Ad puts L.A. in Mexico

California billboards have relocated Los Angeles to south of the border, angering groups fighting illegal immigration. According to the L.A. Times the Clear Channel billboards, touting the virtues of Noticias 62, a Spanish-language newscast on Los Angeles' KRCA-TV, show two cable newscasters sitting in front of Los Angeles' downtown skyline, with "Los Angeles, CA" printed above.

The "CA" however is crossed out, and "Mexico" is stamped alongside in bright red letters. Underneath are the Spanish words, "Tu ciudad. Tu equipo." -- Your city.

"This is almost a poster-board for illegal immigration," Peter Amundson, a volunteer with the California Republican Assembly told the Times. "This is America. We're a land of immigrants -- legal immigrants. This is not Mexico. This is the United States."

He called the ads "a slap in the face to Californians and a pretty blatant one."

Members of Americans for Legal Immigration, a political action committee that targets illegal immigration, told the Times the ads are offensive. They posted a photo of a billboard on their website, prompting angry comments.

"I think it's irresponsible corporate citizenship to be promoting that type of message," Daryl Jurbala, communications director for the group told the Times. "I don't think it's responsible for anyone to encourage or reward or try to make illegal immigrants feel welcome."

The ad's sponsors defended the message. EVP Lenard Liberman told the Times Noticias 62 was a popular news program in LA and noted that people of Mexican descent made up a large portion of the city.

"We tell the story behind L.A., and we tell the story behind Mexico," he said. "If they find that offensive, I'm sorry. But you just have to drive around L.A. to know that this is a Hispanic city."

Stuart Fischoff, who teaches media psychology at Cal State L.A., told the paper the billboard was like "sticking a finger in your eye" to immigration reformers. "The joke here is, 'We're taking back California,' " Fischoff said. "Underneath the joke is part of the truth."