A telephone survey of 500 adults in the San Diego, California, area was conducted to examine the role of mass media in shaping views of the respondents toward undocumented immigrants from Mexico. The sample, designed to reflect all adults in the area, was distorted somewhat by a refusal rate of approximately 30%. The results showed that the most significant contribution of media coverage concerning undocumented immigrants was to increase levels of information about Mexico and about the immigrants. Print media were found to have the greatest influence on increasing information, discussion was the next most influential, and television programing was the least influential. Although exposure to media was associated with level of information, the media apparently had no influence on the content of either perceptions or attitudes about immigrants. The findings suggest that the media increased both information and cognitive consistency in relation to undocumented immigrants, but did not change basic evaluations or perceptions about them. (FL)