Thread: THE INVISIBLE MEXICANS OF DEER CANYON

Documentary depicts life in migrant camps

By: EDWARD SIFUENTES - Staff Writer
North County Times
January 27, 2007

CARLSBAD ---- A documentary film about the plight of people living in North County's migrant camps is scheduled to be screened Sunday at Carlsbad's Pilgrim United Church of Christ.

"The Invisible Mexicans of Deer Canyon," is the work of San Diego native John Carlos Frey, who spent more than a year visiting and interviewing migrant workers in the area. Frey said he felt compelled to document the lives of the workers because very little was known about them through the media.

The makeshift camps at McGonigle Canyon near Rancho Penasquitos and others around North County have been the focus of debate and protests recently. Immigrant rights activists often clash with city officials, who remove migrants' huts without offering them alternative places to go.

Local residents and anti-illegal immigration activists say the camps are health and fire hazards inhabited by illegal immigrants.

Though activists on both sides of the protests are routinely interviewed in the local and national media, seldom does anyone talk to the migrant workers themselves, Frey said.

"I made it for one particular reason and that's to give a voice to the voiceless," Frey said.

Though he grew up in San Diego only a few miles away from the border, Frey, 42-year-old former actor who lives in Los Angeles, said he had never heard about the migrant camps until recently.

After media reports about living conditions in the camps, Frey said he decided to see for himself. What he saw both shocked and amazed him, he said.

"I was honestly floored and I mean that in a negative sense," he said. "It was quite a contrast to see the shacks next to multi-million-dollar homes. And it wasn't just a few of them, it was shack, after shack, after shack."

The 73-minute documentary focuses on the lives of a handful of illegal immigrant workers he befriended. He filmed the workers in the camps, going to work and attending service at a makeshift chapel at the bottom of the canyon.

Frey said he intentionally avoided interviewing people outside the canyon and the political debate over immigration.

"I didn't want to leave the canyon. Most of the press covers the immigration" aspects of their story. Frey said. "And we don't know who they are. ... They are not terrorists. They are not robbers or rapists. They are devout. They are generous. They have a great sense of humor and a great sense of integrity."

Recently, a TV report painted a different picture of the McGonigle Canyon migrant camps. The report showed video of alleged prostitutes and men drinking.

The story prompted activists and residents to stage a protest and pressure city officials to close the camps.

As a result, many of the camps were dismantled and the chapel was removed. Frey said he filmed the small altar being torn down by volunteers earlier this month. He is editing the video to release it in the coming months, he said.

Barbara Froseth Perrigo, a member of the Pilgrim church and a migrant workers' rights activist, said she got the idea to screen the movie at the church when she saw it at the University of San Diego last year.

"It was very powerful," she said. "We're very excited to show this film. We're excited that he will be there."

Pilgrim Church is at 2020 Chestnut Ave. in Carlsbad. The screening starts at noon Sunday with a brief discussion after the film.

Contact staff writer Edward Sifuentes at (760) 740-3511 or esifuentes@nctimes.com.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01 ... _26_07.txt

Comments On This Story

Note: Comments reflect the views of readers and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff.

Village Idiot wrote on January 27, 2007 3:39 AM:"Thanks Ed for setting us all straight and showing us how wonderful this is. I am cured of my mistaken beliefs that illegals are illegal. I am now sure that these camps are just gatherings of the faithful. Maybe I will go there and worship the wonder of it all! Better yet maybe I will become a coyote and help this amazing phenomenon! The wonder and vibrancy of it all just makes me ecstatic! Praise the Lord. It's powerful alright! Amen. "

To Mr. Frey wrote on January 27, 2007 4:38 AM:"THEY ARE ILLEGALS!!!!!!!!!!!!! they broke our laws. I don't care how sweet, devout, whatever they are... AGAIN THEY ARE ILLEGALS. THEY MUST LEAVE OUR CANYONS AND OUR COUNTRY. Let them take your bleeding heart documentary with them. "

