An effort aimed at building support for slowing the amount of immigration to the U.S., and that bases its concerns on the deleterious effects of population growth on California’s quality of life and environment, was recently the subject of ridicule on the national evening newscasts of Univision and MundoFox.
The two networks took aim at an ad by Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS), which features a California child wondering “If Californians are having fewer children, why isn’t there enough water?” The ad goes on to point out that virtually all of the state’s population growth is due to immigration, and issues a call to “slow immigration and save some California for tomorrow.”
In response, Univision and MundoFox went ballistic, accusing CAPS of blaming immigrants for the drought and water rationing underway in California.
LUIS MEGID, Correspondent: For years, they have been accused of taking away jobs, bringing diseases, worsening traffic, and taking advantage of public services. Now, immigrants, both documented and undocumented, are being made responsible for something else: for California’s drought.
Later in his report, Univision’s Megid actually acknowledged that “experts say it’s true, that as the population grows, more water is consumed.” Megid also interviewed a meteorologist who pointed out, however, that an attenuating circumstance in the case of California is that “80% of the water used in California is for agriculture; not for the people.”
MundoFox’s Carolina Sarassa similarly faulted CAPS for promoting the narrative that “undocumented immigrants are blamed for the severe drought in California.” “Incredible,” said Sarassa, scoffing at the nerve of those who would tie the state’s population growth, driven by immigration and immigrant offspring, to environmental degradation and declining water supplies.
At 40 million, California is the nation’s most populous state. As CAPS’ Joe Guzzardi sees it, the organization’s ad campaign has awakened a debate on a topic “that everyone should be concerned about,” and ought to be explored “on behalf of future generations.”
Relevant portions of the referenced Univision and Mundo Fox newscasts, as well as the entire CAPS ad, are transcribed below:
Univision
Noticiero Univision
May 27, 2015MARIA ELENA SALINAS, Anchor: It’s not God, nature, nor global warming that are responsible for the consequences of the drought in California. It’s the immigrants. This according to a conservative organization called CAPS, that fights against illegal immigration. And they promote it through a campaign that includes TV ads.
LUIS MEGID, Correspondent: For years, they have been accused of taking away jobs, bringing diseases, worsening traffic, and taking advantage of public services. Now, immigrants, both documented and undocumented, are being made responsible for something else: for California’s drought. This video, produced by Californians for Population Stabilization, a group that wants to limit the entry of immigrants, blames them for making the drought worse. In the ad, a child asks, ‘If Californians are having fewer children, why isn’t there enough water? And, if they’re having fewer children, where are all the people coming from?’ The answer blames immigration.
The group that paid for the video did not have anyone available for an interview in person, but their communications director told me on the phone that they, in reality, are not blaming immigrants for the state’s drought. The idea is something akin to: there are too many immigrants and little water. For many, a subtle difference.
OSWALDO GARCIA, PROFESSOR OF METEOROLOGY: This sounds comical to me. Why are immigrants going to be blamed for the weather? That is something that I had never heard, in that regard.
LUIS MEGID: The experts say it’s true, that as the population grows more water is consumed.
OSWALDO GARCIA: But, it has to be kept in mind that 80% of the water used in California is for agriculture; not for the people, not for the cities.
LUIS MEGID: Certainly, according to the Census, California’s population has been growing slowly for the past 20 years, and that includes immigrants. If the past can be used to predict the future, during more years to come immigrants will be blamed for many of the state’s problems.
MundoFox
Noticias MundoFox
May 27, 2015
5:30 p.m.CAROLINA SARASSA, Anchor: And just what was missing: undocumented immigrants are blamed for the severe drought in California. A group called Californians for Population Stabilization, better known as CAPS, opposed to illegal immigration, maintains that the high level of water consumption in the state is due to the massive entry of people without legal documents. This group has begun a media campaign that highlights that California is suffering the effects of the drought due to growing numbers of undocumented immigrants that have recently arrived in the state. What do you think? Incredible.
Californians for Population Stabilization
CAPS ‘Children’ AdCHILD: If Californians are having fewer children, why is it so crowded? If Californians are having fewer children, why are there so many cars? If Californians are having fewer children, why isn’t there enough water? If Californians are having fewer children, where are all the people coming from?
VOICE-OVER: Virtually all of California’s population growth is from immigration. Let’s slow immigration and save some California for tomorrow. Paid for by Californians for Population Stabilization.
