Response to Dying to Get In

Immigration and Exile
Professor Szczeszak-Brewer
Tommy Pecar
December 9, 2008



The documentary Dying to Get In provides a compelling outlook at the situation which many Mexican immigrants face in today’s modern world. For decades now, the Mexican-American border is the only border in the world which separates a third world nation and a first world nation. This documentary offers a realistic view on the constant struggles which these immigrants face and the reasons behind their desire to cross into the United States.

Unlike other documentaries, this documentary looks specifically into the dangers, struggles, and problems which Mexican immigrants encounter in their efforts to cross the Mexican-American border. I for one didn’t have a strong understanding of the economic crisis which many Mexicans face. I always saw Mexico as a country that was decently off, but obviously, throughout this film and throughout the duration of this course I’ve come to an understanding with the growing economic crisis involving Mexico. Because of the severity of the issue in Mexico, it allows me to further grasp at the idea of border hoping by Mexicans. Through series of interviews throughout the documentary, it’s clear that Mexico’s economic struggle is one of the major factors for many Mexicans to pursue life in the United States. One immigrant explains in the documentary of the unfortunate circumstances in Mexico. Ramon explains the problem which not only he faces, but what many others continue to encounter in his native Mexico. The ever growing problem of providing food and water at the dinner table, lack of money to pay the bills, saving for their children’s future education, and the growing exhaustion from long hours of labor are the major contributing factors for individuals to cross the border.

While there can be several other reasons why immigrants choose to cross the border into America, providing for the family financially as well as ensuring a better future for their children are the main reasons behind the motives of many immigrants trying to cross into the United States. There is a good indication from several Mexicans that Mexico was more concerned in paying their national debt, rather than helping its citizens live a better life. Many individuals say that the Pesos (Mexico’s currency) are little or no value when compared to the American dollar which is worth so much more. One individual (Ramon), really caught my attention during his whole interview. He has several insightful views on his personal experiences on the whole issue of the border crossing. He explains how he works extremely hard in the farm fields, sunrise to sunset making no more than ten dollars a week. He explains how hard it’s for many Mexicans to hear that many Americans make that in an hour or two. Ramon and the majority of Mexicans have a continuing struggle to provide their families with the basic necessities such as food, water, clothes, etc. It becomes very easy for me to understand why so many of them want to live in America because it becomes much easier for them to provide for their families with these basic necessities.

Ramon explains that not only living in Mexico is difficult financially; it is also extremely difficult to provide their children with a chance at living a good life, a higher education and a chance of having their own family. This is yet another solid and justified reason from my perspective on the reasons why Mexicans decide to cross into America illegally. I believe this is a legitimate reason why they chose to cross over. The famous saying “I’d do anything for my family” firmly justifies why so many brave Mexicans are willing to sacrifice their lives by taking a deadly chance going through polluted rivers, rocky mountains, and boiling deserts because they know there is a strong possibility that their family will have an opportunity at a better life style. Ramon says two very interesting things on this matter. He first says that “you need to do something for your children so they don’t have to suffer like their parents” and secondly he states, “we, as parents have two choices for our children. We can either cross the border into America and create a future for our kids, or we can stay in Mexico and watch them slowly die here. I think if any parent was in my situation, they would choose the first choice.” These quotes demonstrate the harsh realities faced by numerous Mexicans. Many of them understand the current situation regarding the economic woes in Mexico. On one side, they know that if they stay in Mexico, they don’t have to go through the deadly journey into America, while on the other hand, their children will face the harsh reality of a difficult life in Mexico where Ramon believes there is a large chance of seeing their kids die. On the flip side, if they decide to cross into America, there is a big possibility of dying along the way because of the various obstacles faced throughout the journey. If they make the journey into America, then they know that there is a strong chance that their family can live a better life and ensure a better future for their children.

After watching the documentary Dying to Get In, it certainly made me change my opinion of the ongoing issue of illegal crossing on the Mexican-American border. Before this film, I had a biased view on illegal immigrants crossing into America. I never thought they should cross into America because I thought the situation in Mexico wasn’t really that bad. But obviously after seeing this film and reading a few other articles in regards to Mexico’s economic issue, it made me realize the huge struggles that many Mexicans today face: the inability to make a decent earning, the inability to provide for their family, and most importantly, the inability to ensure their children’s future. Dying to Get In has truly changed my outlook on the border crossing issues. Unlike previous films, I have now had the opportunity to see the story from the immigrant’s perspective. I’m able to understand the reasons behind their choice to cross the border because in all honesty, I too would do anything for my family. I leave this response with one of the most unselfish response from Ramon which only further exemplifies the reasons why they cross over into America. “If we had a good country which cared about its citizens, if we had money, and a good standard of living, we wouldn’t be here[America].”