The National Hispanic Media Coalition, a media advocacy and civil rights organization, is calling on Fox News to apologize for a derogatory segment demonizing the children of undocumented immigrants as “Children of the Corn.” In an open letter addressed to Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes, NHMC president Alex Nogales called the segment “unacceptable,” writing: “It is one thing for Fox News to routinely spread hate towards Latino and immigrant adults. It is quite another to demonize innocent children.”

In a September 19 segment on Fox News' Special Report, guest host Chris Wallace discussed the findings from Los Angeles County officials that an “estimated 100,000 children of 60,000 undocumented parents receive aid” in the county. The total aid is projected to cost about $650 million by year's end.

During the segment, several graphics bearing the image of a man appearing to vault over a border fence lined with barbed wire flashed on-screen. Text accompanying the graphic read “Children of the Corn” and “Alien Nation.”

In the letter, Nogales wrote that the phrase “Children of the Corn” “likens immigrant children to the murderous cult of fictional children depicted in Stephen King's horror story and its universally-familiar film adaptations. It covertly insinuates that Latino and immigrant children are to be feared.” He continued:

NHMC urges that Fox News and Chris Wallace immediately issue an apology to Latino children, and that you send a formal memo to all Fox News staff, urging refrain from all anti-Latino and anti-immigrant smears, especially those directed at innocent children.

Nogales went on to note that studies show that such negative rhetoric “may breed hate and impact the health of not only members of the targeted group, but anyone that hears these messages.” Indeed, a September 2012 NHMC report found that Fox News viewers and conservative radio listeners are more likely to have negative views of Latinos and immigrants than those who watch more mainstream outlets.

The NHMC study stated that Fox News audiences were “more likely to agree that Latinos are on welfare (56%), take jobs from Americans (43%) and have too many children (42%)” -- all myths Fox News has repeatedly advanced.

Nogales concluded by saying that “Fox News must do better,” adding, “At a time when Fox News' parent company is trying to attract Latino eyeballs, Fox News must understand that Latinos will not embrace the brand that hates them.”

NHMC, which was founded in Los Angeles in 1986 with the mission of increasing Hispanic representation in the news, now boasts nine chapters nationwide and seeks to “eradicate the negative Latino stereotypes depicted in all forms of media.” In February, it honored actor Michael Peña, comedian John Leguizamo, and host Mario Lopez for “helping erase negative Latino stereotypes in Hollywood.”

The Special Report segment has also been criticized by Latino news sites and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. In a post that called the segment “disappointing,” NAHJ president Hugo Balta condemned Fox for airing it, saying it was “riddled with basic misinformation and disdainful images.”