An investigation of racist text messages being sent to different teenagers of color. These messages exclaim that they are scheduled to “pick cotton” because the people sending these messages are said to be “slave catchers.” The number attached to the messages is unrecognizable and has yet to be identified by investigators, according to cnn.com.

The texts have been reported in 20 different states in the U.S., from New York to California. It has been found that some were sent through a free phone service called TextNow, which offers unlimited texts and calls. The company believes it “is a widespread, coordinated attack,” according to cnn.com.

Students who have received these messages attend different historically black colleges or universities, such as Hampton University in Hampton, Va.; Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn.; and Claflin University in Orangeburg, S.C., according to cnn.com.

With the incident escalating, the Justice Department and other federal authorities have been gathering information on the matter. Originally, the text messages were sent to different Universities. But now has expanded to high school students, as well as to both the Hispanic and LGBTQ communities. Some have reported being told they were selected for deportation or to report to a re-education camp, according to fbi.gov.

The FBI has stated that they are very aware of the text messages being sent. They have also said they are in contact with the Justice Department to get a better understanding on the matter, according to bbc.com.

The messages allegedly started on Nov. 6, 2024, the day after the election. Some of the messages were prompted by the Trump campaign; however, it was later found by Steven Cheung, a campaign spokesman, that the election had nothing to do with them, according to bbc.com.

A 42-year-old mother in Indiana sent a copy of the texts her teenage daughter received to the BBC, stating that she had been selected to become a slave at the nearest plantation. It was also stated that she will be picked up in a white van and searched thoroughly once arrived at the destination, according to bbc.com.

The woman stated in the interview that the messages were “extremely, extremely alarming” and made her feel “really vulnerable,” according to bbc.com.