MBFC's Daily Vetted Fact Checks for 01/16/2026

Fact Check Search

Media Bias Fact Check selects and publishes fact checks from around the world. We only utilize fact-checkers that are either a signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) or have been verified as credible by MBFC. Further, we review each fact check for accuracy before publishing. We fact-check the fact-checkers and let you know their bias. When appropriate, we explain the rating and/or offer our own rating if we disagree with the fact-checker. (D. Van Zandt)

Claim Codes: Red = Fact Check on a Right Claim, Blue = Fact Check on a Left Claim, Black = Not Political/Conspiracy/Pseudoscience/Other

Fact Checker bias rating Codes: Red = Right-Leaning, Green = Least Biased, Blue = Left-Leaning, Black = Unrated by MBFC

TRUE	Claim via Social Media: A Philadelphia sheriff called Immigration and Customs Enforcement “made-up, fake, wannabe law enforcement” and warned agents, “You don’t want this smoke.” Snopes rating: True (Correct Attribution) Philadelphia sheriff Rochelle Bilal called ICE ‘made-up, fake, wannabe law enforcement’
BLATANT LIE	Claim by Ron DeSantis (R): CNN interviewed a thief who said they steal in New York and spend money in Florida “because in Florida they put you in jail.” PolitiFact rating: False (CNN did not interview a thief on air; the story traces back to a CNN analyst recounting secondhand anecdotes from detectives, with experts saying it’s unclear how common the described pattern is.) Fact-checking Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ final State of the State speech Ron Desantis Rating
MOSTLY TRUE	Claim via Social Media: A January 2026 video authentically showed a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer kicking over a flameless memorial candle honoring Renee Good, the woman an ICE agent fatally shot in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, 2026. Snopes rating: Mostly True (The video was from January 2026 and did show a law enforcement official twice kicking a flameless memorial candle honoring Renee Good. The incident occurred in Sacramento, California. The officer who kicked over the candle was a Federal Protective Service officer, not an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agent. The FPS is the subsidiary of the Department of Homeland Security responsible for protecting federal government facilities.) Real video shows DHS officer defacing Renee Good memorial
FALSE	Claim via Social Media: Want to ACTUALLY save the planet? We need to RAISE MORE COWS & EAT MORE BEEF. University of Nebraska study just proved: Cows are CARBON NEGATIVE. Science Feedback rating: Inaccurate (Most cattle farms are net emitters of greenhouse gas. The plants on their land can absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, but they usually don’t absorb enough to cancel out their cattle’s emissions. And while cattle pastures may seem natural, they’re often the result of heavy human management or even deforestation, which increases their net emissions.) Viral claims that cows and beef are climate solutions ignore the impacts of cattle farms
FALSE	(International: Iran): A video showing a woman lighting a cigarette from a burning portrait of the Supreme Leader of Iran was filmed in Iran. Full Fact rating: False (The clip was actually recorded in a town near Toronto, Canada.) Video of woman burning portrait of Iran’s Supreme Leader was filmed in Canada – Full Fact

Disclaimer: We are providing links to fact-checks by third-party fact-checkers. If you do not agree with a fact check, please directly contact the source of that fact check.