Tuesday, March 24

Crossing Arizona

On Tuesday, March 24, the Levermore Global Scholars program screened "Crossing Arizona," a documentary about immigration on the border of Mexico and the US. The film discussed people’s concerns about the influx of Mexicans crossing the border to the North since 1997, in particular, through Arizona. Some of the main concerns about these "illegal aliens" included the actual number of immigrants, the problems they cause for people at and around the border, the causalities of people roaming the desert, humanitarian efforts to prevent death, and people’s polarizing views on the issue. The film also discussed people’s animosity toward migrant workers who are taking their jobs, and the film mainly focused on individuals who were affected by the wave of Mexicans entering the county.

"Crossing Arizona" mentioned how 20 to 30 people each summer die in the desert trying to get new opportunities in the US. Ranchers have a huge problem with this because their property is trashed, their cows often get shot for food, and their fences are broken. These ranchers are heavy supporters of patrolling the borders for incoming Mexicans. Some Americans are upset because they feel like their taxes are being robbed by the migrants for welfare, and schools are being flooded with illegal immigrant children. Some people think that the ranchers’ actions are justified because they fear that illegal immigration will cause the conditions in this country to be just like the ones that the Mexicans left behind in the their own country.

On the other side, people are desperate and do not believe that the life they live in the US is any worse than in Mexico. They know they take the jobs that nobody wants, and farmers are not too opposed to cheap labor. In the film, Mexicans were very spirited; some of them have crossed the border and got caught more than three times, just to return again. The film perceived the Americans as rude and merciless when it came to securing the border. Some volunteers go out of their way to find migrants so that they can be taken back to border patrol. Some are more forgiving.

Those who have sympathy go out of their way to put out water bins and gallons for those on the journey, especially on Indian reservations where federal government has no control. One Native American that they followed throughout the film encountered problems where bounty hunter volunteers cut holes in the water bins. It was his daily job to put out these jugs, and he did not seem surprised to see attacks against his cause, which indicates that this happens frequently.

This issue was more prevalent in the news during the Bush administration, and I am divided on the issue. We have a history of restricting certain immigrants into the country, and this one is no different. First the Chinese, then the Irish and Italians. It is difficult to keep order and keep track of people and still function as a fair government when there are thousands of people flooding the country. Still, I feel bad for these people, and if they can achieve the journey, then I think they deserve to be here. They live in very under privileged circumstances in this country and take the jobs we do not feel like doing. Of course eventually they will want to have some political control, but they are going to have to fight for it because of their illegal entrance into the US.

Written by Electra Jarvis, LGS sophomore