--- title: "Protesters Sue Benny Johnson for Defamation Over ICE Videos" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/protesters-sue-benny-johnson-for-defamation-over-ice-videos" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/protesters-sue-benny-johnson-for-defamation-over-ice-videos" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/protesters-sue-benny-johnson-for-defamation-over-ice-videos.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/protesters-sue-benny-johnson-for-defamation-over-ice-videos" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-10-02T19:05:29.861Z" source_reported: "2026-10-02T18:11:14.000Z" updated: "2026-10-02T19:05:29.861Z" trust_score: 60 critic_score: 65 hype_score: 45 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-02T19:00:38.925860+00:00" --- # Protesters Sue Benny Johnson for Defamation Over ICE Videos *Two individuals claim the influencer falsely labeled them 'left-wing terrorists' and violent extremists.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. Central claim attributed to named plaintiffs; two independent outlets corroborated the reporting. - Craft 65 of 100, higher is better. Reporting includes quotes from plaintiffs and legal expert, and details on the plaintiffs' backgrounds. - Hype 45 of 100, lower is better. Headline uses loaded terms like 'terrorists' and 'smears' but is largely supported by article content. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Two protesters, Kyle Frankovich and Maureen Foody, have filed a defamation lawsuit against influencer Benny Johnson. - The lawsuit alleges Johnson falsely depicted the protesters as 'left-wing terrorists' and violent extremists in videos. - Frankovich and Foody were detained outside an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, in October 2025 and later released without charges. - Johnson created the videos while embedded with then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. Protesters Kyle Frankovich and Maureen Foody are suing Benny Johnson for defamation. They allege Johnson falsely portrayed them as 'left-wing terrorists' and violent extremists in videos he produced. The lawsuit states Johnson made these claims while embedded with then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino. Frankovich and Foody were detained outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, Illinois, in October 2025. Johnson's videos showed Frankovich, with his hands zip-tied, and other protesters being detained. The plaintiffs were released without charges. Frankovich is a data scientist at Harvard University, and Foody is a court reporter. ## Disagreement on Johnson's statements NPR reported that Johnson stated in one video, "These individuals assaulted ICE officers as they were trying to clear out the area behind us over here." The lawsuit claims Johnson knew this was untrue. Washington Examiner, The Daily Boulder, Joe.My.God., Raw Story, Mediaite, and BizToc reported that Johnson falsely portrayed the protesters as violent criminals and "domestic terrorists" or "left-wing terrorists." ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated reports mentioned that Johnson's footage was aired on Fox News. None of the right-rated reports mentioned that Johnson's footage was aired on Fox News or that Johnson was embedded with Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino. No centre-rated outlet ran this story. ## Who covered it Shares of the 7 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 86% (6) - Centre: 0% (0) - Right: 14% (1) 1 of 8 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-02T19:00:38.925860+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 4 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-02T20:00:16.804Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Left-rated reports led on the defamation lawsuit filed by ICE protesters against Benny Johnson. They highlighted that Johnson is accused of falsely portraying the protesters as 'left-wing terrorists' and violent extremists. These reports noted that Frankovich and Foody were detained outside an ICE facility and released without charges. They also mentioned Frankovich's role as a data scientist at Harvard University and Foody's as a court reporter. Several reports mentioned Johnson created the videos while embedded with then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. ### Centre No separate framing summary. ### Right - The right-rated report led on the lawsuit filed by two protesters against Benny Johnson. It stated the plaintiffs allege Johnson falsely portrayed them as violent criminals and "domestic terrorists" after a protest outside an ICE facility in October 2025. The report identified the plaintiffs as Kyle Frankovich and Maureen Foody. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 4 - unknown: 2 - veryHigh: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [emptywheel](https://emptywheel.net/2026/10/02/the-protestors-benny-slandered-finally-come-after-him) — The Protestors Benny Defamed Finally Come After Him - [Washington Examiner](https://washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/4752216/two-protester-sue-benny-johnson-ice-ride-along-false-claims-crimes-assault) — Two protesters sue media personality Benny Johnson for ICE ride-along videos - [The Daily Boulder](https://dailyboulder.com/maga-podcaster-benny-johnson-hit-with-defamation-lawsuit-over-videos-branding-ice-protesters-domestic-terrorists) — MAGA podcaster Benny Johnson hit with defamation lawsuit over videos branding ICE protesters ‘domestic terrorists’ - [Joe.My.God.](https://joemygod.com/2026/10/ice-protesters-sue-benny-johnson-for-defamation) — ICE Protesters Sue Benny Johnson For Defamation - [Raw Story](https://rawstory.com/benny-johnson-maga-new-report) — MAGA influencer sued for defamation over 'terrorist' smears against protesters - [npr](https://npr.org/2026/10/02/nx-s1-5989413/benny-johnson-defamation-lawsuit-ice-protesters) — Pro-Trump Influencer Benny Johnson is being sued for defamation by ICE protesters - [Mediaite](https://mediaite.com/media/news/maga-podcaster-benny-johnson-sued-for-defamation-for-calling-ice-protestors-terrorists) — MAGA Podcaster Benny Johnson Sued For Defamation For Calling ICE Protestors ‘Terrorists’ - [BizToc](https://biztoc.com/x/193eb2f0d6c78fea) — MAGA podcaster Benny Johnson sued for defamation over ICE ride-along videos calling protesters ‘terrorists’ ## Questions **Who is suing Benny Johnson and why?** Protesters Kyle Frankovich and Maureen Foody are suing Benny Johnson for defamation. They allege he falsely portrayed them as 'left-wing terrorists' and violent extremists in videos he produced after they were detained outside an ICE facility. **What happened to the protesters?** Kyle Frankovich and Maureen Foody were detained outside an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, in October 2025. They were released without charges. Frankovich is a data scientist at Harvard University, and Foody is a court reporter. **What was Benny Johnson doing when he made the videos?** Benny Johnson created the videos while he was embedded with then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino during a protest outside an ICE facility. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/protesters-sue-benny-johnson-for-defamation-over-ice-videos. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Protesters Sue Benny Johnson for Defamation Over ICE Videos", https://mediabias.news/politics/protesters-sue-benny-johnson-for-defamation-over-ice-videos