A shouting match erupted Monday night between members of a Yadkin County immigrant rights organization and people attending a screening of a controversial illegal immigration documentary at Rockingham Community College.
Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page, a supporter of tighter security along the border between the U.S. and Mexico, sponsored the showing of “They Come to America: The Cost of Illegal Immigration” by Dennis Lynch. The sheriff’s office said the documentary highlights crime, but tells the story of an undocumented immigrant.
Members of El Cambio, which translates to “The Change,” came in droves to speak out against the film, which they said offered a one-sided view of illegal immigrants.
By: Lalata Payne | Reidsville Review
Published: October 09, 2012
“We came out to participate in the screening and take our message to the sheriff that this documentary doesn’t truly represent the value of immigrants and their struggle,” said Moises Serrano, who grew up Yadkin County, but is not authorized to be in the country. “Immigrants want to be a part of the community. We’re hard working and we want jobs just as much as every other person.”
Page defended the screening of the film, saying he did so to show the people in Rockingham residents how illegal immigration affects their lives.
“Over the past 10 years, issues have been rising in our community due to illegal immigration,” Page said. “Drug trafficking is a major part of the problem… The majority of drugs that come through North Carolina come from Mexico through Atlanta and up the Southeast. People are directly seeing the backlash from that in Rockingham County.”
Lynch’s film includes interviews with border patrol agents, undocumented immigrants, immigration attorneys, lobbyists for minority and Latino rights, as well as people who live on the Mexico border. Viewers inside the auditorium at RCC were clearly divided on the issue and could be heard booing or clapping when certain issues arose.
Stokes County resident Ramona Timm talked to Serrano after the showing. She said later she didn’t know much about Serrano’s situation, but she felt like her side of the issue wasn’t heard.
“I just can’t say this movie is an outright lie,” she said. “I told him it’s not the fact that they were brought here by their parents – that’s not their fault. But I wanted him to know this issue is bigger than him or me. I cried when that young man disappeared in the film. It’s criminal when I think about the drug trafficking and the human trafficking. I really blame the government of Mexico.”
Forsyth County resident Kim Porter is a supporter of El Cambio. Attending Monday’s documentary was a way for her to find out what arguments the other side is making against illegal immigration, she said.
She said she didn’t understand why the showing was sponsored by local law-enforcement officials.
“I’m very concerned about what message this film is bringing to the public,” she said. “I’ve heard from many places that some towns and cities won’t even show this film because it’s conflicting information.”
Members of El Cambio gathered outside the auditorium to talk to people as they left. Page asked everyone to go outside, but not before handing out his card to several members of the group. He said they could call him if they had concerns.
“Regardless of which side anyone is on concerning this issue, they are welcome,” Page said. “If we have the community to come together, we can do something to solve the problem of illegal immigration. If we don’t’ come together, nothing will change.”
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