Twitter users slammed NBC News on Friday for deleting a tweet about the illegal immigrant relocation from Florida to Martha’s Vineyard which compared the migrants to "trash."
The now-deleted tweet and corresponding NBC News story quoted Max Lefeld, founder of Casa Venezuela Dallas foundation – a charity group dedicated to helping refugees – who described the relocation as taking out the "trash."
"It’s like me taking my trash out and just driving to different areas where I live and just throwing my trash there," Lefeld told the outlet in order to paint the move, ordered by Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., as a dehumanizing political stunt.
NBC News’ tweet about the story featured Lefeld’s comment front and center, stating, "Florida Gov. DeSantis sending asylum-seekers to Martha’s Vineyard is like ‘me taking my trash out and just driving to different areas where I live and just throwing my trash there,’ a founding member of a foundation which helps refugees says. - @NBCLatino."
However, the outlet apparently realized that referring to migrants as "trash" was not a good look, at least for its Twitter account. NBC News deleted the tweet shortly after posting it on Friday. The news story however, featuring the quoting in its second paragraph, is still up on the website.
Prominent conservative Twitter accounts saved images of the tweet and flooded the platform with them. They condemned the outlet for the comparison.
Conservative journalist Jason Howerton was shocked that the outlet had composed the now-deleted tweet, writing, "Holy s---. Wow. Sometimes you really just want to shut up and let them talk."
Later he shared the screenshot of the post, tweeting, "LOL - @NBCNews deleted their post that compared migrants to ‘trash.’ Don't worry guys, I gotchu."
"Wonder why @NBCNews deleted this tweet," tweeted BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales sarcastically.
The Daily Wire reporter Ryan Saavedra tweeted, "NBC News just deleted this article on Twitter in which they compare migrants to ‘trash.’"
Independent journalist Andy Ngo tweeted, "NBC News deleted the following tweet after it was noticed to be a little bit too honest about what some Democrats feel."
"The ‘trash’ comparison can still be found in the NBC News story. Guessing they hoped no one would read past the now deleted tweet," wrote The Spectator contributing editor Stephen L. Miller."
Conservative columnist Tim Young sarcastically quipped, "I can't quite put my finger on why @NBCNews deleted this tweet..."
Former Trump adviser and conservative pundit Sebastian Gorka askied, "Why did you delete this @NBCNews? Have you changed your mind that Illegals are ‘trash?’"
Former Republican Senate candidate in Ohio Bernie Moreno tweeted, "Jill Biden compares Hispanics to breakfast tacos and the extremists democrats, who make money from the suffering of illegal immigrants, compare migrants to ‘trash.’ I wonder why @NBCNews deleted their tweet? @NBCLatino Que paso?"
And Breitbart News Pentagon correspondent Kristina Wong asked, "Didn’t think that one through, did ya? #NBCNews."
