I. INTRODUCTION The news media is a powerful tool because it provides the public with crucial information; but more importantly, the manner in which news pieces are presented can determine how viewers form their opinions about different public issues. (1) The way the public perceives the contentious issue of Mexican immigration is important because their opinion about immigration influences policy-makers' decisions about those laws. Thus, the way the news media presents Mexican immigrants and immigration policy may ultimately steer the direction of law.
