February 7, 2007

For more information, contact Cynthia Brooke at 773.728.8400 x40.

Cavuto Misleads Public,
Interfaith Worker Justice Demands He Set the Record Straight

CHICAGO—Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ) demanded that Neil Cavuto, Fox News Channel host, correct the inaccurate statements he made on Monday, Feb. 5, in an interview with Ms. Kim Bobo, executive director, Interfaith Worker Justice. IWJ asked Cavuto to apologize for twice saying that Ms. Bobo’s statements regarding the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) were wrong, when if fact, it was he who wrong.

On Monday afternoon, February 5, Ms. Bobo, appeared on Your World with Neil Cavuto on Fox News Channel. Cavuto asked Ms. Bobo, a national expert on worker rights and a leading religious voice on worker justice, if she supported an increase in the minimum wage for undocumented workers. She replied that IWJ supports an increase in the minimum wage for all workers and that the FLSA covers all workers, regardless of immigration status. Cavuto accused Ms. Bobo of being wrong, saying that the law did not protect undocumented workers.

In fact, the FLSA, which has been amended since its passage in 1938 to expand coverage, has never excluded any worker on the basis of immigration status.

“We understand that Mr. Cavuto likes to attack his guests and whip up anti-immigrant sentiment, but it is irresponsible journalism and factually wrong to say that undocumented immigrants are not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act,” said Bishop Gabino Zavala, Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Los Angeles. “He should correct his facts and apologize to Ms. Bobo,” he continued.

“Undocumented workers are scared to file complaints when employers cheat them of wages or fail to protect them from dangerous chemicals, even though the law protects them,” Ms Bobo said. “His public statements will make workers believe they are not protected, when in fact they are.”

After the show aired, Fox News Channel ran the text of an e-mail on the screen that a viewer wrote calling Ms. Bobo “the bozo.”

“It is bad enough that viewers resort to school-yard name-calling, but should Fox Cable News [sic] encourage this and show it on national news in a way that mocks Ms. Bobo, a respected expert in the field who has devoted her life to helping poor people?” asked Dr. Edith Rasell, Minister for Workplace Justice, United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries.

IWJ is a leading national faith-based organization helping ensure that all workers, regardless of their immigration status, are paid for their work. IWJ advocates a comprehensive immigration program that includes a path to citizenship, reunification of families and strong worker rights protections. IWJ’s new Immigration Primer will be available in March 2007 and can be requested free of charge by visiting the IWJ website.

Interfaith Worker Justice, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr, 4th Floor, Chicago IL 60660, (773) 728-8400, fax: (773) 728-8409

Website: http://www.iwj.org/