ImmigrationProf Blog

(End of) Day 2 of Border Course in El Paso: Film Discussion of Crossing Arizona

There are several really wonderful documentary films that have been made regarding immigration law.  At least two that come to mind are: Golden Venture and 9500 Liberty.  When I teach immigration law, I typically show clips from these films to underscore the human stories that tend to get marginalized in discussions about cases, laws and policies. 

Another outstanding immigration-related film is Crossing Arizona. This film features various perspectives of people whose lives have been affected by immigration law enforcement. Using interviews of migrants, human rights advocates, Minutemen, ranchers, border patrol agents, and employers, Crossing Arizona highlights the compelling views of different groups regarding stricter enforcement of immigration law at the border.

I raise it here because we ended Monday's session of the course on immigration law at the border in El Paso, TX by showing portions of Crossing Arizona. As I explained in a previous post, Monday's program focused on case law analysis of U.S. v. Brignoni-Ponce and progeny as well as a tour of the border. Crossing Arizona provided additional context to what we focused in class today. Notably, the film helped to launch discussion among the students regarding ways of improving immigration law. 

RCV

From the Bookshelves: Amor and Exile: True Stories of Love Across America's Borders by Nathaniel Hoffman and Nicole Salgado

 

Amor and Exile:  Stories of Love Across America's Borders by Nathaniel Hoffman and Nicole Salgado 

 Across the United States, American citizens are forced underground, exiled abroad and separated from their spouses for a surprising reason. Amor and Exile is the story of American citizens—including Veronica, Ben, J.W., and Nicole—who fall in love with undocumented immigrants only to find themselves trapped in a legal labyrinth, stymied by their country’s de facto exclusion of their partners. Journalist Nathaniel Hoffman visited both sides of the border to document the lives of these couples caught in the crossfire of America’s high stakes political fight over immigration. In his disarming and precise style, Hoffman also traces the historical relationship between immigration, love and marriage. Lending an authentic voice to Amor and Exile, coauthor Nicole Salgado delivers a searing first-person account of life in the U.S. with her husband while he was undocumented, her tortured decision to leave the country with him, and their seven years of exile and starting over together in Mexico.

Amor and Exile tells of love that transcends borders—a story shared by hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens—cutting through the immigration debate rhetoric and providing a courageous perspective for one of the most vexing policy problems of our time.

KJ

MAJOR PBS SERIES “LATINO AMERICANS” TO PREMIERE NATIONALLY DURING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH 2013

Watch Episode 6: Peril and Promise Trailer on PBS. See more from Latino Americans.

PBS has announced that LATINO AMERICANS, a landmark three-part, six-hour documentary series narrated by actor Benjamin Bratt, will air nationally on PBS on three consecutive Tuesdays, premiering on September 17, September 24 and October 1. LATINO AMERICANS is the first major documentary series for television to chronicle the rich and varied history and experiences of Latinos, who have for the past 500-plus years helped shape what is today the United States and have become, with more than 50 million people, the largest minority group in the U.S.

A companion book by Ray Suarez, Senior Correspondent for PBS NEWSHOUR, will be released to coincide with the series. The television broadcast will also be accompanied by a nationwide public engagement initiative, and bilingual digital engagement and public education campaigns.

ATINO AMERICANS is led by Emmy Award-winning series producer Adriana Bosch and documents the evolution of a new “Latino American” identity from the 1500s to the present day, featuring interviews with close to 100 Latinos from the worlds of politics, business and pop culture — including Herman Badillo, Dolores Huerta, Gloria Estefan and Rita Moreno — as well as deeply personal portraits of lesser-known Latinos who lived through key chapters in American history.

KJ

USC Schwarzenegger Institute to Host Forum on Historic Immigration Reform

USC Schwarzenegger Institute to Host Forum on Historic Immigration Reform

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will host an immigration reform event on April 30. The event will feature Sens. John McCain and Michael Bennet, co-authors of the bipartisan immigration reform bill, who will participate in a dialogue about the legislative path to comprehensive immigration reform. Later in the program, former U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and USC Professor Dowell Myers will discuss the importance of immigration reform to the U.S. economy and jobs. Both these panels will be moderated by Ann Compton, ABC News. Former President of Mexico Vicente Fox will close the event by providing a global perspective on U.S. immigration reform.

Speakers, panelists and moderators include:

• Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.)

• Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)

•Vicente Fox, former President of Mexico

•Carlos Gutierrez, former U.S. Commerce Secretary

•Dowell Myers, professor of policy and demography, USC Price School of Public Policy

•Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Governor of California

•Ann Compton, White House correspondent for ABC News Radio

•Gabriela Teissier, co-anchor for "Noticias 34: Primera Edicion," Univison 34

WHEN: Tuesday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. WHERE: University of Southern California, Town and Gown Ballroom Live webcast: The event will be streamed live at priceschool.usc.edu

KJ

Report: Refugee Status Determination in Latin America: Regional Challenges and Opportunities

Asylum Access Ecuador and USCRI are excited to launch our report on “Refugee Status Determination in Latin America: Regional Challenges and Opportunities". This report is a joint effort with the support of the following NGOs: Asociación de Consultores y Asesores Internacionales (ACAI) from Costa Rica, Sin Fronteras I.A.P from Mexico, Instituto Migrações e Direitos Humanos (IMDH) from Brazil, and Facultad de Derecho y el Consultorio Jurídico de la Universidad de los Andes from Colombia.

