Facebook punishes conservative group over post about suspect in Mollie Tibbetts' murder

By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times - Thursday, August 23, 2018

A group that fights for stricter immigration controls says it was punished with a 24-hour ban from Facebook after a post highlighting the illegal immigrant whom police have accused of killing an Iowa college student.

Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee says Facebook is “trying to defend the illegal alien murder” by silencing the group after it complained that U.S. immigration policies allowed the man accused of the killing to be loose in the U.S.

Billie Jo Calderwood, the aunt of Millie Tibbetts, the young woman killed, posted earlier this week that “Evil comes in EVERY color. Our family has been blessed to be surrounded by love, friendship and support throughout this entire ordeal by friends from all different nations and races.”

ALIPAC responded on Facebook, saying: “Please do not make this about race Billie Jo Calderwood. Many Americans are fighting to stop the thousands of murders of U.S. citizens by illegals that occur each year due to our government’s failure to enforce the existing border and immigration laws of America.”

The group continued: “We hope you will join the other grieving Angel Families who are fighting to prevent crimes like the one that befell Mollie due to the special interests fueling illegal immigration in America. Prayers for your family at this difficult time. For most of us, it is not about race or color. It is about the laws designed to protect all Americans.”

William Gheen, head of ALIPAC, said he had been locked out of his account for 24 hours for violating Facebook’s “standards on hate speech.”

Facebook didn’t respond to a message seeking comment on what part of the post was deemed offensive.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news...over-iowa-ill/