NBC Bay Area has drawn sharp criticism for failing to report the criminal history of an illegal immigrant whose arrest by federal authorities was recently highlighted in local coverage.
Last week, 42-year-old Gerardo Rojas-Leyva was taken into custody outside his San Jose home as he prepared to leave for work.
Neighbors and the family’s Ring doorbell captured video showing Rojas-Leyva seated in his black truck at approximately 7:45 a.m. local time, when federal agents approached and instructed him to exit the vehicle.
While the footage has circulated online, The Post Millennial notes that it does not confirm all of the claims made in subsequent news reports.
NBC Bay Area reported that Rojas-Leyva’s wife, Idalia, a U.S. citizen, tried to intervene, alleging that a woman not in uniform struck her 22-year-old daughter with a baton.
The video does not corroborate this allegation, and NBC did not include Rojas-Leyva’s criminal record, prompting public backlash and a statement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on X: “Why is [NBC Bay Area] peddling a hoax for a PEDOPHILE?”
DHS clarified that Rojas-Leyva is a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico.
According to McLaughlin, his record reportedly includes lewd and lascivious acts with a child, spousal battery, domestic battery and providing compensation for prostitution.
He also illegally re-entered the U.S. after a previous deportation—a felony.
Federal authorities emphasized that arrests like this are part of a nationwide effort to remove illegal immigrants with criminal histories and to protect American communities.
This is not the first time NBC has faced scrutiny for incomplete reporting.
Resist the Mainstream previously reported that NBC mischaracterized a young girl in a Massachusetts ICE operation and just earlier this month, the network was forced to correct its misidentification of a suspect in a high-profile case.
Critics argue that the omission of Rojas-Leyva’s criminal record highlights a recurring pattern of selective reporting, which can shape public perception in ways that omit key context.
As of this writing, NBC Bay Area has not yet updated its story to include Rojas-Leyva’s criminal history.
Federal officials maintain that full transparency, including relevant criminal records, is essential for public understanding of immigration enforcement.
DHS reports that over 527,000 illegal immigrants have been removed under the Trump administration, reinforcing a stated focus on public safety and prioritizing those with prior convictions or deportations.
The coverage and subsequent backlash underscore the ongoing debate over media responsibility in reporting on sensitive law enforcement operations.
Federal officials argue that accurate reporting is critical to public awareness and accountability.
Critics counter that selective reporting distorts reality, particularly when stories omit details such as criminal history that contextualize enforcement actions.
NBC’s reporting on Rojas-Leyva, combined with previous missteps, has reignited discussions about media bias, transparency and the portrayal of illegal immigrants in high-profile cases.
As immigration remains a politically charged issue, the handling of stories like Rojas-Leyva’s arrest demonstrates the challenges for local media in balancing sensitivity, accuracy and transparency.
The ongoing debate reflects larger tensions between public perception, law enforcement priorities, and media responsibility in shaping narratives around illegal immigration and criminal activity.
