Social media users accused Congresswoman Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez (D-NY) of virtue signaling after photos surfaced from last year showing her pouting outside a migrant detention facility in Texas.
RELATED: Ocasio-Cortez Wears $600 Watch During ‘Crying’ Border Photo-Op
Photographer Ivan Pierre Aguirre posted the photos to Twitter Monday, which he claimed showed the then-unknown Cortez taking “time away from her campaign” to protest the tent city in Tornillo, Texas.
Before @AOC hit the national stage & was just a fairly unknown House candidate frm NYC,she took time awy frm her campaign & came dwn to #Tornillo to protest the #tentcity housing migrant children.I made these previously unpublished fotos a yr ago today. #elpaso #aoc #onassignment pic.twitter.com/SWyyI1XVt9
— Ivan Pierre Aguirre (@i_p_a_1) June 25, 2019
AOC retweeted the images claiming they captured the moment she witnessed the “America I love was becoming a nation that steals refugee children from their parents & caged them.”
I’ll never forget this, because it was the moment I saw with my own eyes that the America I love was becoming a nation that steals refugee children from their parents,& caged them.
More kids died after this. To date, no one has been held accountable.
We need to save these kids. https://t.co/HhdMqc5zML
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 25, 2019
Many immediately slammed the images for being staged photo ops, while others asked why they highlighted Cortez rather than the children she was supposedly there to defend.
Where are the children then?
— ogmediadeployment (@OGDeployment) June 25, 2019
I think it is highly suspect that they are releasing these photos now at the height of the #Childrenincamps I AOC's heart might be in the right place-but she showboats and makes issues about her. #justicedems are always looking for a chance to take the spotlight. never fails
— Dee #TeamPelosi #ProudDem (@Deemoney521) June 25, 2019
These are so clearly contrived and staged that it's physically painful to look at them https://t.co/ZAlAGEX5Yq
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) June 25, 2019
Show the children and the conditions! This isn’t about her face. Not helping.
— Kari (@RhodyKari) June 25, 2019
Jussie should hire her as his acting coach
— TP Stirz (@rlstirz) June 25, 2019
Their own parents dragged them here! If it were me, it would be a cold day in hell that anyone would separate my kids from me!
— Peke (@PekebooX) June 25, 2019
Looks like a pre-planned photo opp!
— Matt DeLong (@mattdelong90) June 25, 2019
These images capture not a damn thing about this children. This is an embarrassment and offensive.
— Momo (@Momeaux) June 25, 2019
You put your makeup and pick your outfit before you are outside struck with grief.
I just sobbed until hyperventilating in the car wearing a low cut romper. My mascara is pristine. My lipstick smudged only b/c of dinner. That speaks for my quality of makeup, not my emotions.
— D&D OC FEELINGS ONLY ⭕️ (@Solo_Grayson) June 25, 2019
At that point, how was she able to afford her ticket, hotel, outfit? I thought she was just a poor bartender unable to live her life because some people have a lot of money.
— WoodwardTrader (@woodwardtrader) June 25, 2019
I didn't see any children or cages in these photos that are clearly set-up, staged. Looks like she's crying at a standard, run of the mill fence that separates a piece of property from a road or parking lot. Such theater.
— Salt… (@Salt__Radio) June 25, 2019
The images also sparked a few memes.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE NEW PHOTOS TO MAKE @AOC MEMES WITH!!
— Chris Cline (@1000thghostauto) June 25, 2019
When you accidentally step on your dog's foot. pic.twitter.com/K0NfW03BWP
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 25, 2019
The Stages of a SJW Freakout pic.twitter.com/oANFLeX6v5
— Carpe Donktum🔹 (@CarpeDonktum) June 25, 2019
— ☢ N u K 3 ☢ (@NukeDotNet) June 25, 2019
— goth alex jones (@isawrobertsmith) June 25, 2019
Sad AOC at a Trump Rally. pic.twitter.com/FjmlUAIlbe
— Carpe Donktum🔹 (@CarpeDonktum) June 25, 2019
Noooooooo Joe… can't you see she is already upset? pic.twitter.com/pKBdwMmHgU
— Carpe Donktum🔹 (@CarpeDonktum) June 25, 2019
.@AOC reacts to my new and highly effective border signs. pic.twitter.com/sVuFKho179
— Carpe Donktum🔹 (@CarpeDonktum) June 25, 2019
At one point Pierre Aguirre was forced to respond to criticism over the photos’ lack of children, saying they were there despite not being photographed.
Yes, these images don’t show children, that doesn’t mean they weren’t there. Also, there are several other tweets/stories I covered that do indeed show those children if you want to look those up.
— Ivan Pierre Aguirre (@i_p_a_1) June 25, 2019
The photos come off the heels of remarks from Cortez comparing illegal immigrant detention centers in the US to Nazi-era concentration/death camps.
The timing of the photos is also notable given the current liberal outcry over poor conditions at detention facilities overwhelmed by illegals across the country.
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