Tweeting late Monday night and revealing details on Tuesday, President Trump announced that he would be signing an executive order to limit immigration into the U.S. to prevent new coronavirus infections, and protect American jobs as state economies reopened. All three of the major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) were in harmony as the liberal choir sang a song decrying the “hardline” policy as just a racist “dog whistle” for his base.
ABC’s World News Tonight was by far and away the most outspoken against the executive order, which was still being written. “There are strict orders already in place. But even a temporary pause would be unprecedented in this country,” whined senior White House correspondent Cecilia Vega, as if a global pandemic of the current scale wasn’t already unprecedented.
Vega also scoffed at the idea that Trump wanted to issue the order to protect Americans from the virus, since many health care workers were immigrants:
But you heard the President say, this is about protecting American jobs. He also said this is about protecting Americans from the coronavirus. But David, we’ve got to tell you, America has more confirmed coronavirus cases than anywhere else in the world. We should also note, that the number of immigrants on the front lines in this fight right now, 1 in 4 doctors, 1 in 3 nurses are immigrants.
But she had already sunk her own argument. Moments before whipping out that statistic to chide the President, Vega had admitted: “There are some exemptions for health care workers, agriculture workers, people like that.”
And as she was wrapping up her report, Vega touted how this “hardline” policy was “sure to end up in the courts.”
Over on the CBS Evening News, White House correspondent Paula Reid wrote off the prospective order as just “a move that will likely appeal to his base,” and added that “the immigration process has effectively been shut down for the past month after key offices closed because of coronavirus.”
For NBC Nightly News’s part, correspondent Geoff Bennett echoed Reid's second point and appeared to take an underhanded swipe at the President’s supporters. “Critics say it's a political dog whistle aimed at energizing the President's base,” he proclaimed to anchor Lester Holt.
When folks in the media throw around the phrase “dog whistle” with regards to Trump supporters, it’s often meant as a smear. The usual line involved calling whatever policy they were criticizing a “racial” or “racist” dog whistle. A common tactic for MSNBC.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
April 21, 2020
6:44:41 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: The President also making news just moments ago, after his tweet overnight on immigration. Saying he would temporarily halt immigration to the U.S. He offered more on this a short time ago.
[Cuts to video]
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: By pausing immigration, we'll help put unemployed Americans first in line for jobs as America reopens. So, important. It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off by the virus to be replaced with new immigrant labor flown in from abroad.
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: Reading from prepared comments there. Let’s bring in our senior White House correspondent, Cecilia Vega. And Cecilia, the President saying this pause in immigration will be in effect for at least 60 days. He said he'll look at where the economy stands afterward. But Cecilia, a lot of people have been asking all day, weren't there already strict measures on immigration in place in this moment? So, does this announcement change anything significantly?
CECILIA VEGA: Well David, you’re right. There were strict orders – there are strict orders already in place. But even a temporary pause would be unprecedented in this country. Look, here’s what we know. There are some exemptions for health care workers, agriculture workers, people like that.
But you heard the President say, this is about protecting American jobs. He also said this is about protecting Americans from the coronavirus. But David, we’ve got to tell you, America has more confirmed coronavirus cases than anywhere else in the world. We should also note, that the number of immigrants on the front lines in this fight right now, 1 in 4 doctors, 1 in 3 nurses are immigrants.
David, opponents say that this is a clear example of the President using this virus to further his hardline immigration policies. This is one sure to end up in the courts. David.
MUIR: All right, Cecilia Vega. Great to have you with us, Cecilia.
CBS Evening News
April 21, 2020
6:38:42 p.m. Eastern(…)
NORAH O’DONNELL: And Paula joins us from the White House with some new information, because as the President is briefing tonight, there's a new announcement he's making about immigration. Paula.
PAULA REID: Norah, the President announced that he will suspend immigration into the U.S. for 60 days. But this will only apply to people seeking permanent residency. Now, this is a move that will likely appeal to his base, but the immigration process has effectively been shut down for the past month after key offices closed because of coronavirus. The President said is still being written, but he expects to sign it tomorrow.
O’DONNELL: All right, Paul with that new information tonight. Thank you.
NBC Nightly News
April 21, 2020
7:09:29 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: We're learning more tonight about the President's announcement that he's issuing an executive order to ban immigration to the U.S. during this crisis. Our Geoff Bennett is at the White House. Jeff, what do we know about this?
GEOFF BENNETT: Lester, President Trump announced tonight that his new immigration executive order, once it takes effect, will suspend immigration for 60 days. He also says it will only apply to immigrants seeking permanent residency, it will not apply to those entering on a temporary basis. It's still unclear when he'll sign it. But even without an executive order, immigration during the coronavirus crisis has already slowed dramatically, with the administration imposing broad travel restrictions and suspending immigrant Visas.
Critics say it's a political dog whistle aimed at energizing the President's base. Lester?
HOLT: All right. Geoff Bennett at the White House for us, thank you.