(Skip) Don't Blame The Immigrants wrote on January 27, 2007 7:14 AM:"I am sure that Mr. Alvarado just wanted a better life for him and his family. It was just an accident, and Mr. Alvarado did what any other person who would do if he is in this country Illegally: he fled the scene of an accident. Mr. Alvarado knew that if he had stuck around to exchange insurance information, or to help with any injured people that he would be discovered and possibly deported. Mr. Alvarado now has a family with 3 children (Anchor babies?) and he could not let this accident jeopardize their well-being. So you see, that when Mr. Alvarado then had the second accident it really was not his fault. The fact that innocent people were killed should not be held against him, as there were no drugs or alcohol involved. Mr. Alvarado like millions of other Illegal Aliens in this country just want a better life for their families. They cannot bother with American Laws and Customs, as they just get in their way. Mr. Alvarado will now spend the next 4 years in jail, and his American born children will get plenty of welfare and subsidies from the California Taxpayers. If Mr. Alvarado is lucky he will be let out of prison early due to overcrowding because 1/3 or more of California prisoners are Illegal Aliens. So you all see it was not Mr. Alvarado's fault. Don't be so harsh on this family man. Oh and I am sure that after Mr. Alvarado is let out of prison, and deported, he can be back in this country in a week or so, and have a new identity and start all over again. http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01 ... _25_07.txt"

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excellent and truthful comment Skip!

Time for a pictoral on
The DESTRUCTION of AMERICAN LIFE & COUNTRY by ILLEGAL ALIENS

Comments On This Story

Village Idiot wrote on January 27, 2007 3:39 AM:"Thanks Ed for setting us all straight and showing us how wonderful this is. I am cured of my mistaken beliefs that illegals are illegal. I am now sure that these camps are just gatherings of the faithful. Maybe I will go there and worship the wonder of it all! Better yet maybe I will become a coyote and help this amazing phenomenon! The wonder and vibrancy of it all just makes me ecstatic! Praise the Lord. It's powerful alright! Amen. "

To Mr. Frey wrote on January 27, 2007 4:38 AM:"THEY ARE ILLEGALS!!!!!!!!!!!!! they broke our laws. I don't care how sweet, devout, whatever they are... AGAIN THEY ARE ILLEGALS. THEY MUST LEAVE OUR CANYONS AND OUR COUNTRY. Let them take your bleeding heart documentary with them. "

Don't Blame The Immigrants wrote on January 27, 2007 7:14 AM:"I am sure that Mr. Alvarado just wanted a better life for him and his family. It was just an accident, and Mr. Alvarado did what any other person who would do if he is in this country Illegally: he fled the scene of an accident. Mr. Alvarado knew that if he had stuck around to exchange insurance information, or to help with any injured people that he would be discovered and possibly deported. Mr. Alvarado now has a family with 3 children (Anchor babies?) and he could not let this accident jeopardize their well-being. So you see, that when Mr. Alvarado then had the second accident it really was not his fault. The fact that innocent people were killed should not be held against him, as there were no drugs or alcohol involved. Mr. Alvarado like millions of other Illegal Aliens in this country just want a better life for their families. They cannot bother with American Laws and Customs, as they just get in their way. Mr. Alvarado will now spend the next 4 years in jail, and his American born children will get plenty of welfare and subsidies from the California Taxpayers. If Mr. Alvarado is lucky he will be let out of prison early due to overcrowding because 1/3 or more of California prisoners are Illegal Aliens. So you all see it was not Mr. Alvarado's fault. Don't be so harsh on this family man. Oh and I am sure that after Mr. Alvarado is let out of prison, and deported, he can be back in this country in a week or so, and have a new identity and start all over again. http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01 ... _25_07.txt"

I'll say it again...... wrote on January 27, 2007 7:50 AM:"What part of illegal do you not understand? Call them farm workers, agricultural workers, or whatever else you like, but Illegal is still Illegal. You just don't get it. "

To don't blame the immigrants wrote on January 27, 2007 8:03 AM:"Do you really believe that you recap of the terrible tragedy is going to make every one hate all Latinos. You know as well as I do that the group of people we are talking about are Mexican! I know first hand that drunk drivers come in all skin color. I experienced that sad tragedy myself. So do I go around saying all caucasian men are nothing but no good drunk drivers? No that is absurd and so is your comment. Bad things happen to good people it is just a fact of life. Get real and stop your hate propaganda. Get ahold of yourself man. "

Skip wrote on January 27, 2007 8:16 AM:"TO the NCT : Is there an associated story with today's poll? The 3 choices given are all the right answers. 1)Target employers 2)Traffic checkpoints and 3)Target landlords I do not understand. What is the point of this poll?"

