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Commissioner defends family pumpkin patch after online claims tie it to county ICE contract
Summary
Vice Chair Kevin McCall read a statement defending McCall's Pumpkin Patch after social-media and union messaging linked the business to the county's ICE detention contract; the Commission discussed county communications and urged caution about unverified claims online.
Vice Chair Kevin McCall told the Torrance County Commission on Oct. 8 that social-media messages and an Albuquerque Teachers Federation email had falsely linked his family’s McCall’s Pumpkin Patch to the county’s contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"Our business is no way communicating or working with ICE. This is utterly false from its start 28 years ago," McCall said, asking the record to show the farm welcomes all families and is not affiliated with ICE. Chairman Ryan Schwebach said the Commission wanted to address what information is reaching local teachers and the community and urged people to verify sources before sharing damaging claims.
The Commission did not take formal action on the matter but discussed the limits of county authority over private business reputations and the prudence of county communications. Several commissioners said the controversy highlighted how quickly misleading information spreads on social media and can harm private citizens and local businesses.
