Other Side Of Immigration

The Other Side of Immigration film mainly focuses on the causes of migration from Mexico to the United States due to economic and social issues. The film shows the effects on the families after the men leave to find better job opportunities in the United States. There has been a high unemployment rate in Mexico and most of it is to blame for the government because of the economic uncertainly and immigrants were defamed and seen as the cause of unemployment. Migration is not the problem, the problem is the lack of opportunities in Mexico which is the responsibility of the government to boost the economy to take care of the residents. But even although the United Sates sends millions of dollars to Mexico to boost the economy, the resident’s claim
they have never received it directing the government bring corrupt and total fraud as some residents say in the film.
One of the reasons for keep the Mexican economy stable is the money that the men are sending back to their families to provide for them. When they illegally enter the United States, they find jobs for example in construction or landscaping business where they make enough to support their little ones. But there is a negative aspect of this as well, families are being torn apart for years and also there is an issues of deportation. The main reasons why the residents of Mexico leave to go to the United States is because of job opportunity and get away from the violence. Sometimes they bring their families where their children can have a good education and look for a better opportunity because there is social mobility in the United States. But the issue of deportation still remains but overall immigrants become the scapegoat for the economic situation because of the job opportunities and being able to provide for their families.

This film relates to one of our readings from Stiglitz, “We Have Become Rich Countries for Poor People.” The title of the article explains it all, even though we think that globalization is an advantage for the world there is also negative aspects.
This article mentions, we see an unfair global trade regime that impedes development and an unstable global financial system in which poor counties repeatedly find themselves with unimaginable debt burdens (Stiglitz 2006). Relaying back to the film, Mexico has repeatedly received money from the United States to boost their economy so migration can be in more control, but where there is corruption, violence, and no opportunities people are always going to flee from their country and it comes down to migration, it occurs everywhere. Looking at the conflict in Syria, families will go the furthest to support their families and provide their kids for a better education. The article also mentions. “The fact that so many countries end up with unmanageable debt burdens suggest that the problem is systemic. Global markets are highly volatile and too often the poor bear the brunt of exchange rate and interest rate changes. Yet nothing has been done about these underlying problems.” (Stiglitz 2006). Each time that the United States gives Mexico money, its debt on their country and as the article says, the country is too poor to bear the exchange rate and interest rate. The film had mentioned that companies will go into these poor countries
and hire workers at a low wage and the residents of Mexico will work for that company assuming that they will make enough to provide for their families but in reality the money is not enough if you look at it on a day to day basis. Looking at another article in. “Globalization and Its Specter” the article has said, “Globalization has been characterized by a “re-commodification of labor” in which workers have increasingly lost all right except the right to sell their labor power (Brecher, Costello, and Smith: 31) which is referring back to the film that because of Mexico’s failing economy the only thing that the residents have the right to sell is their labor power so countries like the United States will take their company like Adidas to use cheap labor to benefit its company.
After watching the Film and referring back to the readings, it really opened my eyes that although we refer to Mexico as a beautiful country to take a vacation, the real problem lies within the country itself. Corruption, power, wealth and greed is something that every country faces and the people and poor families suffer for years not being able to see their families. Before I was born, my father had come to the United States to look for a better opportunity for his family and he worked for many years and finally brought my Mom and I to the United States. Sometimes when I look at the innocent children in countries like India, Mexico, China etc. it makes me really think, what would have happened if I grew up in India? I wouldn’t have the best education or job opportunity. It’s really important to understand that things that are occurring in the world today because it affects us all. All the clothes, shoes, watches we wear came from a country where they are struggling to survive and trying to provide for their children. It really is eye opening and we should allow families from Mexico to come to the United States to make a living or set up special programs where they stay for a couple of years and then go back. This film was an excellent and I will lookout for more films by Roy Germano, absolutely enjoyed it.