The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the law requiring Arizona law enforcement to check the immigration status of those they suspect are illegal is “very disappointing and very dangerous,” represents “a very sad day for the Hispanic community” and “will only create more persecution and discrimination” while “the last hope is gone.”
So contended not a left-wing activist, but a “news anchor” in the guise of one given a platform on Monday’s ABC World News.
Last month, ABC News announced it would “join forces [1] with Univision News to create a multi-platform news, lifestyle and information programming service aimed at U.S. Hispanics.”
Monday night that meant giving Jorge Ramos, co-anchor of Noticiero Univision [2], a full two minutes to denounce the Supreme Court's decision upholding Arizona's right to enforce immigration law. ABC failed to give any advocate of the law any time to balance Ramos.
Diane Sawyer teased World News by using the pejorative “show your papers” terminology as she characterized the provision as “inflammatory.” Sawyer:
Tonight on World News: Show your papers. The Supreme Court gives an okay to the most inflammatory part of the Arizona immigration law. Tonight, team coverage, including Jorge Ramos of Univision.
Sawyer soon cued up Ramos to pontificate, even prodding him: “Tell me some of the personal stories you’re hearing from people about their experience with this and what they expect to happen now, what they’re doing?”
From the Monday, June 25 World News on ABC:
DIANE SAWYER: One perspective tonight from Univision, our new partners and friends and the number one Hispanic network in America. I talked to the co-anchor of Univision’s evening news, Jorge Ramos.
SAWYER: Jorge, what does this mean for our shared audience tonight?
JORGE RAMOS, UNIVISION: I think it’s very disappointing and very dangerous. This a very sad day for the Hispanic community. When the Supreme Court allows a state like Arizona to use racial profiling as a rule, we know that we really need immigration reform right now. The Hispanic community did not like the “show me your papers” provision and this will only create more persecution and discrimination in Arizona and in many other states. It’s difficult to believe that the immigration law in Arizona could be an example for other states in the country and it’s even more difficult to believe that Sheriff Joe Arpaio could become a role model for other law enforcement agencies. It is completely unreal.
SAWYER: Tell me some of the personal stories you’re hearing from people about their experience with this and what they expect to happen now, what they’re doing?
RAMOS: The last hope is gone. Many people were expecting a positive decision from the Supreme Court. And it’s gone. So it means that right now, they have to take cover. And that essentially for many people means leaving Arizona, going to other states. This is not the kind of United States that we thought of when we were immigrating from Mexico, Central America to the United States. This is not the kind of country that we expected and this is exactly what we’re seeing. So we really need major immigration reform. And both parties are to blame for that inaction in Congress. But right now, what I’m listening to from e-mails and phone calls and from talking to people in Arizona, it’s fear, and fear of persecution in the future.
SAWYER: Thank you so much, Jorge Ramos, as we say our friends and partners at Univision, and it’s great to talk to you tonight.
-- Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center. Click here [3] to follow Brent Baker on Twitter.