KJ

At the Movies: Not Today: None of Us Are Free If One of Us is Enslaved

 

 

 

 

Not Today: The Movie

Caden Welles has the world at his disposal. With the resources of his wealthy father, he's living life as large as any 20-year-old could dream. But what happens when that dream becomes a nightmare halfway around the world? Traveling with his friends to Hyderabad, India on a whim, Caden's expectations of a never-ending party crash hard. But not as hard as his conscience when he refuses to help a starving man and his little girl. Haunted by the images of Kiran and Annika, Caden attempts to right his wrong—only to discover Kiran has been forced to sell his own daughter. Caden's eyes are now opened to a world few Americans know still exists: a thriving human-trafficking trade. Add the dehumanization of Kiran and hundreds of millions of other Dalits due to India's caste system, and Caden could easily turn his back. Yet spurred by a true purpose, an unlikely new friendship, and the prayers of his mother and girlfriend back home, Caden chooses to help in Kiran's unlikely search to find his daughter.

Starring Cody Longo, Walid Amini, Shari Rigby, and John Schneider, NOT TODAY challenges moviegoers with a purpose that goes beyond its gripping story. The movie was produced by Friends Church Yorba Linda, a congregation committed to educating the Dalits and ending human trafficking in India.

CNN reports on the opening of the movie this weekend.

KJ

At the Movies: Watch Premiere of The Dream Is Now

 

While tens of thousands of people raised their voice for immigration reform in front of the nation's capital yesterday, key legislators watched the stories of five Dreamers unfold on a movie screen at the Capitol for the premiere of Academy Award-winning director Davis Guggenheim’s ("Waiting for Superman" and "An Inconvenient Truth") new documentary, The Dream is Now, which was shown in House and Senate screenings. The film Dream tells the stories of undocumented youth and their families who are desperate to earn their citizenship in the only country they've ever called home, the United States of America. The 30-minute film was created to keep the focus on Congress to pass immigration reform. The main subjects from the film participated in panels with campaign representatives and policymakers following the screenings.

The Dream is Now campaign also announced that the film exploring America’s broken immigration system will air on MSNBC Sunday, April 14 at 4pm/ET, 1pm/PT.

KJ

At the Movies: Oscar-Winning Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim to Screen Film About America’s Broken Immigration System: Film Shares Stories of Undocumented Youth and Their Families

The Dream is Now campaign today released the trailer for a new documentary film exploring America’s broken immigration system. The film, produced by Davis Guggenheim ("Waiting for Superman" and "An Inconvenient Truth"), tells the stories of undocumented youth and their families who are desperate to earn their citizenship in the only country they've ever called home, the United States of America.

The 30-minute film will premiere on April 10 with a special screening in Washington, DC to keep the focus on Congress to pass immigration reform.

 

 

KJ

Music-Theater on the Immigrant Experience: Stuck Elevator

A music-theater piece explores immigrant rights issues through the true story of a Chinese restaurant deliveryman who was trapped in an elevator in the Bronx for 81 hours. Creative Capital supported the project with a 2009 Performing Arts grant and it will premiere at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco (opening April 4). An interview with the artists can be found on Creative Capital's blog here.

Stuck Elevator is an eclectic music-theater work based on the true story of a Chinese deliveryman in the Bronx who was trapped in an elevator for 81 hours. Sounding the alarm would open the doors to freedom, but calling for help also means calling for attention—with dire consequences for this undocumented immigrant. Suspended between the upward mobility of the American dream and a downward plunge into an empty abyss, he delves into memories of his past and into nightmares of his present predicament, all within the confines of a 4’ by 6’ by 8’ metal box.

KJ

At the Movies: Frontier Youth

Courtesy of Frontier Youth website

A short documentary, Frontier Youth, explores immigration and border issues on an intimate human scale. Its three characters are young people growing up in Douglas, Arizona and Agua Prieta, Mexico – neighboring border towns defined by undocumented migration, deportation, and an increasingly militarized border. Frontier Youth is unique in viewing these issues through the perspective of young adults on both sides of the border.

As the United States moves towards immigration reform, it is a perfect time for students to discuss the human impact of likely policy changes, such as a path to citizenship for undocumented residents and ever-tightening border security.

At 16 minutes, the film is a perfect length for classroom use. 

