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In May 2006, as the Senate prepared to pass immigration legislation that would grant amnesty to 10 million illegal immigrants and draw up to 60 million legal immigrants over the next 20 years, Heritage worked feverishly to ensure that conservative principles on immigration reform were heard in the nation’s capital and in the media. On May 15, Heritage expert Robert Rector released a paper describing the consequences of the Senate’s immigration bill—and in the media frenzy that followed it was a near certainty that every lawmaker on Capitol Hill heard about Rector’s report. If they didn’t read about it in the paper or in their briefing materials, or hear about it on TV or radio, they heard about it from their constituents. And when lawmakers know their constituents care, they pay more attention—giving Heritage a real chance to make a difference.

What follows is a list of Heritage’s media appearances since Rector’s paper was released.

Television

  • Newt Gingrich previewed Rector’s finding on NBC’s “Meet the Press” 5/14.
  • FOX News issued a “Fox News Alert” as soon as it received Robert Rector’s paper on 5/15, citing Heritage as the source (watch online!).
  • A GOP strategist mentioned Rector’s paper in a debate on FOX the same day.
  • FOX’s “Special Report with Brit Hume” presented a report on a press conference held 5/15 by Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., featuring Rector and two of Rector’s graphics.
  • Heritage Vice President Mike Franc appeared on FOX’s “Your World with Neil Cavuto” on 5/15 to discuss Rector’s assertion about the Senate immigration bill.
  • Sean Hannity quoted Rector’s research in a 5/15 interview on his FOX News show.
  • The host of C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” read from 5/15 The Washington Times story that quoted Rector’s finding.
  • Pat Buchannan cited Rector’s finding in a 5/16 MSNBC interview.
  • White House spokesman Tony Snow discussed Rector’s paper during a 5/16 press briefing, which appeared on C-SPAN and other networks (He said officials were “taking a look at it.”). 
  • Director of Heritage’s Center for International Trade and Economics Tim Kane discussed immigration and Rector’s finding on CNN’s “Lou Dobbs Tonight.”
  • Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz., mentioned Rector’s paper in a 5/16 CNN interview.
  • Heritage’s Director of U.S. Senate Relations Brian Darling appeared on MSNBC 5/16 to discuss the issue and Rector’s finding.
  • Rector appeared on 5/17 on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal,” which replayed the Snow comments during the interview.
  • Rector also appeared on FOX News on 5/17
  • Matt Spalding explains the similarities between the Senate immigration bill and the 1986 amnesty bill on The O'Reilly Factor 5/24

Radio

  • Rush Limbaugh discussed Rector’s paper shortly after its release on 5/15 (listen online!).
  • Director of Heritage’s Center for American Studies Matt Spalding appeared 5/15 on Ave Maria Radio Network,  KCOL (Denver), and on FOX News Radio.
  • Rector appeared on WSPD (Toldeo), KOGO (San Diego), the syndicated “Michael Reagan Show” and WOAI (San Antonio).
  • Mike Franc appeared on KMED (Portland).
  • Brian Darling appeared on WTKK (Boston).
  • Limbaugh grilled Vice President Dick Cheney on the finding in Rector’s study on his 5/16 show. Cheney said he hasn’t read it yet. (“I would hope that it would inform the debate and that Congress will consider those kinds of impacts very carefully before they finally pass something.”)
  • Spalding and Rector discussed immigration an hour apart from each other on 5/16 on Washington, D.C.’s WAVA radio 5/16 after Bush’s speech.
  • Spalding on 5/16 interview on KKLA (Los Angeles)
  • Rector on American Family Radio, KOA (Denver), Talk Radio Network, WBAL (Baltimore) and Westwood One on 5/16
  • Brian Darling on West Virginia radio 5/16.
  • Laura Ingraham discussed Rector’s research at length on her top-10 radio show 5/16.
  • Robert Rector talked to Laura Ingraham on her 5/18 program (listen online!).
  • Robert Rector talks to Laura Ingraham about immigration on her radio program (listen online!) 5/19

Print and online opinion

Print and online news