No. An Israeli Defense Forces officer acknowledged at a Feb. 24 Chabad of Madison speech that Israeli soldiers have killed babies, but immediately added it was unintentional and “horrible.”
Category: Fact briefs
Wisconsin Watch is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims.
Read more about how Wisconsin Watch checks claims for the fact briefs, and contact us at factbriefs@wisconsinwatch.org
Do nongovernmental organizations use federal tax money to transport migrants in the US?
Yes. The federal government coordinates with and provides funding to nongovernmental organizations that provide services such as food, shelter and transportation to noncitizens at the Mexican border.
Did syphilis in the US increase 80% in four years and cause 231 stillbirths in 2022?
Yes. Syphilis cases in the U.S. increased 80% from 2018 to 2022 and caused 231 stillbirths in 2022, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Jan. 30, 2024.
Did the number of Chinese citizens encountered at the southwest U.S. border increase by more than 50 times in two years?
Yes. In 2023, 37,440 Chinese citizens were encountered by authorities at the southwest U.S. border — 54 times more than the 689 in 2021.
In the 2020 presidential election, did Donald Trump get 83 million votes and Joe Biden 66 million?
No. Joe Biden received 81,283,501 votes (51.3%) and Donald Trump received 74,223,975 (46.9%) in the 2020 presidential election.
Did Joe Biden call Abraham Lincoln one of the most racist presidents in history?
No. An ad that ran on Facebook and Instagram falsely stated that President Joe Biden called Abraham Lincoln one of the most racist presidents in history.
Is the liberal-conservative gap between young women and men growing?
Yes. Since 2014, polling has shown that women between the ages of 18 and 29 have steadily become more liberal each year, while young men have not.
Is Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s net worth $73 million?
No. Credible estimates have put the net worth of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, at between $7.5 million and $12 million.
Did the Homeland Security secretary tell officials not to deport undocumented immigrants convicted of a felony?
No. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said many factors, not a criminal conviction alone, should be considered when removing noncitizens from the U.S.
Does Wisconsin US Rep. Mike Gallagher support open borders?
No. U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Green Bay, has supported several measures to reduce illegal immigration.
As of January 2024, have two-thirds of Wisconsinites said their personal finances are good and have improved?
No. Wisconsin Watch found no public data to support a claim that two-thirds of Wisconsinites say their personal finances are good and have improved.
Did one-fifth of eligible US voters say they’re likely to vote for a political candidate endorsed by Taylor Swift?
Yes. Eighteen percent of eligible voters said in a national poll they are “more likely” or “significantly more likely” to vote for a political candidate endorsed by pop star Taylor Swift, Newsweek reported Jan. 28, 2024.