KJ

The film Innocente Wins Academy Award

 

ImmigrationProf previously posted about the film Innocente. We failed to mention that it was honored with an Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject.  Here is a brief synopsis: 

At 15, Inocente refuses to let her dream of becoming an artist be caged by her life as an undocumented immigrant forced to live homeless for the last nine years. Color is her personal revolution and its extraordinary sweep on her canvases creates a world that looks nothing like her own dark past – – a past punctuated by a father deported for domestic abuse, an alcoholic and defeated mother of four who once took her daughter by the hand to jump off a bridge together, an endless shuffle year after year through the city’s overcrowded homeless shelters and the constant threat of deportation.

KJ

UC student takes Dream Act case to YouTube

Watch Terrence Park, an undocumented DREAMer, on a video doing the math on the DREAM Act.  Carla Marrinucci in the San Francisco Chronicle tells us about Terrance.

KJ

Migration Is Beautiful

 

Meet artist/activist Favianna Rodriguez -- a leading voice in the movement of artists raising awareness about U.S. immigration issues. Favianna is a co-founder of both Presente.org and Culture Strike, two groups pushing back against the wave of anti-immigrant rhetoric and legislation
that has recently swept the nation.

 

KJ

DREAL : Dreams Are Real

DREAL : Dreams Are Real from Maribel Serrano on Vimeo.

KJ

Black Migration Film List

 

Here (Download Black Migration Films_Clip) is alist of films and clips (w/synopses & links) on Black migration, which was posted on the Immprof listserve.  

KJ

Profile Your Immigration Law Clinic

Do you want to post a profile of your law school's immigration law clinic on the ImmigrationProf blog?  If so, please feel free to send me (krjohnson@ucdavis.edu) a profile with information about the clinic -- and perhaps pictures and a story or two about a recent case.

KJ

Lack of Latino Role Models in Books for Young Latino Readers

Earlier this week, ImmigrationProf reported on the criticism of the hit film Argo for having Ben Affleck portray the Mexican-American hero of the spy caper and effectively erasing his Mexican ancestry.  Along similar lines, it appears that young Latino readers have a very difficult time finding any books with Latino characters.  Read on.

Why is it so hard to find Latino role models in popular American culture?  Finding Latinos in positive roles on television and film can be difficult.  By the way, skip the recent Oliver Stone film Savages if you want to see positive portrayals of Latinos.

KJ

Ben Affleck's Argo and the White-Washing of the Mexican-American

 

I have not yet seen the popular film Argo with Ben Affleck but it sounds like a semi-historical thriller that I would enjoy.  However, Moctesuma Esparza, an award winning producer, has a troubling take on the movie. 

Argo is loosely based on a memoir written by Antonio "Tony" Mendez, a CIA operative, who led the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Iran during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. The film stars Ben Affleck as Mendez. 

Esparza claims that Argo

"perpetuat[es the] ethnic and racial invisibility of Latinos in Hollywood. Antonio `Tony' Mendez is an American hero of Mexican ancestry whose exploits are dramatized in the movie Argo. . . . The concern I am focusing on here is the director/producer's choice to portray Tony as if he is a white non Latino, so [Affleckl] could play the role. This is classic `brown face' at its worst. There is no reasonable justification for this choice as the film could have been cast otherwise without affecting its commerciality. Not only did a Latino actor not play Tony, who clearly in real life looks like a Chicano, but his ethnicity is stolen from the Latino community at a time when Latinos have been demonized. Our real Latino national heroes if acknowledged would dramatize our patriotism and contribution to the United States. The film actually goes out of its way to obscure Tony Mendez' ethnicity. His name (Mendez) is mentioned only once and the character says he is from New York (Tony was born in Nevada from a mining family with six generations in Nevada and raised in Colorado). Nowhere in the movie does the viewer get that the hero is Mexican American. . . . [The role of Tony Mendez] was an excellent role that would have elevated a Latino actor like Benjamin Bratt or Michael Peña."

Photos Courtesy of Tail Slate

Food for thought.

KJ

DOCUMENTARY -- Outlawing Shakespeare: The Battle for the Tucson Mind

 

 

Outlawing Shakespeare: The Battle for the Tucson Mind is a documentary that focuses on the elimination of the Mexican American Studies program within the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) in Arizona. Under a federal de-segregation decree, Mexican American Studies was created and was successful at improving academic achievement for Latino students in Tucson until earlier in 2012 when it was shut down by the TUSD School Board. Click here and here for stories on the documentary and here for an interview with the film's Executive Producer Gabriel Buelna.

The L.A. Times just completed an editorial on the abolition of Mexican American Studies in Arizona.

KJ

 

Immigration Article of the Day: Sources of International Migration Law by Vincent Chetail

Sources of International Migration Law by Vincent Chetail, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies November 13, 2012 FOUNDATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION LAW, pp. 56-92, B. Opeskin, R. Perruchoud, J. Redpath-Cross, eds., Cambridge University Press, 2012.

Abstract: Although migration is frequently considered as a matter of domestic jurisdiction, the movement of persons has been internationalized by a complex set of norms. The main sources of international law reveal a relatively dense picture. This chapter reviews the sources of international legal norms that govern migration by examining treaty law, customary law and general principles of law. It concludes by assessing the role of soft law on the traditional sources of international migration law.

KJ