Since 1995 over 1000 immigrants have died trying to cross into the United States through the blazing heat of Arizona. Prior to that exactly zero immigrants died in that area and it’s directly attributed to California and Texas sealing their borders and forcing illegal immigration into Arizona. Everyone knows that illegal immigration is a problem, but there’s really no answer to be found. “Crossing Arizona” does a nice job covering all sides of the issue.
As you watch the doc you feel bad for farmers in the area who spends millions of dollars cleaning up after the immigrants who leave garbage on their land and cut through fences. The immigrants also frequently steal and eat their livestock. You meet good samaritans who leave cache’s of water throughout the desert as well as people crossing into the U.S. for work. The most disturbing area of the doc is when we get to know Chris Simcox, a local yokel who decides to start a minutemen group to protect the border. The film does a nice job being fair and balanced but with morons like Simcox who represent the worst part of the new wave of ultra-patriotic Americans, just letting him speak exposes what a egotistical racist he is.
I think “Crossing Arizona” is a good film for looking at all sides of an important issue. Yet the whole situation is so damn frustrating because there doesn’t seem to be a solution to the problem.
