Two Americans was the first film I attended during the film festival. I expected to learn something about immigration and my current home state, Arizona. But I learned way more than I expected. This film is a great introduction to the underlying corruption that pervades immigration policy in Arizona.
All sides to the Arizona immigration issue were shown; what it fells like to be the enforcer of immigration laws and what it feels like to be an undocumented immigrant in Phoenix, AZ. This film tells the story of Two Americans, Sheriff Joe Arpaio who appears to be the prominent instigator in the push to arrest illegal immigrants and Katherine Figueroa, a 9-year-old girl whose parents were arrested and put in jail as illegal immigrants.
Generally we put all our attention on Sheriff Joe Arpaio as the culprit, but everyone above him seems to completely support his actions. He's protected and so is his large budget. He seems almost clownish, the way George W. Bush did as president. He takes pride in his accomplishment in setting up "Tent City" where the overflow of prisoners, mostly illegal immigrants, are placed to live in sweltering temperatures as hot as 130 degrees Fahrenheit. And he's very proud of his accomplishment in getting pink underwear for the prisoners in an attempt to shame them as further punishment for their extreme crime of illegally living in the US and contributing to it's economy. The film also shows Arpaio as someone who unquestioningly just goes with the flow, as he recounts his career in the military and government positions. To me, it seems that he is just a puppet who's allowed to express his anger against a specific section of our Arizonan society.
On the other hand, 9-year-old Katherine has just lost her parents and has no idea if she will ever see them again. Luckily, her close-knit extended family is taking care of her, which most white people do not have. She and her friends, family and neighbors describe the fear they have of being arrested at any moment. This fear prevents them from attending meetings where solutions to these immigration problems could be created. Katherine's parents are incarcerated separately and they have no idea when and if they will be deported and what will happen to them in the meantime.
Being very articulate, Katherine is willing to stand up by speaking out in public and helping with fundraisers. This immigration crack-down is a situation that can take away one's childhood, but as they say, "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger." And Katherine has become a very integrated, purposeful and inspiring young girl.
The whole immigration situation is so complex. A documentary that focuses on immigrants having already crossed the border usually does not address why so many are compelled to cross the border at such risk. Then on the other hand, illegal immigrants are secretly welcomed to live and work here at below minimum wage jobs. Many families, having lived in the US "illegally" often for decades, have established businesses, patronized local businesses and have established themselves as a vibrant part of our economy. They even pay taxes. So suddenly, there is a huge crackdown on undocumented or illegal immigration. What's that all about? Some say it's the privatized prisons that are spreading across the country looking for more "clients" or more prisoners. There is a lot more to this story than meets the eye.
This gut-wrenching and extremely educational film is a must-see for all Arizonans and required viewing for all Americans. To view this film, check the website for the DVD release or contact the filmmakers to set up a screening.
AFTERWARDS: Katherine and her parents were at the Q&A after the festival screening. Obviously they were reunited and the whole family became "legal." Ever since they first crossed the border, they never tried to get false ID's and always tried to use the legal system to become citizens. They seem like fine people and I would feel very happy if they were my neighbors. I think the process of making the documentary was extremely helpful and supportive to their situation. Kudos to the filmmakers for making an effective documentary about how it feels to be an undocumented immigrant in the US today.