed up to school with American flags.”
Latinos on Long Island have accused ICE of discrimination. In a lawsuit filed April 8, five residents of Latino descent said that agents unlawfully stopped and arrested them based solely on their race and ethnicity, with no regard for their immigration status, in violation of federal laws and regulations. The agency did not respond to an inquiry about the litigation.
Keep in mind, this is the same outlet where, in 2021, editorial board member Mara Gay said it was “just disturbing” to see “dozens of American flags” on Long Island.
Watch:
NYT/MSNBC’s @MaraGay: In Long Island last weekend, I saw “dozens of American flags,” which was “just disturbing” pic.twitter.com/RhGdqqJope
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) June 8, 2021
X users reacted to the article:
If the American flag is so intimidating then they should leave the country. Not maybe, but definitely
— Kathryn (@kbean511) May 4, 2026
Everyone comes here from somewhere else and learns the grievance industry very quickly.
— The Texas Embassy (@THETXEMBASSY) May 4, 2026
If the American flag scares you, you don’t truly want to live here and you should show yourself the door.
— NeverBeSilenced (@JonConn65769672) May 5, 2026
They wield minority status as a shield to bash us with, weaponizing shame they never felt.
They’ll gladly burn everything down; all roads lead to Communism, because this time they’ll get it right.
— Hansel Ang (@hanselang) May 4, 2026
Aren’t they aware that the flag is a symbol representing where they’re at? If you’re scared of the flag, why aren’t you scared of the country? We need to tell these wannabe victims to shut the fuck up or get out
— zon (@indazon87) May 4, 2026
