The present study examines hostile media bias and the third-person effect in those with anti-immigrant sentiments and those with pro-immigrant sentiments to determine the variables that influence their beliefs about immigrants and immigration in the state of New York. Based on McKeever, Riffe, & Dillman’s (2012) survey conducted in North Carolina, this study builds on their results to evaluate if factors such as geographic location, concentration of immigrants, or political inclinations can change the results. Five-hundred respondents from New York State participated in a survey about their attitudes concerning immigrants and immigration. Results confirm that those with anti-immigrant sentiment will perceive a hostile bias in the media towards the pro-immigrant side, and that each group will perceive media as an influencer and persuasive medium opposed to their attitudes. Also, the results showed that time watching or reading news does not correlate with anti-immigrant sentiment, and that knowledge about immigrants and immigration issues does not mitigate perception or biases