Erin wrote on January 27, 2007 8:19 AM:"Mr Frey why don't you go to Mexico and make an attempt to fight their Corrupt Government...so these people who are here illegally can go home...You must love the people here who love SLave Labor...Have you been to Camben New Jersey or for that matter any large City with AMERICAN POOR...who are struggling to find jobs that now are reserved due to people like you for illegals...We must first deal with the people here who are here legal and by birth right suffering before we take on a Nation that is dumping it poor and uneducated...Mexico is a very wealthy nation for the top 1%...When I see the marchinfg and demanding from the La Raza and others I wonder why are they doing the Bush administrations job of destroying American and making the division wider...THe Bush administration and corrupt corpurations love uneducated slave labor...Shame on you and them"

Erin wrote on January 27, 2007 8:20 AM:"Mr Frey why don't you go to Mexico and make an attempt to fight their Corrupt Government...so these people who are here illegally can go home...You must love the people here who love Slave Labor...Have you been to Camden New Jersey or for that matter any large City with AMERICAN POOR...who are struggling to find jobs that now are reserved due to people like you for illegals...We must first deal with the people here who are here legal and by birth right suffering before we take on a Nation that is dumping it poor and uneducated...Mexico is a very wealthy nation for the top 1%...When I see the marching and demanding from the La Raza and others I wonder why are they doing the Bush administrations job of destroying American and making the division wider...The Bush administration and corrupt corporations love uneducated slave labor...Shame on you and them"

Robert24 wrote on January 27, 2007 9:24 AM:"Well, Ed, another great article! Maybe the next one you do (if you do anything other than illegal alien stories) could be on the gentle hearts of child molesters, or maybe the compassion of the serial killer. Hey, maybe an article about the values of gang bangers. Thank you, Ed, for all that you do to soften and bring compassion to those who didn't earn it or deserve it. Don't ever lose sight or stop being thankful that the NCT allows you to write for them. I can't imagine what else you would do to further the cause of law breakers every where."

... wrote on January 27, 2007 10:50 AM:"Hey he could do a follow up by going to TJ and showing how they are slowly turning san diego into little mexico"

ATTENTION, UNDOCUMENTED MALES wrote on January 27, 2007 10:50 AM:"If you are a man ages 18 through 25 and living in the U.S., then you must register with Selective Service. It’s the law. You can register at any U.S. Post Office and do not need a social security number. Be sure to register before your 26th birthday. After that, it’s too late! Selective Service does not collect any information which would indicate whether or not you are undocumented. You want to protect yourself for future U.S. citizenship and other government benefits and programs by registering with Selective Service. Do it today! http://www.sss.gov/ "

Megan Russell, NCT Web Desk wrote on January 27, 2007 11:13 AM:"Skip -- Under the poll question on the front page, click "More" to see the associated story. I have also changed the question to say "the most effective ..." instead of "a more effective ..." Hope that makes the poll question more clear. Thanks for your question and for keeping us on our toes."

Robert wrote on January 27, 2007 11:51 AM:"RE : ATTENTION, UNDOCUMENTED MALES >> That's twice today I got a good laugh from reading the NCT. The first time was when I read this story http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01 ... _26_07.txt"

(Skip) TO : To don't blame the immigrants wrote on January 27, 2007 12:21 PM:"RE: I know first hand that drunk drivers come in all skin color. >>> If you had read and understood the story and my comment, you would know that alcohol and drugs were not a factor in this tragic accident. What was a factor was that the Convicted Man was an "Illegal Alien", who did not have a driver's license or insurance, and was compelled to flee after being involved in an accident, because of fear of being arrested and deported. Stories like this happened about 900 times in Escondido last year, and fortunately there were only a few deaths. I do not think that the man's race or country of origin was a factor."

