CBS: 'Tough' Pennsylvania Immigration Law, Like 'Controversial' Arizona Law, Faces 'Fierce Opposition'
On Saturday's CBS Evening News, anchor Jeff Glor reported on an immigration protest in Boston: "...hundreds opposed to Arizona's controversial immigration law protested the presence of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer at a meeting there." One protestor held a sign that read: "Jan Brewer is a Bigot." Glor then turned to a report on a similar immigration law proposed in Pennsylvania.
Correspondent Elaine Quijano explained how a CBS News poll showed 52% of Americans support the Arizona's immigration law and that "other states are preparing to follow Arizona's lead": "In Pennsylvania, bipartisan measures to compel construction companies to check worker's status are moving swiftly through the legislature." She then warned: "Republican state representative Daryl Metcalfe wants to go further, introducing a tough measure modeled after Arizona's law." She went on to declare: "Metcalfe's proposal is already facing fierce opposition."
Quijano described one source of that "fierce opposition," the Democratic mayor of Philadelphia: "Michael Nutter says the solution lies with the federal government, not the states." Nutter repeated Obama administration talking points on the issue: "We should not have a patchwork of immigration policies for every state in the United States of America. That's insane." Quijano added: "Nutter believes the law could create problems for law enforcement, making illegal immigrants afraid to report crimes to police."
In addition to highlighting Nutter's objections to the proposal, Quijan
o began her report by describing the plight of one illegal immigrant from the state: "Every day 23 year-old Jose fears he could be deported. His parents brought him to America illegally from Mexico when he was two." Quijano lamented: "He grew up in Pennsylvania, feeling every bit American, but it wasn't until high school that he realized what it meant to be an illegal immigrant. That he could not pursue his dream of joining the Air Force."
While Quijano's report featured five sound bites from Nutter and Jose, it only included two from state representative Metcalfe. She described how "Metcalfe argues illegal immigrants strain city and state budgets by siphoning off health and social services that Americans pay for." In the clip that followed, Metcalfe argued: "For decades in the past the federal government has been AWOL in securing or borders and protecting American lives, liberty, and property, so we at the state level need to join together to do so."
Quijano concluded the segment by observing: "As politicians grapple with these issues, people like Jose wait and worry." Jose remarked: "I don't remember Mexico. To me this is my only home." Quijano added: "A country that continues to struggle with this divisive issue."
Here is a full transcript of the July 10 report:
6:38PM
JEFF GLOR: In Boston, hundreds opposed to Arizona's controversial immigration law protested the presence of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer at a meeting there. The law's facing legal challenges from the Justice Department. Arizona was the first, but likely will not be the last. Dozens of states right now are considering enacting similar immigration laws in the coming months. Elaine Quijano has this report from Pennsylvania.
JOSE: We want to come out of the shadows.
ELAINE QUIJANO: Every day 23 year-old Jose fears he could be deported. His parents brought him to America illegally from Mexico when he was two. He grew up in Pennsylvania, feeling every bit American, but it wasn't until high school that he realized what it meant to be an illegal immigrant. That he could not pursue his dream of joining the Air Force.
JOSE: I lost all hope. I said I can't join the armed forces, I can't get a good job. So basically I got pushed into the shadows like any other undocumented.
QUIJANO: Jose is one of the country's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants, whose status is sparking heated debate. Debate and demonstrations have also interrupted over a new Arizona law allowing police to check the immigration of status of anyone suspected of being involved in crime. A recent CBS poll found a majority of Americans, 52%, support the law. Now other states are preparing to follow Arizona's lead. In Pennsylvania, bipartisan measures to compel construction companies to check worker's status are moving swiftly through the legislature. Republican state representative Daryl Metcalfe wants to go further, introducing a tough measure modeled after Arizona's law.
DARYL METCALFE: As a nation, we have to set a no amnesty policy and we have to be very black and white about that. That there's no reward for violating our border.
QUIJANO: Metcalfe's proposal is already facing fierce opposition. Here in Philadelphia, where more than half of the immigrant population is illegal, Mayor Michael Nutter says the solution lies with the federal government, not the states.
MICHAEL NUTTER: We should not have a patchwork of immigration policies for every state in the United States of America. That's insane.
QUIJANO: Nutter believes the law could create problems for law enforcement, making illegal immigrants afraid to report crimes to police.
NUTTER: We do not want to send the wrong message to victims or witnesses.
QUIJANO: But Representative Metcalfe argues illegal immigrants strain city and state budgets by siphoning off health and social services that Americans pay for.
METCALFE: For decades in the past the federal government has been AWOL in securing or borders and protecting American lives, liberty, and property, so we at the state level need to join together to do so.
QUIJANO: As politicians grapple with these issues, people like Jose wait and worry.
JOSE: I don't remember Mexico. To me this is my only home.
QUIJANO: A country that continues to struggle with this divisive issue. Elaine Quijano, CBS News, Philadelphia.
-Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. You can follow him on Twitter here.
