He has been covering the southern border since his first job in El Paso, Texas, and now that he is part of the Fox News family, Bill Melugin has done over 1,000 live shots from the Rion Grande Valley, making him the network’s go-to guy on all things border-related.
Melugin’s coverage of news at the U.S.-Mexico border has made waves, upsetting the Biden administration and winning him praise amongst conservative politicians and commentators, who have weaponized his coverage to stoke fears about immigration.
According to Jay Wallace, president of Fox News, no one from the current administration has not made any specific complaint concerning Melguin’s reporting.
Melugin, 32, is a star in the making at Fox News, according to a profile piece from Los Angeles Times, Stephen Battaglio. He joined the network from Fox’s LA station in 2021 as a national correspondent and was part of the network’s Uvalde, Texas, school shooting coverage.
He has so far refused overtures to move east for more prominent positions, opting to remain in his hometown of Los Angeles to be closer to his family.
Committed to his beat at the border, Melugin spent 170 days in 2022 down in that area. Not only is he present during the day but also at night, where he and his crew have used thermal-capable drones that can fly at night to provide footage of migrants crossing the border from Mexico.
He says he has witnessed migrants drowning as they cross the Rio Grande, children being sexually assaulted, and illegal drugs being seized.
Melugin’s reports have appeared across all dayparts of Fox News, including during its opinionated programming in the evening and primetime. He has acknowledged that hosts like Tucker Carlson have riffed off his reports but has said that he will go on their shows so that he can control the way his stories are being told.
“I am willing to report for any show, anytime, anyplace, because if my reporting is going to be used, then who better to make sure it’s done right, and done accurately, than me?” he said.
His father passed away due to a pulmonary embolism at age 55, and Melugin summons him for moral support whenever he is about to do a live hit.
“I’m just asking him to watch over me. Don’t let me mess up. Hope I’m making you proud.” Melugin said. “It’s a little conversation I have with him before every live shot.”