‘Undocumented’ Brings Illegal
Immigration to Campus

By Erin Hagan
ehagan@smu.edu

Dallas-native and director Justine Malone is the mastermind behind a politically-charged, eye-opening documentary that had its north-Texas premiere Wednesday evening in Dallas Hall’s McCord Auditorium.

“Undocumented” takes a look at the issues that surround illegal immigration and the people affected by a faulty immigration policy in the U.S. Malone and producer Robert Curlin were present for discussion following the film.

After concocting the idea for the film, Malone said he posted a job search on Craigslist.com to find a crew. The team traveled to more than 25 cities across the country, spending more than six months to create the documentary.

“I saw my neighborhood, which is in Dallas, Texas, transforming before my eyes,” Malone says in the film’s trailer, explaining why he decided to take on the project.

The film gave a face to the many individuals battling immigration issues. From local government officials trying to secure borders to illegal migrant families living in dilapidated housing, both sides of the great debate voiced their opinions.

The film opened to a crowded auditorium with feedback expressed by students, faculty and friends of the film crew after the screening.

History professor Ben Johnson, also a contributing author of “Bordertown: The Odyssey of an American Place,” said he felt the movie lacked important details and included others that unfairly manipulated the movie, such as the footage of 9/11.

“To display that footage of 9/11, particularly the people who jumped out of the building, in the context of a movie, primarily about Latino immigration, is sensationalistic and profoundly unfair,” Johnson said.

While images in the film suggested little to no assimilation on behalf of the undocumented migrants, Johnson said that social science research regarding assimilation should have been expressed by the film. He said those studies show that second generation Hispanics are inclined to be bilingual and third generation speakers usually are limited to speaking English only. In addition, a third of U.S.-born Hispanics marry non-Hispanics, he said.

“In the most visceral and intimate level possible,” Johnson said, “people are becoming part of American society.”

Those of Hispanic heritage who voiced their opinions shared a common sense in that they felt they were not represented fairly in the documentary.

Senior Yuritza Morales, a psychology and sociology double major, said the film did not represent those migrants who are educated, along with the difficulties of obtaining legal citizenship and healthcare.

“Overall, I liked the movie, but I think it’s lacking a viewpoint from a proud Mexican-American,” Alan Pérez, a junior political science and Spanish double major, said.

Scotty Holt, a family friend of director Malone’s and a father to an SMU freshman, said he was proud of the film.

“I think he [Malone] did a very good job. And what has he done? He’s gotten us all talking. He’s got us all thinking,” Holt said amidst criticism to the documentary.

In the weeks to come, these are issues that will infiltrate the debates and campaigns. Regardless of personal opinion, “Undocumented” has given a voice to the undocumented workers in this country, their families and their countrymen looking for better opportunities across the border.

“As long as our government is not securing borders and securing the immigration system, we’re going to be left to fight this out on the streets– that’s what I want to prevent,” Malone said.