The ruling class is so good at making up/using this kind of bs to just fill the entire news cycle and get people scared and riled up so they don't think about the real source of their problems

They're only good at this because most Americans are out there looking for news that reaffirm their racist beliefs. Appealing to a libidinal impulse through racism wouldn't be a problem if people didn't find pleasure in hating foreigners and black people.