This is a fascinating story by Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Jerry Kammer (a long time family friend), now of the Center for Immigration Studies, about one of the largest public-spirited charities in the US - the Carnegie Corporation - and how its mission has been corrupted by far left liberals in order to fund their pet causes.

One of those causes is demonizing pro-enforcement immigration activists:

Current Carnegie president Vartan Gregorian has declared his determination to inform and expand the public discussion of important national issues. Envisioning a role for the foundation in developing the forum for democratic debate, he wrote:

"The Corporation is committed to the idea of investing in a wide range of both competing and complementary scholars and institutions as one way we can increase and help to create knowledge. Our goal is to augment the sources of knowledge that may be drawn upon to inform American leaders and citizens about the issues on the nation's agenda, and thus enrich discussion and debate about them."

But Carnegie funding on immigration policy has move sharply away from this commitment. Indeed, Carnegie's grantmaking on immigration policy and programs has exacerbated a problem described by New York Times columnist David Brooks, who lamented that "many people live in information cocoons in which they only talk to members of their own party and read blogs of their own sect."9

Carnegie has funded many organizations that promote passage of "comprehensive immigration reform" legislation, attack its critics, and conduct legal challenges to enforcement of immigration law.

Among the activist organizations Carnegie has supported are the National Council of La Raza, America's Voice, the National Immigration Forum, the Center for Community Change and its Fair Immigration Reform Network, the Center for New Community, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund.

Much Carnegie-supported work involves admirable efforts to help naturalized immigrants participate in the civic life of the nation. Such programs honor the best traditions of host communities reaching out to assist newcomers in the often-jarring transition to their new country and new community. Advocacy for comprehensive immigration reform legislation also has a legitimate place in the national debate.

But Carnegie-supported campaigns to demonize and delegitimize those who disagree with CIR have been poisoning the atmosphere for civil discussion that fosters the effort to find common ground and reach compromise.

The article is long, but well worth the read.