CNN hire Beck: Illegal immigrants are either "terrorists," outlaws, or people who "can't make a living in their own dirtbag country"

Summary: Glenn Beck claimed that there are three reasons that an illegal immigrant "comes across the border in the middle of the night": "One, they're terrorists; two, they're escaping the law; or three, they're hungry. They can't make a living in their own dirtbag country."

On the April 27 edition of his nationally syndicated radio program, Glenn Beck claimed that there are three reasons that an illegal immigrant "comes across the border in the middle of the night": "One, they're terrorists; two, they're escaping the law; or three, they're hungry. They can't make a living in their own dirtbag country."

Arguing that it is "obscene" to give illegal immigrants jobs that are "below minimum wage" and that involve "illegal" working conditions, Beck suggested that the solution to the problem is to "put up a giant fence" to "stop the people who are coming here because they're criminals or they want to do us harm," and to "go after the companies" providing jobs to illegal immigrants.

Media Matters for America noted Beck's March 27 claim that Mexico "has been overtaken by lawbreakers from top to bottom," and that what immigration advocates are "protesting for is to have lawbreakers come here." CNN Headline News hired Beck in January for a new prime-time program scheduled to begin May 8.

From the April 27 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Glenn Beck Program:

BECK: We could figure this out. These weasels in Washington are never gonna get it done. You wanna solve the immigration thing? Here's how you solve the immigration thing. You hit the companies that are hiring these people. How is it that I can be painted as somebody who is intolerant of people that are different than me? How is it that I can be painted as somebody who just hates Mexicans when the cornerstone of what my problem on illegal immigration is they're breaking the law and they're not alone in doing it. The people who are really breaking the law are the companies that are trying to get rich on the -- you know, let me ask you something. Somebody comes across the border in the middle of the night, why are they doing that? Really, three reasons: One, they're terrorists; two, they're escaping the law; or three, they're hungry. They can't make a living in their own dirtbag country. Well, how could I possibly want to hurt the people who are hungry, who want a better life? How can I possibly demonize those people? I can't. So, now I say, "Hey, we need these laborers over here. It helps them." No, it doesn't. What are the jobs Americans won't take? I'll tell you what those jobs are. Those are the jobs where you're picking tomatoes for below minimum wage, and you're working in conditions that are illegal for everybody else to work in. That's the jobs that Americans won't take, and we shouldn't give them to Mexicans. We shouldn't give those jobs to people who are coming here just because they're trying to put food on the table. That's obscene. Just so you can have a cheaper meal, just so I can have a cheaper box of strawberries? It's obscene. You wanna solve the immigration [problem]? You know it and I know it. You put up a giant fence. You stop the people who are coming here because they're criminals or they want to do us harm. Then, you go after the companies and you stop those jobs from being given to illegal immigrants. Then on top of that, you make it easier for people to come through the proper door. That's how you solve it. Why can't they do it? I just solved it. I'm a recovering alcoholic, former DJ, and I just solved it in two minutes!

—L.F.

Lee Fang is an intern at Media Matters for America.