In a series of speeches and statements, Trump has outlined an aggressive immigration plan that he pledges to implement if reelected, vowing to conduct the “largest domestic deportation operation in American history.” 

Trump's deportation plan was one of the primary topics at the Republican National Convention, coming up in speeches including from Trump, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and Tom Homan, the "architect" of Trump's family separation policy. But TV news media largely failed to cover the issue.

From July 15, when the Republican National Convention began, through July 22, 2024, the broadcast shows ABC's Good Morning America, World News Tonight, and This Week; CBS' Mornings, Evening News, and Face the Nation; and NBC's Today, Nightly News, and Meet the Press each seemingly failed to air any segments focused on — i.e., featuring significant discussion about — the mass deportation plan. 

It came up only in mentions: ABC’s shows mentioned the plan 4 times, for a total of about 1 minute. CBS mentioned it only once, for about 15 seconds, and NBC mentioned it twice, also for only about 15 seconds total.

On cable, Fox News seemingly aired only 1 segment about the plan and mentioned it a handful of times for a total of about 2 and a half minutes. 

CNN apparently aired no segments about the mass deportation plan, instead seemingly covering it only in passing mentions. In total, the network had 13 mentions of the plan, for about 2 and a half minutes of coverage.

MSNBC’s coverage was much more robust, with network personalities and guests dedicating significant coverage to the plan. The network aired 22 segments about the plan for a total of about 36 and a half minutes, with another 51 mentions – adding up in total to more than 46 minutes.

Trump’s immigration plans, developed with the assistance of former aide Stephen Miller, involve plans to end DACA, suspend the refugee resettlement program, and reinstate a travel ban on Muslim-majority countries. He has said he would invoke the Alien Enemies Act, part of the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, to expel alleged “gang members, … the drug dealers, the cartel members.” 

Miller has also suggested using National Guard troops and local police, deputized to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement in conducting sweeping raids, likely predominantly in minority communities. Trump has promised to grant immunity to police officers involved in these operations, emphasizing a harsh crackdown on immigration that many immigration advocates argue would violate “basic civil rights.”

While much of national television news media are continuing a pattern of ignoring or sanitizing Trump's extreme comments and plans, MSNBC host Alicia Menendez clearly explained the stakes of Trump's mass deportation plan:

ALICIA MENENDEZ (MSNBC HOST): My stomach churns when I see those signs that say “mass deportation now.” They are talking about people who have lived in this country their entire lives. They are talking about people who have started families here. They are talking about people who have started businesses here. They want to round them all up. And they may not be brave enough to have their vice presidential contender say that on the main stage, but they were certainly committed enough to it to print out those signs and have a variety of other folks deliver the message.

Media Matters searched transcripts in the SnapStream video database for all original programming on CNN, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC as well as all original episodes for ABC's Good Morning America, World News Tonight, and This Week; CBS' Mornings, Evening News, and Face the Nation; and NBC's Today, Nightly News, and Meet the Press for any variation of the term “deport” or any variation of the term “remove” within close proximity to either of the terms “illegal” or “border” or any variation of the terms “migrant” or “immigrant” from June 15, 2024, when the Republican National Convention began, through July 21, 2024.

We timed segments, which we defined as instances when the Trump campaign's mass deportation proposal was the stated topic of discussion or when we found significant discussion of the proposal. We defined significant discussion as instances when two or more speakers in a multitopic segment discussed the proposal with one another.

We also timed mentions, which we defined as instances when a single speaker in a segment on another topic mentioned the proposal without another speaker in the segment engaging with the comment, and teasers, which we defined as instances when the anchor or host promoted a segment about the proposal scheduled to air later in the broadcast.