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Racist texts referring to 'picking cotton' reported across nation
SAN DIEGO (KGTV)— Concerning spam-like text messages are being reported to authorities across the country, and now the FBI is getting involved. A viewer sent this screenshot of a text she received from an unknown number.
Tali Letoi
Tali Letoi
The viewer who asked not to be named says she felt ‘horrified and fearful’ after receiving a message like this. She’s not alone.
Many black people nationwide have reported getting similar messages post-Election Day where they’re told they’ve been “selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation.”
But this latest trend raises the question of how people are able to do this. One local expert weighed in on how it’s possible to receive certain peoples’ private information.
“There have been several data breaches, and each one of those data breaches contain sensitive information,” says Nikolas Behar, an adjunct professor of Cybersecurity at the University of San Diego. “And when we take pieces from each one of those data breaches and we cross-compare it with things like social media, publicly available profiles, we can discern certain targets, whether it’s gender or race.”
More than ten states have reported similar texts, some even on college campuses, which has put authorities at the local and federal levels on high alert.
In a statement to ABC 10News, the FBI said:
“The FBI is aware of the offensive and racist text messages sent to individuals around the country and is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter.
As always, we encourage members of the public to report threats of physical violence to local law enforcement authorities.”
While it remains unclear who is responsible, the FTC is urging those who get the messages to make them as spam or junk so that they’re reported to the messaging app. And Behar says it’ll possibly be the new norm.
“So it’s difficult to protect against this type of attack. And it’s unfortunately something that we’re gonna have to start grappling with.”
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BBC Verify Live: Fact-checking Trump’s unusual new White House presidential plaques
Videos show rebels on the move in eastern DRC city Uvirapublished at 12:49 GMT
Peter Mwai
BBC Verify senior journalist
We have verified video showing fighters belonging to the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group on the move in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), after M23 announced a withdrawal from the city of Uvira in South Kivu province which it seized a week ago.
The M23 had taken contorl of Uvira despite a ceasefire deal agreed between the governments of Rwanda and DRC and had come under increasing diplomatic pressure to withdraw its forces from the city.
The DRC government has reacted with scepticism, with a spokesperson asking on XL “Where are they going? How many were there? What are they leaving behind in the city? Mass graves? Soldiers disguised as civilians?”
We can’t tell where they are heading, but in the footage we have verified the fighters, together with vehicles, move north past the Uvira police headquarters.
We confirmed where the clips were filmed by matching the distinctively painted road kerbs, buildings and trees to satellite imagery.
The leader of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a coalition of rebel groups which includes the M23 group, had announced on Monday that the group would withdraw from the city as a “trust-building measure”.
It followed a request from the US which has been mediating between the governments of Rwanda and DRC.
The rebels remained present in the city after the announcement but on Wednesday M23 spokesperson Willy Ngoma announced the group had begun withdrawing troops. The group said it intends to complete the withdrawal today, but has warned against militarisation.
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FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino says he will step down in January
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino speaks during a news conference on an arrest of a suspect in the January 6th pipe bomb case at the Department of Justice on Dec. 4, 2025.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
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Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
FBI deputy director Dan Bongino said Wednesday he plans to step down from the bureau in January.
In a statement posted on X, Bongino thanked President Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel “for the opportunity to serve with purpose.”
Bongino was an unusual pick for the No. 2 post at the FBI, a critical job overseeing the bureau’s day-to-day affairs traditionally held by a career agent. Neither Bongino nor his boss, Patel, had any previous experience at the FBI.
Bongino did have previous law enforcement experience, as a police officer and later as a Secret Service agent, as well as a long history of vocal support for Trump.
Bongino made his name over the past decade as a pro-Trump, far-right podcaster who pushed conspiracy theories, including some involving the FBI. He had been critical of the bureau, embracing the narrative that it had been “weaponized” against conservatives and even calling its agents “thugs.”
His tenure at the bureau was at times tumultuous, including a clash with Justice Department leadership over the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
But it also involved the arrest earlier this month of the man authorities say is responsible for placing two pipe bombs near the Democratic and Republican committee headquarters, hours before the assault on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
In an unusual arrangement, Bongino has had a co-deputy director since this summer when the Trump administration tapped Andrew Bailey, a former attorney general of Missouri, to serve alongside Bongino in the No. 2 job.
President Trump praised Bongino in brief remarks to reporters before he announced he was stepping down.”Dan did a great job,” Trump said. “I think he wants to go back to his show.”
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Video: Man on Roof Faces Off with ICE Agents for Hours in Minnesota
new video loaded: Man on Roof Faces Off with ICE Agents for Hours in Minnesota
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transcript
Man on Roof Faces Off with ICE Agents for Hours in Minnesota
A man clung to a partially built roof for hours in frigid temperatures during a standoff with immigration agents in Chanhassen, Minn., a suburb of Minneapolis. The confrontation was part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the state to remove what it calls “vicious criminals.”
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“What a [expletive] embarrassment.” “Look at this guy.” “What’s with all the fascists?” “The Lord is with you.” “Where’s the bad hombre? What did this guy do?” “He’s out here working to support his [expletive] family.” “Gestapo agents.” “Oh yeah, shake your head, tough guy.” “This is where you get the worst of the worst right here, hard-working builders.” “Crossing the border is not a crime. Coming illegally to the United States is not a crime, according to you.” “C’mon, get out of here.” “Take him to a different hospital.”
By Ernesto Londoño, Jackeline Luna and Daniel Fetherston
December 17, 2025
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