Documentary addresses struggles of immigrants

By Johanna Mitchell

More than 150 people gathered in the Recital Hall on Tuesday for a screening and discussion of "Posada," a documentary that chronicles the struggles of three undocumented children crossing the Mexican-American border in search of a better life.

"Posada," referencing the Spanish word for shelter, parallels the biblical tale of Joseph and Mary searching for lodging on Christmas Eve through the plight of three young Latin-American men who entered the United States by separately crossing the desert, hiding aboard California-bound trains and selling drugs for money to gain passage from smugglers.

Upon arrival, the youths were plagued with a myriad of problems, among them finding relatives, shelter, schooling and jobs, all while attempting to avoid the immigration officials who eventually detained all three men for months between 1999 and 2002.

These young men are not alone in their struggle; an estimated 1.8 million undocumented children currently reside in the United States.

These children often find themselves stuck between the systems of probation and immigration, said Shannon Wilber, executive director of Legal Services for Children in San Francisco who attended the "Posada" discussion.

"These young people need more than just a lawyer. They need love and they need attention, someone to care for and support them," said Wilber, one of four panelists that took questions from the audience.

Other panel members included Mark McGregor, S.J., sophomore Rebecca Fox-Bivona of Santa Clarans for Social Justice and Ana Maria Pineda, professor of religious studies.

McGregor directed and produced the film, which supplements the Roman Catholic Church's campaign for immigration reform. The panelists encouraged audience members to relate the tradition of Las Posadas to their own families and to help spread awareness of issues surrounding immigration policy, including the Dream Act, which failed a test vote in the Senate on Oct. 24.

The Dream Act, in its current form, would grant citizenship to undocumented immigrant children who arrived in the United States before the age of 16, graduated from an American high school and had either agreed to enroll in college or enlist in the military for at least two years.

Santa Clarans for Social Justice was actively involved in promoting the act during the month of October, providing a table in Benson Memorial Center where students and faculty could write letters and call or e-mail local politicians to ask for their support, said Matt Smith, a minister in Campus Ministry.

For senior Sara Garcia, a member of campus Latino organization MEChA-El Frente, the documentary struck a personal chord -- Garcia's parents crossed the border nearly 40 years ago. "I can't imagine how hard it was for them, but I don't think it's nearly as difficult as it's getting now. It's getting to the point where it's literally a matter of life and death," said Garcia.

The Justice and the Arts Initiative coordinated the event, which had a simple format intended to "provide the framework and let the film speak for itself," said Co-Director Kristin Kusanovich.

Through the Posadas Project, McGregor promotes the celebration of Las Posadas and seeks to increase solidarity surrounding issues of immigration with emphasis on how the spiritual community can become involved.

"The religious imagination is what I'm after," said McGregor, adding that his intention was to take the medium of film beyond entertainment and use it as a catalyst for change, a vehicle for spreading the voices of immigrant children to a wider audience.

McGregor, a lecturer in the communication department, plans to take eight students this week to visit the site of the former U.S. Army School of the Americas in Georgia for the annual vigil for the massacre of six Jesuit Priests in El Salvador in 1989. He is currently in the process of creating a second film about youth affected by immigration legislation.

Contact Johanna Mitchell at (408) 554-4546 or jjmitchell@scu.edu.