Crossing Arizona - Watch this film!

Movie Review: Crossing Arizona

Crossing Arizona is a political documentary that demonstrates how the current immigration laws in America affect people on both sides of the border and it presents opinions from all sides of the issue. The film explains how the changed border strategy has sealed off border cities, and allowed for funneling though the unforgiving terrain of the Arizona desert. The laws and regulations have pushed immigrants further and further into the desert to cross the border and many people die each year in an attempt to cross through the isolated desert. Many people living on the border feel that no one deserves to die in the desert and they have worked tirelessly to supply water and humanitarian aid to those trying to cross. Throughout the film you will see perspectives from everyone affected by the border laws including, border patrol, immigrants on both sides of the border, humanitarian aid workers, guides, vigilante groups, farmers and ranchers. The film makers did an excellent job presenting all perspectives involved.

Some of the more memorable and upsetting moments in the film was the footage anti-immigration rallies in Arizona. A man in Tombstone started the “ Minuteman project – Veterans for a secure border” in which American citizens gathered from around the country to “protect” the border saying it is their duty and every American should be out there helping the government to do their job. This rally seemed to stir hatred and anger more than protect anything. Their goal was to create a deterrence for the immigrants trying to cross, but if I were someone attempting to cross the border and I had paid my life savings to make it into another country I probably wouldn’t allow a knitting grandmother from California in a camping chair be much of a deterrence. It was easy to see how the Minuteman project could escalate into a recruitment fair for white supremacy groups.
Water is one of the biggest problems for the people crossing the desert and it is not possible for someone to carry all the water necessary for the journey. In an attempt to stop the deaths in the desert, many people and organizations have provided water stations and started search and rescue groups to help. One man maintains a cache of water jugs he refills daily to help those in need. In one scene he returns to his jugs and sees them strewn about and many of them are slashed or have been intentionally burst. He says to deny someone water is “a crime against humanity.”

If you are interested in an in depth follow-up to Jennifer Piper’s lecture this is the film for you!