For the past week, NBC’s Miguel Almaguer has been stationed in Murrieta, California covering the flood of illegal immigrants being bused into the town and the protests from residents who argue their town cannot support them.
While his previous reports have centered around the protests in Murrieta, on July 5 and 6 Almaguer ran two reports promoting the journey of one illegal immigrant who crossed the border with her son searching for “the dream of a new life in America.”
Much like NBC has done since the protests in Murrieta began last week, the Peacock network continued to omit the word “illegal” [1] in its reporting on the crisis at the border over the weekend. Instead, its reporters continue to describe the thousands of illegal immigrants as “undocumented immigrants.”
On NBC’s Nightly News on Saturday night, Almaguer hyped how “at an old bus depot in Tucson, Arizona, this is how the American dream begins for 23-year old Norida Martinez and so many others.” The NBC reporter proceeded to play up how “today in Tucson, Norida and Henry Martinez are already on their way to Georgia. Tonight they have a ticket to find family, a court date to face deportation and the dream of a new life in America.”
Almaguer promoted the same woman, Norida Martinez, during a report that aired on Today on Sunday. Co-anchor Erica Hill introduced the report by playing up the fact that “hundreds of migrants continuing to come into the United States on a daily basis and many of them are women and children looking to start a new life.”
The NBC reporter continued to sympathize with the illegal immigrant:
In Tucson, 23-year-old Norita Martinez, one journey behind her, plans another to find her sister. She left two children behind in Guatemala, in hopes of getting the medical care her youngest son Henry desperately needs. This blanket and the clothes they wear are all they have. The smugglers made sure of that. We brought more clothes, she says, but when we crossed, they said everything had to stay. And that was it. Many immigrants choose the treacherous journey to escape unrest in their native countries.
Almaguer concluded by comparing the violence in Central America, specifically Honduras, to the protests in Murrieta:
But some find strife in the U.S. as well. Here in Murrieta, its been a quiet holiday weekend, after buses of immigrants were turned away by protesters last week. Meantime, back in Arizona, it’s one more bus ride for Norida and Henry Martinez to Georgia to find family and maybe a new home.
See relevant transcripts below.
NBC Nightly News
July 5, 2014
LESTER HOLT: And as we’ve been reporting, many women with children are making it across the border, and their migration has sparked tense protests and reignited a national debate over immigration reform. NBC's Miguel Almaguer has our report beginning with one mother who's in the midst of that journey.
MIGUEL ALMAGUER: At an old bus depot in Tucson, Arizona, this is how the American dream begins for 23-year old Norida Martinez and so many others. She has no money, speaks no English and today is both desperate and scared. Martinez made the perilous journey across the border from Guatemala to get her 2-year-old son Henry medical care. I didn't want to leave my other kids behind, she says, but I need work to make things better for them to give my children more opportunities. More and more families, mostly women and young children are arriving across the southwest tonight. In McAllen Texas, Catholic Charities is running what looks like a refugee camp. Medical care, shelter and clothing is given to 200 undocumented immigrants here every day. And many more families are on the way.
OFELIA DE LOS SANTOS: Right now it's not about politics, it's about a humanitarian crisis. It's very real, it's in our backyard.
ALMAGUER: Planes shuttling undocumented immigrants from overcrowded holding facilities in Texas, continue to fill centers in California. In Murrieta, three buses turned around this week carrying young families this week. Tension divides this community as it does a nation.
PATRICE LYNES: We are compassionate people, but let's consider our children, our American vets, our American workers. Let's have America take care of its problems.
ALMAGUER: For now the influx in Murrieta has stopped. But today in Tucson, Norida and Henry Martinez are already on their way to Georgia. Tonight they have a ticket to find family, a court date to face deportation and the dream of a new life in America. When families are taken into custody by border patrol, they typically spend anywhere between one to three days at a facility like this one. Tonight, border patrol agents tell us there's no end in sight to the wave of undocumented immigrants from Central America coming into this country. Lester?
HOLT: Alright, Miguel, thank you.
See relevant transcripts below.
NBC's Today
July 6, 2014
ERICA HILL: Turning now to the ongoing boarder crisis. Hundreds of migrants continuing to come into the United States on a daily basis and many of them are women and children looking to start a new life. And to escape the violence they're leaving behind back home. Miguel Almaguer has more.
MIGUEL ALMAGUER: The flow of immigrants shows no sign of slowing. With Texas facilities filled to the max, another border patrol flight lands in San Diego. Mothers and children bused off for processing. In Tucson, 23-year-old Norita Martinez, one journey behind her, plans another to find her sister. She left two children behind in Guatemala, in hopes of getting the medical care her youngest son Henry desperately needs. This blanket and the clothes they wear are all they have. The smugglers made sure of that. We brought more clothes, she says, but when we crossed, they said everything had to stay. And that was it. Many immigrants choose the treacherous journey to escape unrest in their native countries. NBC's Stephanie Gosk is covering the story this weekend in Honduras.
STEPHANIE GOSK: I'm here talking to Steven and Kimberly, they’re both teenagers, younger than 18, they don't want to show their faces because they live in one of the most violent neighborhoods in Honduras. Every single one of their friends talks about leaving this place and going to the United States. And the principle reason that they want to leave is because of violence.
ALMAGUER: But some find strife in the U.S. as well. Here in Murrieta, its been a quiet holiday weekend, after buses of immigrants were turned away by protesters last week. Meantime, back in Arizona, it’s one more bus ride for Norida and Henry Martinez to Georgia to find family and maybe a new home. For "Today," Miguel Almaguer, NBC News, Murrieta, California.
— Jeffrey Meyer is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Jeffrey Meyer on Twitter. [2]