>>> FOOD TRUCKS ARE ONE OF THE ENTRY AREAS FOR IMMIGRANTS.
>> HOW DID YOU START THE TRUCK?
>> I WORK FOR SOMEBODY FOR
CLEANING FOR SIX, SEVEN MONTHS.
SPEND I BUY ONE AND THEN I BUY
ANOTHER ONE.
ANOTHER ONE. >> YOU HAVE SIX TRUCKS.
THAT’S THE AMERICAN DREAM.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> MOHAMMED!
>> MOHAMMED! THERE’S MY BUDDY.
GOOD LUCK WITH EVERYTHING.
>> THEY DON’T GIVE EXCUSES.
THEY’RE BLESSED WITH THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BELONG TO A NEW
PLACE.
PLACE. THEY DON’T WANT TO TAKE ANYTHING
FROM ANYONE.
FROM ANYONE. >> I ASKED HIM WHAT WAS HIS
SECRET.
SECRET. DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAID?
I WORKED HARD.
>> SINCE THE FOUNDING OF THIS
COUNTRY, IMMIGRATION HAS BEEN
KEY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF
AMERICAN CUISINE.
AMERICAN CUISINE. AND AS IMMIGRATION REMAINS A HOT
BUTTON ISSUE TODAY, THE CULINARY
WORLD REMAINS A TOP INDUSTRY.
MSNBC’S NEW FIVE-PART SERIES
ENTITLED WHAT IS EATING AMERICA
EXPLORES THE ISSUES THAT IMPACT
VOTERS THROUGH THE LENS OF FOOD.
JOINING US NOW, THE HOST OF THE
SERIES, AWARD WINNING TV
PERSONALITY AND WHICH HE, ANDREW
ZIMMER AND ALSO WITH US IS JOSE
INDRES WHO IS FEATURED IN THE
PREMIER EPISODE.
PREMIER EPISODE. GREAT TO HAVE YOU BOTH ON.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE SERIES
OVERALL.
OVERALL. >> THE IDEA IS THAT WE EXPLORE
THE CIVIC AND SOCIAL ISSUES OF
THE DAY THROUGH A DIFFERENT
LENS.
LENS. I THINK AS TUMULTUOUS AS THESE
TIMES ARE AT A POINT IN OUR
HISTORY WHERE WE’RE IN THE MOST
IMPORTANT CIVIC, SOCIAL AND
POLITICAL CYCLE, AT LEAST OF MY
LIFETIME AND AS A STUDENT OF
HISTORY MAYBE OF ANY TIME, WE
NEED TO ENGAGE EVERYONE IN THE
STORY TELLING OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT ISSUES.
IMPORTANT ISSUES. AND I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE STARTING TO TUNE
THINGS OUT.
THINGS OUT. AND I THINK IF WE CAN START TO
TELL STORIES THROUGH A WAY THAT
PEOPLE CAN RELATE TO, ALL
PEOPLE, AND IMPACT THEM THROUGH
SOMETHING THAT THEY TOUCH EVERY
SINGLE DAY IN TERMS OF FOOD, WHY
NOT DO THAT?
AND AS WE STARTED TO EXPLORE THE
DIFFERENT TOPICS THAT WE COVER,
ADDICTION, IMMIGRATION, CLIMATE
CHANGE, WE REALIZE THAT WE CAN
DO SOME AMAZING STORY TELLING
HERE.
HERE. AND IMMIGRATION IS A HUGE ONE.
29 PERCENT IN MANUFACTURING, BUT
OVER HALF OF THE TOTAL FOOD
SYSTEM.
SYSTEM. WHILE THEY MAY TUNE OUT WHO GETS
TO SAY WHAT IN FRONT OF CONGRESS
AND THEY HAVEN’T APPEARED, I
THINK THEY GOING TO GET
CONCERNED WHEN THEIR BAGEL COSTS
$10 AND WHO IS FEEDSING THEM
ISN’T THERE.
ISN’T THERE. >> OUR SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN,
WHAT THEY EAT EVERY DAY INSIDE
CONGRESS, WHEN YOU FOLLOW UP
THAT FOOD ALL THE WE TO THE
FARM, YOU WILL SEE THAT THOSE 11
MILLION UNDOCUMENTED, THOSE
DREAMERS, ARE THE ONE THAT’S ARE
BRINGING THOSE FOODS TO THEIR
TABLES, TO YOUR TABLE, TO MY
TABLE.
TABLE. WHY WE KEEP THEM UNDOCUMENTED,
WHEN WE ACTUALLY NEED THEM, WHEN
BUSINESSES LIKE MINE, WE DON’T
HAVE ENOUGH EMPLOYEES TO HIRE,
WHY ONCE AND FOR ALL WE DON’T
USE AMERICAN PRAGMATISM, WE PASS
IMMIGRATION REFORM AND WE START
MOVING FORWARD.
MOVING FORWARD. >> OUR PRESIDENT, HE HAS A
WINERY IN VIRGINIA.
