Coverage of Civil Unrest In the Wake of Minnesota Killing Crowds Out Discussion of Immigration on​ Sunday Public Affairs Programs

Sunday, May 31, 2020

Click the Play Button, above, to see excerpts of instances in which the subjects of immigration or refugees were discussed during the May 31, 2020, Sunday public affairs programs.

The widespread violence spawned by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota dominated the May 31, 2020, Sunday morning public affairs programs, leaving little room for guests to address other subjects,  That fact meant there was little discussion about the subjects of immigration, immigrants, refugees, or human trafficking during the programs this week.

Indeed, the only two discussions or that touched on those subjects during the five programs this weekend came on NBC's "Meet the Press" and CNN's "State of the Union" programs,

A summary of the discussions that took place on those subjects during the May 31, 2020, Sunday morning public affairs programs, along with a link to video of those discussions, follows:

Sunday, May 31, 2020

Saturday, May 30, 2020

Two stories: have dominated the news this week: the widespread violence spawned by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota and the continuing health and economic impact on the United States of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Given those two powerful forces, it is unlikely that the five most prominent Sunday morning public affairs programs will address the subjects of immigration, refugees, or ethnicity in a big way during their May 31, 2020, editions. 

Notwithstanding the likely dominance on the programs of the Floyd and COVID-19  stories, the presence of several guests this week, including appearances by Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN), who came to the United States as a Somali refugee, Patrick Gaspard, who was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and María Teresa Kumar, who is President of Voto Latino, makes it likely that those subjects will be addressed in some way during this weekend programs.

A sneak peek at the guest lists for the upcoming May 31, 2020, editions of each of the five major broadcast and cable Sunday public affairs programs appears after the jump, along with previews of the likely or possible discussions on those programs about immigration and, refugees.

Trump Suspends Entry of Some Chinese Students and Researchers into the United States

Friday, May 29, 2020

​Video of the Trump May 29, 2020, Announcement on China

President Trump has suspended the entry of certain groups of Chinese students and researchers into the United States.  The President announced the suspension in a Friday, May 29, 2020, statement made on the White House lawn while surrounded by he Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, and others.  He implemented the announcement in a presidential proclamation that he signed on that same day.   

The suspension is part of a larger set of actions against the People's Republic of China (PRC) that the President announced on Friday. It comes in the midst of an escalating confrontation between the US and China over trade, the origins of the novel coronavirus pandemic, China's security crackdown in Hong Kong, and China's military moves in the disputed South China Sea.  Other actions he announced on Friday include imposing yet-to-be-specified sanctions against Chinese and Hong Kong officials “directly or indirectly involved” in eroding Hong Kong’s autonomy; and ending to U.S. participation in the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO); beginning a process of stripping some of Hong Kong’s privileged trade status.

Trump Boasts About Border Wall Construction and His Brazil Travel Ban During Oval Office Press Availability

Friday, May 29, 2020

Click on the Play Button to see video of immigration excerpts from press availability

President Trump yesterday boasted about the progress and effectiveness of the border wall he is building between the U.S. and Mexico, praised the government of Mexico for deploying troops along its border to control illegal immigration, praised the effectiveness of his efforts to close the border between U.S. and Mexico, and extolled the virtues of his travel ban with Brazil.  The President's remarks came during a May 28, 2020, press availability following an Oval Office briefing he and the First Lady received on 2020 hurricane preparations.

In his remarks, the President boasted that "almost 200 miles" of "brand new" wall between the U.S. and Mexico has been built, that "close to 400 miles" will be built by the end of the year, and that there will be "close to 500 miles" built by early next year.  He declared that no illegal crossings were occurring where the wall has been built, saying "wherever we have the wall, the issue of illegal border crossings  "virtually ceases as a problem."

Trump asserted that "record low numbers" of people are entering the United States along the country's southwest border and that in the cases where people do come in, "we take them immediately out" under emergency powers his administration is using. 

The President also praised the Mexican government for deploying 26,000 of its troops on its border and boasted about the "very strong" ban that his Administration has imposed on travel from Brazil, noting that United States citizens are allowed to come back in "under a very strict process."

House Clears for the President's Consideration a Bill to Protect the Human Rights of Uyghurs 

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Video of the House Floor Debate on the "Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020"

The full U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation addressing the human rights situation facing Uyghurs in the People’s Republic of China.​  This week's House action occurred in connection with S. 3744, the "Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020",  Ignoring hints of a possible presidential veto, the House passed the bipartisan measure on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, by a vote of 413-1, clearing it for the President's consideration by a veto-proof majority.

The Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act was developed amid growing congressional frustration with what members on both sides of the aisle have perceived as President Trump’s unwillingness to make the human rights practices of foreign governments a priority, as well their perception that the President has been unwilling to challenge China, specifically, over its human rights abuses.

​As cleared for the President's consideration, S. 3744 would impose sanctions on foreign individuals and entities responsible for human rights abuses in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region and require various reports on the topic..

Trump Falsely Accuses the state of California of Sending Mail-In Ballots to the Undocumented
​and other Noncitizens

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Click on the Play Button to see video of immigration excerpts from press availability

President Trump falsely accused the Governor of California today of sending election ballots to the undocumented  and other noncitizens,  The President's accusation was made on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, at the end of a White House press availability about seniors and diabetes.  His comment on the matter was in response to one of four questions asked by reporters that either were about immigration or that prompted a response from him about the subject.

Responding to a question from a reporter about why he opposes mail-in voting, the President asserted that it would likely result in widespread fraud.  Amplifying on that notion, the President said without any citing any proof that the Governor of California has send or is planning to send, "millions of ballots all over the state to anybody - to anybody - people that aren't citizens, illegals, anybody that walks, in California is going to get a ballot.  We're not going to destroy this country by allowing things like that to happen.  We're not destroying our country."

Monday, May 25, 2020

There was Little Talk About Immigration on
this Weekend's Sunday Programs

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Click the Play Button, above, to see excerpts of instances in which the subjects of immigration or refugees were discussed during the May 24, 2020, Sunday public affairs programs.

The COVID-19 disease and the economic collapse it has induced dominated the May 24, 2020, Sunday morning public affairs programs, leaving little room for guests to address other subjects,  That fact, plus the sparsity of guests who have Latino or immigrant backgrounds on the five venerable public affairs programs, meant there was little discussion about the subjects of immigration, refugees, or human trafficking during the programs this week.

Indeed, the only three discussions or reports that even elliptically touched on those subjects during the five programs this weekend came on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" and CBS's "Face the Nation" programs.  In all three instances, guests either examined disparities faced by Hispanics and other minorities that are being exacerbated by COVID-19 or discussed what then was a yet-to-come travel ban on persons seeking to come to the United States from Brazil..

A summary of the discussions that took place on those subjects during the May 24, 2020, Sunday morning public affairs programs, along with a link to video of those discussions, follows:

Sunday, May 24, 2020

The White House proclamation bars the entry of persons if they were physically present in Brazil during the 14-day period prior to their travel, effective on May 28, 2020.  The ban shall be in effect until revoked by the President.

​Excepted from the ban are U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, close relatives of U.S. citizens, some diplomats, and permanent residents, and flight crew members.  With Sunday's announcement, persons traveling from Brazil join persons traveling from China, Iran, the United Kingdom, and the countries of the European Union in being barred from entering the United States because of the coronavirus pandemic.