Fox Nation v. Fox News Latino On Obama's New Immigration Rule

Fox Nation and Fox News Latino are once again selling different versions of the same story to pander to conservative audiences while simultaneously attempting to court Latino readers.

As reported by the Los Angeles Times, the Obama administration announced Wednesday that it would create an easier process for undocumented immigrants who are relatives of American citizens to apply for permanent residency in the United States. The Department of Homeland Security, which issued the new rule, hopes to reduce the amount of time families spend apart while relatives seek to obtain legal status. The change is set to take effect March 4, and approved applicants will be required to return to their native country to retrieve their visas.

Fox News Latino reported the story with the headline, “US Eases Path to Legalization for Some Immigrants, Keeps Families Together,” accompanied by a photo of individuals at a rally for immigration reform:

Fox News Latino screenshot

The anti-immigrant Fox Nation, on the other hand, posted the Los Angeles Times article with the headline “Obama Begins Amnesty Push” and the following photo:

 Screenshot of Fox Nation website

If the photo looks familiar, it's because Fox Nation used the same one in a June story attacking the Obama administration's decision to halt deportations of undocumented children.

Fox News Latino has received sharp criticism from Latino leaders who argue that the site lacks credibility, given that it seeks to attract and profit from Latino readers while its parent network and partner websites demonize immigrants.

This dichotomy persists even as Fox News hosts abruptly softened their anti-immigrant positions after the November 6 election, in which Latino voters heavily favored President Obama over Republican candidate Mitt Romney.