EVERYBODY WORKING ON THE FIELDS
WERE UNDOCUMENTED.
WERE UNDOCUMENTED. HE’S A BUSINESS PERSON.
NOW HE’S THE PRESIDENT.
YES, PRESIDENT TRUMP, YOU SHOULD
BE PASSING IMMIGRATION REFORM
BECAUSE YOU ARE ACTUALLY USING
THOSE UNDOCUMENTED.
THOSE UNDOCUMENTED. CONGRESS, THE PRESIDENT,
EVERYBODY, REPUBLICANS AND
DEMOCRATS, ONCE AND FOR ALL,
THEY NEED TO MAKE RIGHT WHAT IS
WRONG.
WRONG. WE ARE RUNNING AMERICA WITH
PEOPLE WE DON’T RECOGNIZE.
THEY SHOULD BE STOPPING THESE
VOICELESS AND GHOST OF OUR
SYSTEM.
SYSTEM. >> YOU’RE TALKING SPECIFICALLY,
JOSE, ABOUT DREAMERS, ABOUT
GIVING THEM CITIZENSHIP AND
GIVING THEM RIGHTS.
>> UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS.
>> EVERYBODY.
>> EVERYBODY. >> GOLF COURSES, WHO DO YOU
THINK TAKES CARE OF THE GOLF
COURSES?
COURSES? WHO DO YOU THINK PICKS UP FISH
IN THE -- WHO DO YOU THINK IS
PICKING UP OUR STRAWBERRIES?
LET’S BE LOGICAL.
>> AND LET ME UNDERSCORE WHAT
JOSE SAID.
JOSE SAID. WHEN YOU TALK TO EVERY SINGLE
PERSON WHO OWNS AND OPERATES ONE
OF THESE COMPANIES, WHETHER
THEY’RE A FARMER IN THE SALINAS
VALLEY IN CALIFORNIA OR THEY OWN
A CRAB PICKING COMPANY IN THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY, ALL OF THEM NEED
MORE EMPLOYEES.
MORE EMPLOYEES. THERE IS NO ONE ELSE SHOWING UP
FOR THESE JOBS.
AND THE SYSTEM THAT WE’VE HAD
FOR A LONG TIME HAS BEEN BROKEN,
BUT IT’S BEEN ON WOBBLY LEGS.
NOW YOU KICK THOSE LEGS OUT FROM
UNDER IT, YOU PUT IN A LOTTERY
SYSTEM FOR WORKERS WHO ARE GOING
TO PICK CRABS IN THE CHESAPEAKE
BAY, THEY DON’T GET ENOUGH, A $2
BILLION INDUSTRY FAILS IN
MARYLAND.
MARYLAND. WE SPOKE TO FARMERS IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA WHO HAD TO TILL UNDER
STRAWBERRIES FOR AN ENTIRE
SEASON BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T GET
ENOUGH WORKERS.
ENOUGH WORKERS. THIS IS THAT DOUBLE EDGE SWORD
OF AN ME THAT IS DON’T WELL, BUT
NOT FOR EVERYONE.
>> WE’VE HEARD ABOUT THE OPIOID
CRISIS THAT HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS
FOR QUITE A WHILE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT ANOTHER SOCIAL ILL THAT IS
AFFECTING AMERICA IN OUR
POCKETBOOKS, LOOK AT THE EFFECT
ON HEALTH CARE, ALCOHOLISM AND
OTHER ISMS ASSOCIATED WITH IT
ARE A MASSIVE DOLLAR TIME AND
LABOR DRAIN ON THIS COUNTRY.
WE NEED TO BE DOING TO SUPPORT
MENTAL HEALTH PARODY LAWS.
SO WE PROFILED AN ADD IBLTH IN
OUR SHOW, TOOK PEOPLE AROUND NEW
YORK CITY AND USED THAT AS A
JUMPING OFF POINT.
SENATOR KLOBUCHAR WAS KIND
ENOUGH TO SHARE WITH US HER
STORY FAMOUSLY.
STORY FAMOUSLY. I THINK THE STORY SAW THAT
DURING THE KAVANAUGH HEARINGS
WHEN SHE WENT AFTER NOW JUSTICE
KAVANAUGH.
KAVANAUGH. SENATOR KLOBUCHAR IS FIGHTING
TOOTH AND NAIL.
SHE’S THE ONLY CANDIDATE THAT
HAS A REAL PROGRAM FOR PUTTING
MORE TEETH BEHIND THE MENTAL
HEALTH PARODY LAWS.
ADDICTION, LIKE THE PLIGHT OF
IMMIGRANTS, UNDOCUMENTED ARE
PEOPLE THAT WE WOULD RATHER NOT
LOOK AT.
LOOK AT. EQUITY AND ACCESS IS SOMETHING
THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT IN SO
MANY AREAS OF THIS COUNTRY, BUT
WE’RE KEEPING SO MANY PEOPLE
MARGINALIZED.
MARGINALIZED. IF WE DON’T DO SOMETHING FOR
THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE
MARGINALIZED, I THINK WE’RE
FAILING AS A COUNTRY.
