In the movie Thirty Days, one of America’s minute men, Jorge, feels that as a legalized citizen it is his prime duty to help in the capture and deportation of non-Americanized immigrants. Most of these immigrants are migrants from South American countries, such as: El Salvador, Honduras, Ecuador, and Mexico. What this minuteman failed to analyze in his nationalism is that as an American legal immigrant, he never had to undergo the torture, poverty, and homelessness that is affiliated with these third world Central American countries.
While getting the opportunity to live in the life of a legal immigrant family, Jorge had no choice but to try and adapt to the families illegalized culture. For about eighty five percent of the time that he lived with the family he never tried to adapt or change his view of what he felt was the responsibility of all people. His view of immigration was that if you wanted to come to America you should do it legally; he also felt that by coming here illegally they should be deported and sent back before they could steal jobs that legal Americans need just as bad.
By the end of the movie, I felt that Jorge’s view of the family was very different. Finally he opened his eyes to see the true facts of the family, not just his own perception of them. He soon finds how they recycle cans and bottles to make extra money. The family is forced to live in a low income two bedroom home, and handle eight people living in it. Jorge saw that the father who was supposed to be the bread winner did odd jobs for a living to pay for rent and provide for his family. After seeing what this family goes through from a day to day basis, he now understands why the family came to America to begin with.
However, on a personal note Jorge’s idea on immigration of this grand scale should not be seen as legal, and to this, I would have to agree. My idea on immigration in America has shifted because of the countries economical predicament. The United States at this time is unable to provide for this multitude. I do not disagree that one of more immigrants should not come to America and send money back or work illegally, but at this time the way of the world is going in decline.
