A month or so ago, I watched a few documentaries on the Sundance Channel about the issue of immigration over the U.S.-Mexico border. I watched these shortly after having returned from northern Mexico, the very area where immigrants arrive in the United States after walking for miles and days over the harsh desert.

The first documentary I watched was Crossing Arizona. This production tried to look at the issue from both sides but I always felt like the makers were trying to make a very specific point about the issue that leaned a bit more toward those who are fighting immigrants. They didn’t talk as much to the people who were trying to come across the border, to them as they did cross over, or understanding what would incite someone to risk his/her life to go to a country that both wants them and hates them. They are entering a very racist, elitist, judgmental society that will treat them badly. And yet, they come by the 1000s.

Why?

The documentary didn’t discuss that at all. Instead, we heard plenty from the so-called Minuteman Project. We heard all about their rights and their feelings about this issue (which, obviously, are very negative toward the immigrants). We heard from a Native American man (Tohono O’odham nation) who puts out water, shares what food he has in his truck, and fights against tribal customs to assist the crossers. While the description of the film says that farmers are interviewed, there was very little of that.

Really, though, the voices of the immigrants themselves were hardly existent at all. I’m not sure if that was intentional but it reminded me of how much disrespect is given to them. We speak of the immigrants, the illegal aliens, the migrant workers. We don’t speak about them as people but as groups (and I’m guilty of this as well). Sure, they did follow 3 men but they didn’t give them a big voice in the film. The “guardians of the border” had much bigger voices.

Why?

I watched another documentary about this topic, as well. Wetback follows the migrants across the Rio Grande. This film gives voice to the people moving across the border, understanding why they make the journey. It delves into the reasons for taking this chance, for making this journey

Maybe this is due to the differences in the ethnicity of the filmakers (although I can’t be particularly sure of ethnicity because there is little about Dan DeVivo, editor of Crossing Arizona). Maybe this is due to who gave them access.

What I’d like to see, though, is a film that actually discusses the real issues of this situation from all sides. I’d also like to hear from the U.N. on this and how the Mexican government (really) feels about it, as well.

We need the migrant workers. Our society doesn’t work without them. But they need a voice and they need to be given more respect. They do an amazing job and we all benefit from their work.

They should, too.