Attorney General Jeff Sessions was in California on Wednesday as part of his effort to end their so-called “sanctuary city” and “sanctuary state” policies that forbid local law enforcement from working with federal agents on immigration matters. During NBC Nightly News hours later, the network showed who’s side they took in the debate when they framed the story using Democratic Governor Jerry Brown’s hyperbolic declaration that it was a “war on California.”
“We turn to California now. One of a handful of states that extend protections to people living in this country illegally. They're known as sanctuary states,” announced anchor Lester Holt with “war on California” as the on-screen headline emblazoned over his shoulder. “Tonight, that policy has California locked in a bitter war of will and words with the federal government which has now sued the state over the policy.”
That narrative was repeated when Miguel Almaguer began his report by saying: “In Sacramento, new battle lines drawn in what the governor calls the war against California.” He highlighted the anti-Sessions protestors and played a clip of Brown decrying the AG’s visit as just a “press stunt by the highest law enforcement officer in the land.”
As Almaguer was delivering his report, the on-screen headline became: “Governor: Justice Dept. ‘going to war’ with California.”
Almaguer briefly noted Sessions’ concern for the safety of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents but then seemed to huff about how Sessions “blasted Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf who warned the public as federal agents were fanning out for an immigration raid.”
The NBC reporter failed to mention that the reason it was a safety concern for ICE was because they weren’t able to arrest illegal immigrants at local jails and courthouses and had to go to their homes. Almaguer also failed to mention that the 800 illegal immigrants that got away when Schaaf tipped off her community were criminal aliens.
But Almaguer did tout the state’s so-called “sanctuary” status: “A sanctuary state, California limits cooperation between local and federal immigration enforcement.” He followed that up with a clip Brown’s defense of the policy: “They've been part of the economy. Millions of people. Now they treat them like animals and round them up and dump them in cells or on the border.”
Meanwhile, on ABC’s World News Tonight, they ignored Sessions’ visit to California altogether. Apparently, they found little importance in covering the U.S. Attorney General trying to get the state to follow the law of the land.
Transcript below, click expand to read:
NBC Nightly News
March 7, 2018
7:12:23 PM Eastern [1 minute 56 seconds]LESTER HOLT: We turn to California now. One of a handful of states that extend protections to people living in this country illegally. They're known as sanctuary states. Tonight, that policy has California locked in a bitter war of will and words with the federal government which has now sued the state over the policy. As national correspondent Miguel Almaguer reports, Attorney General Jeff Sessions is leading the charge.
[Cuts to video]
PROTESTORS: Education, not deportation!
MIGUEL ALMAGUER: In Sacramento, new battle lines drawn in what the governor calls the war against California. Protesters greeting U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, amid a fierce fight over immigration raids.
JERRY BROWN: This is a press stunt by the highest law enforcement officer in the land.
ALMAGUER: The Justice Department is suing California for hindering enforcement of federal immigration laws and endangering federal agents.
JEFF SESSIONS: How dare you, how dare you needlessly endanger the lives of our law enforcement officers to promote a radical open-borders agenda.
ALMAGUER: Sessions blasted Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf who warned the public as federal agents were fanning out for an immigration raid. But Sessions says 800 undocumented immigrants got away.
SESSIONS: Her actions support those who flout the law and boldly validates illegality.
LIBBY SCHAAF: How dare you distract the American people from a failed immigration system.
ALMAGUER: A sanctuary state, California limits cooperation between local and federal immigration enforcement.
BROWN: They've been part of the economy. Millions of people. Now they treat them like animals and round them up and dump them in cells or on the border.
ALMAGUER: Tonight a new front on the immigration battle that many are calling Sessions versus the State of California. Miguel Almaguer, NBC News.
