Federation for American Immigration Reform advert

In recent weeks UK TV viewers have had their favourite evening and daytime television shows interrupted with a host of adverts produced by the UK Home Office. These ads highlight the introduction of the new Points Based System and the need for businesses to obtain licenses in order to employ foreigners.

Well, it seems that this new trend of media and migration is not only restricted to the UK but instead is also sweeping the States.

According to an article in the Washington Post a number of new US immigration ads are as they put it ‘stirring the melting pot’.

The ads are being run by a number of pro-immigration groups; with the campaign featuring various full page advertorials in a variety of newspapers. The reason for which is to protest a lobbying blitz occurring this week by the anti-immigration group FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform.

The ads includes three racially explosive quotes and images. The campaign has even extended to the recruitment of well recognised public figures, with the Post saying that “FAIR is getting a big boost this week from the TV world’s most famous anti-immigration zealot, Lou Dobbs, who will participate in the organization’s annual ‘Hold Their Feet to the Fire’ lobbying event in Washington, which is presented as an immigration reform lobbying effort.”

One thing is for sure, in an era where more people tune into a daily soap opera than a party political broadcast, media is like it has become for politics emerged as a key tool in alerting people to the debates surrounding immigration. Even if like the UK clips, they fail to actual deliver much explanation and understanding to those watching.