CA Fires: MSM Reluctantly Reporting Immigration Dimension
10/27/2007
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Slate's always useful e-service Today's Papers reports:

The fires have focused attention on Southern California's many illegal immigrants from Mexico, the NYT reports on the front page. Advocates for immigrants like the ACLU have drawn attention to the fact that some migrants affected by the fires couldn't get help at shelters because they didn't have identification, while immigration opponents focused on reports that some of the fires may have been set by immigrants. And border guards took advantage of the situation: "The Border Patrol also arrested scores of illegal immigrants made visible by the fires," the Times says.

The NYT's Randal C. Archibold and Will Careless obviously hate having to report the immigration dimension. They even contradict themselves:

Some people have speculated, including on the Web, that immigrants might have set some of the fires, as has occurred with campfires lighted in fields.

The authorities have not given any causes linked to immigration.

Two men, one in San Diego County and the other in Los Angeles, who were arrested on arson charges, accused of setting small fires this week, are believed to be deportable, a federal immigration official said.

The San Diego police detained people suspected of stealing at Qualcomm Stadium. Six were handed over to the immigration authorities when it became apparent that they might be in the United States illegally.

But they do report the immigration dimension, because the internet is forcing them to.

Of course the LA Times is as bad as ever. Slate adds:

The LAT profiles a different sort of border crosser, a Mexican fire crew from Tijuana who was helping fight the blaze in California.

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