>> I’M CURIOUS ON THE ISSUE OF
CLIMATE CHANGE AND --
>> WE DO.
>> WE DO. THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT, 10
YEARS AGO, 10% OF THE OYSTER
CROP -- OYSTERS, BY THE WAY,
GROW ALL ALONG THE COAST OF
AMERICA.
AMERICA. 10% OF THE OYSTERS CAME FROM
APPEAR
APPEAR APPALACHIA COLA BAY.
NOW, IT’S ZERO.
MORE SALARITY, IN THE WATER
MEANS PREDATORS COME IN,
OHIOSTER CROP WIPED OUT.
AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS SOLD THEM
A FALSE BILL OF GOODS TELLING
EVERYONE THERE -- HUGE TOURISM,
THE NICEST PEOPLE IN THE
WITHHOLD WORLD AND WE’RE TELLING
THEM IT’S BECAUSE OF THE BP OIL
CRISIS.
CRISIS. NO, IT’S CLIMB CRISIS.
THE RAIN HAS CHANGED.
WE FOLLOW THEM NORTH TO
MINNESOTA WHERE TOO MUCH RAIN IS
HURTING THE APPLE FARMERS IN OUR
STATE.
STATE. THE CLIMATE CRISIS IN AMERICA IS
REAL.
REAL. THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHY
OUR SHOW IS SO IMPORTANT.
SO MANY PEOPLE ARE LISTENING TO
A SCIENTIST ON TV AND THEY’RE
CARRYING A GREAT MESSAGE, BUT
PEOPLE TUNE THAT OUT.
HOW ABOUT IF YOU TELL THEM THAT
COFFEE BEANS IN 25 YEARS AREN’T
GOING BE AROUND.
COCOA FOR CHOCOLATE SINCE GOING
TO BE AROUND, WILD SAMON ISN’T
GOING TO BE AROUND.
THERE’S NO MORE AMERICAN "STESH
BEDS.
BEDS. START TELLING PEOPLE THAT.
THE PRICE OF LOBSTER CAME DOWN
THE LAST FIVE YEARS BECAUSE
HERDS OF OYSTERS HAVE BEEN
HEADING NORTH SEEKING COLDER
WATER.
WATER. IN ANOTHER TWO YEARS, THEY’RE
OFF THE COAST OF CANADA.
>> WOW.
>> WOW. AND NO COFFEE.
I THINK PEOPLE THINK YOU’RE
BEING EXTREME, BUT THIS IS
SCIENCE.
SCIENCE. >> THIS IS OUR REALITY.
LIKE THE ISSUES THAT JOSE ARE
OUT THERE ALL THE TIME FIGHTING
FOR, IT’S JUST TRYING TO GET
THIS STORY IN FRONT OF PEOPLE
AND WHAT IS EATING AMERICA I
THINK IS ANOTHER WAY TO DO THAT.
>> IT’S ABOUT BEING PRAGMATIC TO
HAVE A PRESIDENT THAT I DON’T
THINK IS THE BEST FRIEND OF THE
ENVIRONMENT JUST TO ANNOUNCE
THAT HE IS COMMITTED TO PLANT 3
TRILLION TREES.
TRILLION TREES. I DON’T KNOW IF HE’S GOING TO DO
THAT, BUT JUST TO HEAR THOSE
WORDS FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP, YOU
KNOW THAT, HOUSTON, WE HAVE A
PROBLEM.
PROBLEM. FOOD CAN BE A SOLUTION AND
SHOWING A POSSIBILITY.
>> YOU GUYS, THIS IS GREAT.
>> ONE OTHER THING, WE’VE SAID
IT MANY TIMES WHEN HE’S NOT
HERE, SO WE WANT TO SAY IT WHEN
HE IS HERE.
THE WORK YOU’VE DONE IN PUERTO
RICO, SERVING ALMOST 4 MILLION
MEALS IN THE WAKE OF HURRICANE
KATRINA.
KATRINA. YOU ARE A SAINT FOR THAT.
>> WE ARRIVED IN THE BAHAMAS 12
DAYS BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE.
17 ISLANDS.
17 ISLANDS. MY TEAMS ARE IN AUSTRALIA RIGHT
NOW HELPING WITH THE FIRES,
COLOMBIA, VENEZUELA, SO NOW WE
HAVE A GROUP OF CHEFS THAT WHEN
SOMETHING HAPPENS, WE SHOW UP.
>> I KNOW WE’RE RUNNING OUT OF
TIME, BUT I SHOULD POINT OUT A
NATURALIZED AMERICAN CITIZEN WHO
WAS BORN A SPANISH CITIZEN HAS
MADE OUR COUNTRY GREATER BECAUSE
OF THE WORK THAT HE’S DONE AND
WE SHOULD BE TREATING ALL
IMMIGRANTS THAT WAY.
>> ANDREW ZIMMER, JOSE ANDRES,
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
"WHAT’S EATING AMERICA" PREMIERS