Telemundo, one of the nation’s leading Spanish-language media networks, has taken to playing into stereotypes, making it seem like there is something inherently wrong with Latinos who oppose sanctuary policies that seek to shield from federal authorities those who are unlawfully present in the country.
In a slightly over three-minute report, the Spanish-language sister network to NBC displayed for two full minutes a banner reading “A War of Hate Runs Through California” as correspondent Francisco Cuevas profiled the opponents of sanctuary policies in California. In his introduction to the story, anchor Julio Vaqueiro explicitly expressed amazement that Latinos are among what he called the “anti-immigrant activists" who oppose the state’s sanctuary policies.
JULIO VAQUEIRO, ANCHOR, TELEMUNDO: A Telemundo News investigation revealed that many of the anti-immigrant activists are the same ones that invade the communities one by one and join the discussion even if they don’t live there and what is ironic is that several of them are Latinos. Francisco Cuevas has the report.
MILITARY VETERAN: You don't know the price of freedom. We do….
FRANCISCO CUEVAS, CORRESPONDENT, TELEMUNDO: It is an intense war full of hate.
With his words dripping with disdain, Cuevas goes on to interview Elsa Algeduer, Latino Director at Make California Great Again, who he introduces as a “character” – a word you will never hear used to describe liberal activists.
Telemundo’s blatantly liberal bias cracks through the complete report, including when Cuevas questions another prominent Latina anti-sanctuary activist, Ingrid Muller, about whether she is being paid “by special groups to go from city to city to put pressure on the councils”. Really, has Telemundo ever asked that question of the scores of liberal activists that constantly appear on its programs?
In fact, MRC Latino possesses extensive video archives of multiple liberal activists from organizations such as Casa de Maryland and others who routinely disrupt politicians at events held in districts where they don’t live. Senator Marco Rubio was also memorably stalked by such activists during his presidential campaign.
Much to the evident chagrin of Telemundo, the anti-sanctuary activists are having an effect in the communities, with nearly a dozen local governments in California voting to oppose the state's sanctuary law designed to curtail cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
Below is a complete transcript of the above-referenced report, as broadcast on the April 6, 2018 edition of Noticias Telemundo.
JULIO VAQUEIRO, ANCHOR, TELEMUNDO: We're going to California. A true battle has unleashed in the cities that debate whether to support or not the sanctuary law. A Telemundo News investigation revealed that many of the anti-immigrant activists are the same ones that invade the communities one by one and join the discussion even if they don’t live there and what is ironic is that several of them are Latinos. Francisco Cuevas has the report.
MILITARY VETERAN: You don´t know the price of freedom. We do….
FRANCISCO CUEVAS, CORRESPONDENT, TELEMUNDO: It is an intense war full of hate.
ARTHUR SCHAPER: Reject the Sanctuary State…
UNIDENTIFIED TELEMUNDO PERSONNEL: Look at her here, and here.
CUEVAS: Analyzing videos from different council meetings throughout California, Telemundo News identified the same activists exposing their concerns over and over, even though they are not residents of the communities where they assure would be negatively affected by the Sanctuary Law. One of those characters is Elsa Algeduer.
ELSA ALGEDUER, DIRECTOR, MAKE CALIFORNIA GREAT AGAIN: For me, the sanctuary state puts all the citizens of here in California in danger. The criminals say let’s go to California because they will protect us there.
CUEVAS: This activist born in El Salvador is director of Make California Great Again, a group that goes from council to council pressuring in an aggressive way so local governments repeal and take legal action against the sanctuary law.
ALGEDUER: Then, we come here, we feel safe here and they want to make it like over there, it is not fair.
CUEVAS: Ingrid Muller is another activist of Mexican origin dedicated in heart and soul to this cause.
INGRID MULLER: People cannot come to this country illegally, they are taking, have taken jobs from Americans.
CUEVAS: One of the biggest criticisms against those activists and anti-immigrant groups is that they do not belong to the communities where they go to express their discontent and that the only thing they are causing is disinformation, division and above all, hatred.
MARIANA MAGAÑA, CHIRLA: And now, the local governments are reacting to them and following their anti-immigrant rhetoric here in California.
CUEVAS: Are you being paid by special groups to go from city to city to put pressure on the councils?
MULLER: No, no, we are not getting paid at all.
ARTHUR SCHAPER: The state of California….
CUEVAS: The rhetoric of these groups is already having an effect on places like Orange County, Los Alamitos and now Escondido, where they are joining the lawsuits of the Department of Justice against laws that protect undocumented immigrants. In Los Angeles, California, Francisco Cuevas, Telemundo News.
