Washington Post immigration reporter Maria Sacchetti earned herself a wave of backlash when she attempted to use Saturday’s Kentucky Derby winner — Sovereignty, ridden by Venezuelan immigrant Junior Alvarado — as a cudgel with which to dishonestly attack President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies on illegal immigration and mass deportation.

Sacchetti, like so many others in broadcast and print media, conflated Alvarado — a legal immigrant from Venezuela — with the millions of illegal immigrants in the United States, suggesting that it Trump was allowed to continue deporting criminal illegals, Alvarado and others like him would be among them.

“Trump officials, who have sought to expel hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, are celebrating the victory of Sovereignty at the Kentucky Derby. Sovereignty’s jockey, Junior Alvarado, is an immigrant from Venezuela,” Sacchetti posted via X.

Trump officials, who have sought to expel hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, are celebrating the victory of Sovereignty at the Kentucky Derby.

Sovereignty’s jockey, Junior Alvarado, is an immigrant from Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/vbGAGh7GS3

— Maria Sacchetti (@mariasacchetti) May 4, 2025

Critics quickly pointed out the fact that Alvarado was in the United States legally — and Trump’s deportation policies were aimed primarily at those who were not only in the country illegally but had also committed additional crimes since their arrival.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon posted, “In America, legal immigrants are awesome and many serve in the Trump administration. I am one. Junior Alvarado is leading in sports. Many like Elon change the world. Stop conflating law-abiding citizens with criminal gangbangers, drug dealers, and human traffickers. We see you.”

In America, legal immigrants are awesome and many serve in the Trump administration. I am one. Junior Alvarado is leading in sports. Many like Elon change the world. Stop conflating law-abiding citizens with criminal gangbangers, drug dealers, and human traffickers. We see you. https://t.co/LX32GXPQwO

— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@HarmeetKDhillon) May 4, 2025

“Great story, Maria. So the entire (dishonest) implication of your premise is that he entered the country illegally and Alvarado is now at risk of being deported. Except he came here legally,” Joe Concha added. “The ‘hundreds of thousands’ of Venezuelans Trump is seeking to expel entered illegally.”

Great story, Maria. So the entire (dishonest) implication of your premise is that he entered the country illegally and Alvarado is now at risk of being deported.

Except he came here legally. The “hundreds of thousands” of Venezuelans Trump is seeking to expel entered illegally. https://t.co/0lJPgGMOPn

— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) May 4, 2025

“This article, shared by a Washington Post reporter, conflates illegal immigrants, foreigners with legal guest visas, and Latinos as a whole to pretend that cracking down on illegal immigration would exclude jockeys. An immigration attorney quoted in the article confirms there’s been no problem obtaining visas for foreign jockeys. I think these people actually believe their own propaganda,” Laura Powell said.

This article, shared by a Washington Post reporter, conflates illegal immigrants, foreigners with legal guest visas, and Latinos as a whole to pretend that cracking down on illegal immigration would exclude jockeys.

An immigration attorney quoted in the article confirms there’s… https://t.co/JGL9otuuUA pic.twitter.com/r8z2tC2BTu

— Laura Powell (@LauraPowellEsq) May 4, 2025

“This woman is allegedly an immigration ‘reporter’ for the Washington Post and does not understand the difference between LEGAL immigrants and ILLEGAL immigrants,” Abigail Jackson posted.

This woman is allegedly an immigration “reporter” for the Washington Post and does not understand the difference between LEGAL immigrants and ILLEGAL immigrants. https://t.co/RfT6AWoMbN

— Abigail Jackson 🇺🇸 (@abigailmarone) May 4, 2025

“I wonder if she understands that her assertion demonstrates that Trump supporters don’t hate people because of their ethnicity but instead want illegal aliens gone regardless,” Kurt Schlicter added.

I wonder if she understands that her assertion demonstrates that Trump supporters don’t hate people because of their ethnicity but instead want illegal aliens gone regardless https://t.co/dcpNlC7BAM

— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) May 4, 2025

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy posted a video on Sunday that he described as an “emergency press conference,” reacting to a light-up sign — with the message “F*** the Jews” — that had been spotted by patrons at a Barstool-owned bar in Philadelphia.

Portnoy said that he’d had no complaint about the Center City bar, Barstool Sansom Street, in the past. “Usually a great bar. You know, bottle service, people buy drinks, you get a sign,” he said. “There was a sign yesterday that said, ‘F*** the Jews.'”

“Emergency Press Conference — There was a ‘F*** the Jews’ sign at our Philly bar last night. I am shaking I’m so mad,” he captioned the video.

WATCH:

Emergency Press Conference – There was a “Fuck the Jews” sign at our Philly bar last night. I am shaking I’m so mad pic.twitter.com/DRlQc9woiA

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) May 4, 2025

“‘I’ve been shaking. I’ve been so mad for the last two hours. Like I instantly got on, this is why the Emergency Press Conference is late, because I was so over the top,” Portnoy, who is Jewish, said in the video, explaining that before even taking to social media to address the situation, he had done everything he could to track down everyone responsible for allowing it to happen.

“I’m gonna f***ing make it my life f***ing mission to ruin these people. Like, I’m coming for your throat. I’m never ending,” he continued, saying he’d spent the last two hours “on the trail” digging up as much information as he could.

“You think I’m going to put up with this s**t at my bar?” he asked. “So I’ve been hunting down waitresses, the table who did it, and everything you can f***ing name, because I want f***ing consequences for f***ing actions … Trust me, I have been on it.”

Portnoy went on to reveal that he had tracked down and fired the two waitresses who held up the sign, referring to one of the two as “one of the dumbest f***ing humans I’ve ever talked to in my life,” and that he had spoken to a Temple University student who he said was responsible for posting a since-deleted video of the sign via Instagram.

Saying that he’d had “the kid” in tears and swearing that he was not antisemitic, Portnoy added, “I don’t buy it for a second. Who the f*** would do that sign in my f***in bar? You think I’m just gonna sit here? I’m gonna make it my mission to put you in lights. Tell me how do I make this right before I go ape-s**t. You want to take anti-Semitism classes? You want to do whatever? You make it feel right. I don’t need your tears … Trust me, they’re pulling the footage.”

“I’m 20 steps ahead and I’m using everything. I am going to come for your f***ing throat unless you give me answers,” he concluded. “What I’m saying is: I’m getting the names, I’m trying to be a little responsible, I’m trying to keep it together, but I’m on it. I’m f***ing on it.”