If you were to believe Univision News, you’d be convinced that Latino immigrants come to the United States only to suffer. Forget about historic economic prosperity, or unprecedented unemployment levels for the nation's largest ethnic minority. The network’s anchors will always find an excuse to inject the “anti-immigrant” tag into their reporting - even within a story about a pro-immigrant government program.
Case in point: a report on the U.S. Department of State Exchange Visitor Program‘s call for Spanish teachers from Latin America through the J-1 Visa, a non-immigrant visa category for individuals approved to participate in work-and study-based exchange visitor programs.
Watch as anchor Ilia Calderon and reporter Lourdes del Rio condition the good news with a twist of tribulation:
ILIA CALDERÓN, ANCHOR, UNIVISION: Although it may seem like a contradiction amid an anti-immigrant atmosphere, the United States is looking for Spanish teachers.
LOURDES DEL RIO, CORRESPONDENT, UNIVISION: Every day it is more difficult for an immigrant, especially of Hispanic origin, to find the doors open for work in this country.
So “every day it is more difficult for an immigrant to come to work in the United States?” That´s not what the numbers point to, Univision, and not only in general, but also regarding the Exchange Visitor Program featured in the report.
A quick search of the State Department’s official website will enlighten you: “More than 300,000 participants from almost every country in the world come to the United States on the Exchange Visitor Program each year.” Del Rio claims in the report that “many are just learning about of this (30-year-old) program”. Really?
Another fail in the Univision story? Trying to have a Mexican teacher by the name of Erick Palafox, now actively participating in the exchange, play along with their “anti-immigrant” rubbish: “Unfortunately, in this country there are people who have a negative view about Hispanics. But there are also others, that on the contrary, welcome us in the best way, who support us, who help us. And then, it's good to see that other side.” It would be even better if Univision showed it.
At the very end, the report’s bottom line ($$$) comes into full view: Jorge Ramos declaring that “everything should be in Spanish,” to which Calderón adds: “Yes, we speak Spanish.” Imagine if any given Anglo anchor said over primetime news that, “Everything should be in English." Just imagine.
Click on “Expand” to read the complete transcript of the report mentioned above as it aired over Univision News on November 13, 2019.
Univision News
November 13, 2019
JORGE RAMOS, ANCHOR, UNIVISION: Exactly, in Spanish. The convocation has been launched by an education program endorsed by the State Department that seeks to promote cultural exchange at the global level. Lourdes del Rio tells us.
LOURDES DEL RIO, CORRESPONDENT, UNIVISION: Every day it is more difficult for an immigrant, especially of Hispanic origin, to find the doors open for work in this country. But if this foreigner is a teacher of profession, the situation could be very different. The global education program that aims to promote cultural exchange annually, convenes teachers from all over Latin America to come teach, not in English, but in Spanish.
RONALD RAMÍREZ, RECRUITER COORDINATOR, PARTICIPATE LEARNING: We have the endorsement of the State Department where the teacher will receive a J-1 Visa, a cultural exchange visa. The visa will be valid for between three and five years.
DEL RIO: But the Participate Learning program isn't for everyone. The interested teacher must meet some requirements. Have a university degree in preschool, elementary or secondary education, minimum two years teaching experience and be currently employed in their home country, have a driver's license and a basic knowledge of English. The program is only available in some schools in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
RAMÍREZ: Teachers also have to educate about their culture, their traditions, their cuisine.
DEL RIO: Eric Palafox is Mexican and is already working as a kindergarten teacher in North Carolina.
ERICK PALAFOX, TEACHER: Unfortunately, in this country there are people who have a negative view about Hispanics. But there are also others, that on the contrary, welcome us in the best way, who support us, who help us. And then, it's good to see that other side.
DEL RIO: The benefits for those who make the program include a salary between $35,000 and $55,000 annually, life insurance, health insurance, and training courses. Although many are just learning about of this program, it has been around 30 years ago and is not limited to Latin America, but also for teachers from the whole world; 15,000 teachers have already benefited. For more information, you can access the Participate Learning page, we show you the address on screen. Although the maximum stay in the United States is five years, the teacher can return to his home country, spend two years there and apply again. And if you qualify, you could come back for five more years. Good news, back to you.
RAMOS: Everything should be in Spanish.
CALDERON: Yes, we speak Spanish.
