On May 26, NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, and Telemundo take a special look at immigration in the cross network series, "A Nation Divided." The special covers the ongoing debate about immigration in America through investigative reporting, first-hand accounts, and interviews with immigration experts. for a preview. Nightly News' Brian Williams and Noticiero Telemundo's José Díaz-Balart recently shared insights with insideNBCU on the importance of discussing immigration, what viewers can take away from the series, what's next for this debate, and more.
What can we look forward to seeing in "A Nation Divided?"
Williams: In the wake of Arizona's controversial immigration reform, other states are contemplating if and how to follow suit. On Nightly News, we'll look at this discussion happening in other states, specifically in Utah. Historically, Utah has been considered immigrant friendly, but some say that's starting to change. The news in Arizona has sparked a discussion among some of Utah's leaders on how best to address immigration reform in their state.
Díaz-Balart: Our objective is to present an in-depth, balanced view of one of the most controversial, passionate issues facing our nation today: immigration.
Why do you think the topic of immigration is important to discuss?
Williams: With 45 million Hispanics in this country, it's the fastest growing minority group. Also, with the recent census, we are about to find out just how much they, and other ethnic groups, are growing. In addition to this being a current ongoing topic in the news, it's an important topic to many of our viewers, and one we will continue to cover.
Díaz-Balart: For millions of people in the U.S., immigration reform has become the civil rights issue of their lives. The impact of undocumented immigration to border states is tremendous, but so is the impact of their contributions to the economy. Now that the country is facing nearly 10 percent unemployment, many are wondering if undocumented immigrants are filling jobs that Americans should have. Yet for millions of undocumented workers, many who have U.S. born children, the fact they have to live in the shadows makes it fertile ground for victimization and exploitation.
What do you want viewers to take away from this series?
Williams: This is a complex issue. According to a recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll, the majority of Americans back Arizona's new controversial immigration law. Yet the majority of Americans also believe the law will lead to the discrimination of Latino immigrants who reside in the U.S. legally. We know it is a hot-button issue and we want to shed light on this ongoing debate.
Díaz-Balart: If they can learn from those on both sides of this debate, all treated with respect and sensitivity, we will have done our job.
What's next after this special? Do you see any discussions on immigration arising in the future?
Williams: We're committed to covering this. It's how we became America in the first place. Our families all came from somewhere, and our country is changing quickly.
Díaz-Balart: We have been committed to this issue for a long time. We lead the coverage when we were in Phoenix covering live the signing of the bill and we are taking it to the next level this week. We fully expect this issue to continue developing and becoming central for everyone in the country, especially given the upcoming 2010 Census results and the November elections. Telemundo will be there to cover any further developments as part of our relentless commitment to inform, empower and inspire the Hispanic community.