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http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01 ... _26_07.txt

Independent1 wrote on January 27, 2007 2:34 PM:"To quote the article,"Immigrant rights activists often clash with city officials, who remove migrants' huts without offering them alternative places to go." Um, we have given them an alternative place to live and it is back in their country instead of breaking our immigration laws. To quote the article,"They are not terrorists. They are not robbers or rapists. They are devout. They are generous. They have a great sense of humor and a great sense of integrity." Um, character traits have nothing to do with the this issue. This is an illegal immigration issue. As for those traits, how about integrity? The dictionary uses words like 'moral' and 'ethical' to describe integrity. Moral and ethical people do not illegally enter other countries then break the laws (yes, living in those camps is breaking the law). How about robbers? Anybody that steals a job that Americans would do is a robber. Again, the Swift meatpacking plant had hundreds of American applicants wanting the jobs that were vacated when the illegal workers were rounded up. How about terrorists? They may not be violent terrorists but some could almost consider them to be environmental terrorists for what they are doing to those canyons by dumping their batteries, tires, toxic chemicals, human waste, etc. I wish this much attention and effort went into taking care of the plight that homeless American citizens are facing."

To: Megan Russell, NCT Web Desk wrote on January 27, 2007 3:08 PM:"I finally figured it out. If you vote before reading the story, then you will have no access to get to the story, because that little "MORE" button disappears."

Solution wrote on January 27, 2007 3:36 PM:"Not until someone throws the president's daughters out into the illegal migrant camps one night will something be done."

Treat the illegals like our transients are treated!! wrote on January 27, 2007 5:30 PM:"To quote the article,"Immigrant rights activists often clash with city officials, who remove migrants' huts without offering them alternative places to go." Do you all remember a week ago when the transients squatters were removed from the bridge in Balboa Park. They were removed immediately! Not four months of looking for housing, complaining to officials, calling everyone racists! They were removed that day!! The illegals should get equal treatment! No warning or offering to build them housing etc. Why are the illegals coddled when US citizens aren't? Sifuentes you are a joke! Such a supporter of the illegals! Did you ever go in those camps? They were disgusting!! This movie is old news ! It originally aired in SD in November. Oh and by the way, there are no longer any invisible Mexicans of Deer Canyon thanks to Rick Roberts listeners. PS. They weren't invisible. Many of the huts were right on top of the the hills. I guess so they could enjoy the ocean view!! Illegals are just that,illegal. They need to go back to their families in Mexico. They aren't just coming up here to feed their families. They are coming up here to get rich. When you usually make $3 a day and then you come up here and make $60-$100 you return wealthy!!"

Greg in Oceanside wrote on January 27, 2007 5:32 PM:"It never ceases to amaze me about Ed Sifuentes' bias towards the plight of the ILLEGAL ALIENS. Is he an American or a MEXICAN masquerading as one? I'm sorry, but ILLEGAL ALIENS have brought more misery and problems to this country. It’s high time we take the steps to rid ILLEGAL ALIENS from these migrant camps. ILLEGAL ALIENS are threatening our quality of life as we know it. Mexican migrants may be doing the “stoop labor” that Americans aren’t doing. But oftentimes they’re working in jobs that Americans can, and want to be doing. We aren’t getting the crème of Mexico’s crop when it comes to immigrants; we’re getting the lowest socio-economic strata of Mexico’s society. And this has a cost; our hospitals and social programs are stretched to the brink of collapse. Mexico is more than happy for the US taxpayer’s to pick up the tab for taking care of them. These migrant camps are a nuisance and are a completely separate underground society with its own set of problems. It’s time we eradicate them from our backcountry areas, and continue to do so."

American woman wrote on January 27, 2007 5:44 PM:"If I'm not mistaken, Mr. Sifuentes was once cogent and in possession of his faculties as a writer. That was not too long ago, as I recall! I wonder if he is sipping the same cool-ade Enrique Morones chug-a-lugs constantly! Edward, this is getting old...REALLY, it is. I fault both governments for allowing this travesty to percolate as it does in our midst. I realize that the poor, innocent Mexicans are just bringing their mates and their 5 1/2 kids to America so they can feed and clothe them...but guess what, Ed? WE ARE SICK OF IT!!! Education level aside, the husbands and sons - anchor babies or NOT - need to unite and combine the courage of their convictions to fight that inevitable revolutionary war IN MEXICO!!! Mr. Frey sounds like the perfect fellow to organize them, don't you all agree? "


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http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01 ... _26_07.txt